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any input on this Powder?

8K views 23 replies 12 participants last post by  BrianK 
#1 ·
#4 ·
Never heard of it. Its a bit risky to buy something like that, and unknown powder. If you don't like it for any reason, and there can be a lot of reasons not to like a particular powder, you are stuck with it, big time! At the 9mm starting load you are looking at 14,000 rounds to use it up.

IMHO, to buy 8 lbs of any pistol powder, I would have to be shooting a hell of a lot of it, and I would have to be absolutely in love with that powder. As an example, back when I was still shooting competitively, I used Winchester 231 pistol powder, I was shooting and reloading 900 to 1,000 rounds per week in match season. I bought Win 231 in bulk, I used a lot of it and I really liked it. If you aren't shooting and reloading enough to go through that in a year, you probably shouldn't buy it, plus I still wouldn't buy it unless I had used it a lot and really liked it, which I doubt you have that kind of experience with it.

Another example, I bought a pound of Blue Dot to experiment with, thinking it would be a good powder for 9 and 40, its terrible in 40, TONS of unburned powder, I think it needs magnum loads and probably magnum primers, but for normal loads in 40 its not good, too much unburned powder and the inconsistent burning means excessive variables in velocity, sure glad I don't have 8 lbs of that!
 
#5 ·
I called them today but no one answered, but in 10 minutes one of the owners called me back and we talked. I do place an order. I also watched a video and read a little bit on them... hope all shoots well.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Been reading half the night on it and you are right on the brand, they are from Spain and going to try to break into the USA with their brand Rio by the end of the year and first part of next.
It is as they say a dirty power, slower burn. Others are comparing it to universal and unique.

Looks like at this time everything is in the 8lb size.

This site bought in major bulk and is selling off in sellable sizes as he told me..

It is like in the 80's when I was buying Red Dot, bring in your own container they would sell by the pound.
 
#9 ·
Man, with us every place that sells supplies has no pistol powder and does not expect any pistol powder. I have not found any online from the small resources I have.
As all of us in this area, if you could shoot dirt they would.... We know the day the loads come in and have workers watching for us also...

Wife and I have been buying win 9mm 100 count boxes at Wal-Mart to shoot and harvest the brass, but now she wants to start reloading and save the new rounds.. We are still new so it would be practice / target.
On some sites they say it is good, some say it is fare. but they are all saying, shoot what they can get for powder...

Will see. If we are lucky the powder will be good, and have others try it also in their 9, 38/357,40,45's. It has to work in something.... if not it can make some big ass b0mbs... kidding.....

Just gonna take the chance,,,, Just like buying a stock, win or loose. :crazy:
 
#11 ·
The powder shortage is still with us but it is easing up a bit here and there. I finally got my 8 pound jug of Red Dot on no-tax weekend at the local big box gun store. Exactly 1 year from when I last wanted to take advantage of the sale and wanted the same powder. Fortunately I had a decent supply to hold me over and had a good supply of already loaded shotshells to not need much reloading this year. They seem to be getting regular shipments of 1 pound Alliant Shotshell/Pistol powders (Red Dot, Unique, Bullseye, Power Pistol) and 8 pounders once in a while.

CSB-1 and CSB-5 are also becoming more widespread in delivery. Do a search on Maxam powders and look at Rio's website for a qualitative description of the powders.
Powders

#1 would be the slower powder (sort of like Unique) and #5 is the faster powder (Closer to Red Dot/Clays).
 
#12 ·
I tryed the reloads

Well last night we loaded 30 rounds of 9mm, 115 RN Rainier Ballistics, 4.5gr of [Commercial #1] AKA [CSB-1]. I reloaded 10 rounds of 5.0gr just to see what is does being I did not see anything on that load...

We shot from about 9 yards as the sun was setting trying to beat the sunset evening. I can say we may have rushed it a little just to get the rounds in before she left state for the holidays,,, She just wanted to know if the money was well spend... In my eyes,,,,,,, YES.

The wife and I shot 17 rounds of factory rounds [Winchester 115 FMJ] to get warmed up per-say. then we shot 15 rounds each of the reloads to see the difference in recoil & accuracy.

Wife felt it was a lighter recoil load. she had no clue were she was shooting to speak of... Need LOTS more live trigger time.

Myself, I like the load a lot. a light recoil. My factory loads I was shooting straight across to the Bullseye with 10 rounds, then went to the reloads and shot 15 rounds and was very consistent on the group... Mine group was consistent at 2 O'clock 3 O'clock..... I am a lefty.

It was Every round... after putting the Apex trigger and sear setup in I may not have the rear sight in line, and or I need to work on my grip / trigger pull... Things I can work on..

All and All. I like the powder and I am pleased with it... We may even try the lighter load of 4.0gr
Some of you say it is "Dirty". I say it may be just a tad bit dirty but not what I thought the way some of you were talking.
No residue left in the barrel at all as to when I shot red dot in my shotguns leaving flakes.

Just my cheep .02 ¢ as a newbie pistol shooter.

(If needed, I have pic's of this pattern of both loads.)
 
#14 · (Edited)
I do not have a Chrony, and I am going to be buying one of finding one I can borrow in these loads,
All I can say is the 4.5 do feel lighter on the recoil side and very accurate as to the Factory Winchester 115 gr....

*** 5.gr did not shoot well (no pattern) and I do not plan on loading anymore of that anyway, again I only loaded 10 to see... the 4.5 did feel good an grouped well at about 28 -30 ft.

Here is the data that is listed on the site for the powder, We do plan on loading 4.0 to maybe 4.3 also to see how they feel and shoot also...

https://www.americanreloading.com/e...bs-commercial-no1-pistol-shotgun-powder-.html
 
#16 ·
I am using the "Universal" data in the Hornady handloader 9th edition:
1100 FPS: 4.5gr CSB-1, CCI 500 primer, 115 RN Rainier Ballistics (looks like the 115gr FMJRN). the C.O.L says 1.10" but I only went 1.1150"...

My only concern is on the final crimp. How do you know you have enough crimp? I am using a Hornady single stage and they say turn the set screw down till it stops and add 1/8 turn, but I can still see the flare at the bullet seat so I turned it a touch more till I did not see the flare out at the seat...
 
#17 ·
CSB-1 is similar to Unique/Universal and your mid 4g loads for 9mm should be good enough and as other say, 5 is a bit overboard.

CSB-5 is faster burning and closer to Red Dot/Clays in speed. It would be good for full pressure low velocity/low recoil loads and light (3/4 oz) 12 gauge shotgun loads.

Too bad they charge so much for the powder. Alliant powder is starting to show up on the shelves again. I just bought 8# of Red Dot for $125 OTD a couple of weeks ago, but that was the first time in a year. They had jugs of Green Dot, Unique and Bullseye at the time, but of course it was gone by mid day and the powders haven't been seen since except in 1# bottles occasionally. If CSB powders hit the market 6 months ago they would have been the only game in town and could have gotten a strong foothold. If they can price themselves a tiny bit below Alliant and prove to be reliable in supply, I think they can do really well.
 
#19 ·
Wrong wording on my part. rolling the flair back in is were I was going with this.
 
#20 ·
I've been loading csb1 in my 45 loads, distributor recommended 5.8 for a 230 gr bullet ( didn't specify plated, lead, or jacketed, but I'm guessing jacketed).

I've been using 5.6 under plated and coated bullets, 225-230 gr.

I'm satisfied with it, ammo shoots better than I do. No signs of over pressure, I haven't been able to chrome it yet, but it feels very similar to typical factory hardball.

Since I'm on my last hopper of n340, I'll soon be using this for 9mm with 124 gr coated and plated pills.
 
#21 ·
We just loaded up 30 @ 4.0 and 100 @4.3 to see what they do. We have shot the 4.5 and the wife and I like that grouping... I want to see if I can reduce the recoil muzzle jump for the wife till she gets more comfortable burst shots with it..
I need to find a day when we both are off and crono the loads just for record also.
 
#22 ·
American Reloading powders

I have been loading the #1, #5, and Competition Pistol powders from American Reloading for 3 years now. Prior to that N320.

4.7G over 115g Xtreme full plated RN, S&B primers. 1100FPS. Not as clean as N320 but none the less, pretty clean. I load for myself and two other friends who help out. We are all USPSA and Steel Challenge shooters and put about 1K down range every two weeks.

We have found no accuracy issues at the distances in which we compete and between the three of us have had only 4 FTF on light strikes.

We shoot in Open with ported CORE one Glock, in Limited with Sig 226 X6L1, and CZ CTS, in Single Stack M2i(1911) from Matt McLearn and STI ...all in 9mm

Others may have other experiences but this is what we have found.
 
#23 ·
I purchased a 5 pound jug of this powder, CSB-1, from Hi-Tech about 18 months ago. I believe that I paid 90-100 dollars for 5 pounds. Here are the results of my load experiments:

9mm 124 gr FMJ 4.4 gr CSB-1 M&P Full size 1043 fps Compact 1013 fps


45 ACP 230 gr FMJ 5.5 gr CSB-1 M&P Full size 763 fps Kimber 1911 791 fps

In short, this powder was a good substitute for my normal powders during the recent past shortage.

Chronograph was a Oehler 33.
 
#24 ·
Peg', if you jumped from 4.5 grains to 5 grains, well, with some powders that could blow up a gun. With all loading one starts with a reduced load and works up... slowly. I increase 1/10th of a grain with handgun cartridges. You'll never see pressure signs until long after the gun blows up.

Pressure can be a friend but it can become an enemy very rapidly.

But you do what you want. It's your gun, your hand, and your life. I just had to make sure you knew for the sake of my conscience.
 
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