Ramshot True Blue powder

[lewmed]

 Is anyone using True Blue for loading 9mm or 38 spl. I bought 8 lbs. about a year ago for loading 5.7X28   I still have a little over 1/2 a jug left  and need to find another use for it.

[snakeye]

Here is a good article about True Blue

http://blog.westernpowders.com/2014/12/one-powder-for-all-handgun-loads/

[IDescribe]

It is seems VERY close to Silhouette in the published load data for 9mm. 

It is supposed to be excellent powder, meters well, accurate, etc..  But for whatever reason, it isn't especially popular.  It could be like American Select, in that it's all-around excellent, but just hasn't caught on in the community.  I have seen a couple of people offer high praise for it in 9mm.  I have always been curious, but I have never tried it.

[Wobbly]

It is seems VERY close to Silhouette in the published load data for 9mm. 

It is supposed to be excellent powder, meters well, accurate, etc..  But for whatever reason, it isn't especially popular.  It could be like American Select, in that it's all-around excellent, but just hasn't caught on in the community.  I have seen a couple of people offer high praise for it in 9mm.  I have always been curious, but I have never tried it.

One of our former members swore by it, but Ramshot powders have always been very hard to find around GA, so I've never seen it to buy it.

[IDescribe]

...but Ramshot powders have always been very hard to find around GA, so I've never seen it to buy it.

And this is probably the case.  I buy Silhouette online, but I don't think I've ever seen any Ramshot powders on the shelf in a store.  It seems brick and mortars have more Hodgdon and Alliant than anything else.

Now that I think about it, there is a conversation I have had over and over and over at the range when someone sees me testing loads:

"What powder are you using?"
"AA2." (or N320, or Prima-V, or any of a number of other powders I've played with)
"What's that?"
"Fast burning powder.  I'm loading for 9mm minor for IDPA/USPSA."
"Oh!  I use HP-38 for that.  That's what everyone uses."

Some version of that conversation over and over, and now it dawns on me -- that's what's available at the local shops.  Lots of old-timers don't like to buy online.  That's also the reason people comment on my wasting money shooting hollowpoints -- because they don't have PD in the local shop at 9 cents per round.  Or why people see me with coated bullets and ask what the heck those bullets are.  Why are your bullets red?  What's the purpose of that?

The local shop has Hodgdon, FMJ, and plated.  Funny that hasn't dawned on me previously.

[lewmed]

Snakeye
 Thank you that was good info.

[Moken]

Here is a good article about True Blue

http://blog.westernpowders.com/2014/12/one-powder-for-all-handgun-loads/

Great article. I've been chatting with the author over at Taurusarmed.

[Radom]

Haven't used True Blue.  It should be a very good powder for 9x19mm. 

[nicky]

If I am not mistaken the author of that article is a former member. He was a big fan of True Blue.

[Wobbly]

It should be a very good powder for 9x19mm.

I'm not so sure. Ramshot's own data shows the top speed for 124gr jacketed won't make PF...

125gr SIERRA JHP 4.2gr 879fps 5.0gr 1,008fps 34,663psi 1.035"

Since that's probably out of a 8-10" test barrel, in a 4" handgun the performance would be even lower. And check out the OAL required to get to 1008 fps ! If you loaded a 9mm bullet to a much more common OAL, then performance would drop off even more. It's probably OK for 9mm lead, might even be wonderful in 38Spcl lead, but it has a very similar performance to Hodgdon Clays, which is much easier to find.

Lower end performance in 9mm does mimic Ramshot SILHOUETTE, but the top end falls off. Knowing the penchant powder companies have for making one chemical composition, and then grinding it 4 different ways might explain the similarities.

Even the +P loads are anemic....

125gr SIERRA JHP 5.0gr 1,006fps 5.3gr 1,061fps 38,345psi 1.035"

I simply don't see any big performance selling points myself. If anything, it makes me want to get back and test more Silhouette.

 

[Wobbly]

If I am not mistaken the author of that article is a former member. He was a big fan of True Blue.

The article certainly reads like him. If so, my most sincere, heart-felt congratulations to him on having won a publishing contract, which will give him his own soap box. No doubt he'll collect his own following there.

That's a good thing, because he was FAR too argumentative to be here.

[Moken]

If I am not mistaken the author of that article is a former member. He was a big fan of True Blue.

A very informative author. He has some great posts over at TA.

[IDescribe]

It should be a very good powder for 9x19mm.

I'm not so sure. Ramshot's own data shows the top speed for 124gr jacketed won't make PF...

The Hornady XTP, Remington Golden Saber, and Speer Gold Dot all make PF. 

In fact, that Sierra 125gr JHP you're referencing is the only bullet of 124gr or 147gr that won't make 130PF or more.  And I'm sure that Sierra's problem is that it's seated ludicrously short, and thus deep.


Not to discourage you from playing with Silhouette.  Silhouette rocks.