Accurate # 9

[GH1]

Does anybody use it?
 I'm thinking of burning it in my .357 based on an article I read in handloader magazine.  It doesn't develop the velocities of 296 but according to what I read, it's clean burning without much sidespit or muzzle flash and doesn't require magnum primers.  I like the idea of using as few components as possible.
Right now I'm using Bullseye and it seem to me Bullseye isn't letting my .357 loads reach their potential.
Any input would be appreciated. 
GH1

[Lloyd Smale]

its a good powder but brian pierce has his head up his but if he thinks it works well with standard primers. You can get buy with standard primers if you are loading up to max pressures but it doesnt ignite well at all at any kind of reduced loads without mag primers. As a matter of fact ive come to use cci350s exclusively with it. I dont know how he came up with those words of wisdom but my buddy and i had a good laugh on it. Shows you that guys like him dont have to load and can get free ammo because if he really tried it and ran it over a chrono he would have learned the truth in about 5 minutes. Dont get me wrong, like I said i use it alot. Probalby more then any ohter pistol powder. Ive burned up probably 10-15 kegs of it so far. I wonder how much hes loaded. Id guess he hasnt load 10 kegs of powder period in the last 10 years. Just another case of a gun writer who is more conserned with making up a bs article to make a dedline and get paid then he actually is in shooting guns.

[GH1]

Well that's certainly interesting. 
According to the article, Accurate recommends NOT using a magnum primer, but when I went to the Acurate website their data shows a WSPM primer listed.  Hmmm, it looks like I'm going to have to do some investigating on this.  I'll post everything I find out. 
I sure am glad I decided to ask around a little bit.
GH1

[GH1]

 According to Accurate ballistician Johan Loubser I can go ahead and use my CCI small pistol primers. Johan stated, "...we do not recommend the CCI 550 for the .357 Magnum."
Furthermore, CCI 300 are recommended for large pistol use. If only CCI 350 primers are available he said to reduce loads by 7%.
 For Remington primers he listed Standard HG 1-1/2 as the only option for large pistols.  Either standard or magnum primers by Federal and Winchester can be used.
 He didn't offer any more info on small pistols, as I told him I was using CCI. I've gotten good advice from him in the past so I'm going to take his word for it.  If you want I'll be happy to forward you his e-mail replies.
GH1

[Darrell Davis]

GH1,

I have used AA#9 in my .44s for a number of years.

Back when I had a Blackhawk "Hunter" I tried some of the other good powders, but the AA9 just seemed to have an edge.

My current go to load for my RUGER Redhawk is 19gr of AA9 behind a LBT 310gr. cast of WW and water quenched from the mold.

This load give me just a tad over 1300fps from my 5.5" barrel.

Keep em Coming!

CDOC

[Lloyd Smale]

Im not going to argue but if you have a chrongraph you will find out fast that im right. I have to admitt though that ive never played with it in a 357. the only small rounds ive used it in are the 32mag and 3220. Im not a fan of the 357 and dont fool with it much. I do know for a FACT though that in 44,45colt, 475 and 500 line. cci 350 primers hands down give you the smallest extream spreads and the best accurcy at any load level and especially if you try to down load even a little bit. I dont know if you live or hunt where its cold but ive seen aa9 hangfire when loaded down a bit with standard primers. My results and advice dont come from shoot a few rounds down range or from others on the internet. Ive shot well over a 1000 rounds across chronographns and my best friend has probably shot 5 times that much and we both came to the same conclusion and both chuckled at pearces article and the buddy knows him personaly. Id bet a dime to a dollar that if you bought a box of mag primers and tested them side by side over a chorno youd agree. Thats the biggest downfall to this computer age. Guys rely way to much on some other so called expert instead of acutally testing themselves.

[Terbltim]

I have used a lot of #9 for 357 and others.
My one all-inclusive comment about it is to fill the case or use a different powder.
Accurate Arms does not "make" any gun powder, they custom blend powder that they buy from others.
I got on to Accurate #9 when I began loading for 454 back in '97 or '98 and used a lot of it in the following years.
Then I found out that #9 is a duplicate of military surplus WC820 and that Accurate Arms is the surplus suppliers biggest customer. Hmmm.  
The suppliers will say to use H110 load data with WC820 but if you do you'll never see H110 results.
Compare #9 and WC820 side by side and it looks the same, weighs the same, meters the same and gives the same velocities over the chronograph...my conclusion, its the same, (this is from several side-by-side tests.)
So, I bought a couple gallon-jugs (8-lbs each) of WC820 and never looked back. I saved about 50% including HAZMAT fees. (WC820 is what the military uses for the 30-Carbine.)
Anyway, I have used it for 357 but filling the case, (which is correct use for this powder) makes for a pretty hot load in the 357.
The load books never show a full-case load with #9 for the 357.
I think its wise to only use Ruger revolvers if you're gonna be filling the 357 case.
On filling the case, this powder, (WC820 or #9) gives very wide velocity ranges when the case is not filled. (Same for H110 or 296...until the case is getting filled.)
Reason: Inconsistent results. They all give wide velocity ranges if not filled.
This is something only a chronograph can tell you.
If you're not going to fill the case I'd say use a different powder.
Will #9 or WC820 give the same velocities as H110 or 296? No.
Accurate #9 is a faster powder than they are so it just can't do what they do.
However you'll get plenty of velocity from it.
I fill the case whenever I use it and get excellent (consistent) performance in everything I've tried.
I never found a primer than didn't ignite it just fine.
I never saw a difference worth mentioning from different primers in side by side tests with any of these powders.
Sure, hotter primers give 10 to 20 more fps...that's what I call a meaningless difference.
I shoot over a chronograph during most of my shooting, not just a few shots now and then. It really opens your eyes about what is actually going on.
Everyone would be surprised about what isn't happening when they're shooting as compared to what they think is going on...if they'd just use a chronograph and keep records.
If you don't use a chronograph you can't possibly know what is going on and if you only use it now and then you only have a vague idea of what the loads are doing.
The load books and factory rep's do not tell you what is really going on at your shooting bench.
All that they can give you is "guidelines".
The various factory representatives all give the "company approved" information which is loaded with "fudge-factor" to insure against the possibility of a liability-lawsuit. You have to take whatever they tell you with a couple grains of salt. What they'll say is seldom a precise truth...but its always "safe".
BTW, hang-fires are almost never about the powder. Its usually about the primer or how it was seated. The primer manufacturers will tell you that if you ask. My own records & experiences tend to back that up.

[BCB]

I chedked through my data concerning AA#9S and WC-820 (same powdes?--proabably)  And all of my best accuracy using the mentioned powders was with CCI-550's and CCI-350's in the 357 Magnum and the 44 Magnum.  My Excel spreadsheet shows no acceptable accuracy loads using the CCI-500's or the CCI-300's...

I never did get good accuracy in the 45 Long Colt with either powder.

And so it goes...

Good-luck...BCB

[jager]

I use AA#9 for the 7.62X25 round in my CZ52. It works well and gives near top velocity for the charge. I've not used it for the .357 as of yet, so thanks for the loading info.

[GH1]

I bought a chrony a couple of weeks ago but I haven't played with it yet.  I also picked up a pound of #9, but since I already have all my brass loaded it'll be awhile before I can do any testing with the #9.  I'm looking forward to it though.
GH1

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  Gh1, YOU HAVE ALL YOUR BRASS LOADED!!!!!! WOW  !!! Could I send you down a few thousand to load for me? It is a good feeling to have lots of loaded ammo, but I always keep finding brass at the range, or a bunch I stuck in a can and forgot to load.....

[Darrell Davis]

Hey there Wyo. Coyote Hunter,

My oldest son worked in Wyo. for awhile for some kind of oil well support/service company and he said there was a lot of brass laying around the shoot'in areas.

Not so, or at least not often the case here in Ideeeeeeho.

I do pick up a bit, seems I find enough 45acp to stay ahead of what I loose and as long as that happens I figure I am ahead of the game.

If your stash gets toooooo far ahead of you, send it this way and I can exercise it for you.  You know take it out for a run, get it out of the house to get the stink off.  Wouldn't want it to turn rancid on ya!

Don't want to enter into the pros of cons of standard verse magnum primer, but have always used the mag version in my .44 mag loads. No problem.

Keep em com'in!

CDOC

[Terbltim]

I never did get good accuracy in the 45 Long Colt with either powder.
Good-luck...BCB

Not trying to pick nits but...
unless you are comfortable shooting your 45 Colt revolvers at 44 Mag power-level, AA#9 or WC820 is not a good choice for accuracy because the case needs to be "full" in order for those powders to burn consistently. That will usually send a 300gr bullet out at 1200fps or more which a lot of guys are not comfortable with. I'm okay with that for lions, tigers or bears (Oh my!)
The loads don't have to be compressed but they should not have any room to "shake" either.
The more unfilled space, the wider the velocity spread which then normally results in "less-than-good" accuracy, (that's how it works for me.)
I think AA#7 is excellent for the 45 Colt (for the 1000 fps range) and wish I could find the surplus/bulk equivalent for it.
 (anybody?)

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  Darrell, Just found about 20 .223 cases this am....when for a coyote patrol, but too much snow to see well so I drove to the range..picked up some new .223 brass and a few 45 autos....sometime soon I must sort though this stuff I have a couple coffe cans, shell boxes, and pop cases full of brass...no sorted just  brass...when I see what is what, I'll drop you a note...don't hold your breath though some of it has been on the shelf since I retired 11 years ago...it is always more fun to hunt, fish, shoot, even load than sort brass....someday...

[GH1]

Gh1, YOU HAVE ALL YOUR BRASS LOADED!!!!!! WOW  !!! Could I send you down a few thousand to load for me? It is a good feeling to have lots of loaded ammo, but I always keep finding brass at the range, or a bunch I stuck in a can and forgot to load.....

I haven't had much luck finding .38/.357 brass at the range. I probably see moe 9mm then anything else, followed by .40 S&W.  So I only have a little over 600 rounds or so, and most of those are .38.  Everytime I go to the range I buy a box of .357 and save the brass, so eventually I'll 500 rounds of .357 as well. 
GH1