MP 132

MP1 132 is a pulled powder packaged and sold by American Reloading.
It is listed as “Similar to” IMR Target, a discontinued powder made by the borg Hodgdon. IMR Target was aimed squarely at Alliant Bullseye.2

The inset screenshot is from this Shooting Sports USA article, well worth reading. The IMR Target in the middle pile looks exactly like the MP 132 I received.

approach

This was my first attempt to work up usable3 loads with pulled powder. So do your due diligence rather than relying on my newbie reports. “Start low, go slow” as they say.

Since Midway powders are pulled/overstock/surplus or vary from spec they are not always available. So you might work up loads only to have it disappear forever. The balancing act is to get enough to have a good supply if you like it but not a dump truck full in case you don’t. I bought 5lbs that, based on the calibers I reload and my middling requirements, will power about 8,500 cartridges.

I based the below on Alliant’s load data for BE and Hodgdon’s RLDC data for IMR Target, erring on the side of lighter throws. Alliant only gives max loads, so my starting loads below were Alliant max minus 10%. I paid attention to Alliant’s min OAL data where it differed from my usual practice.

  • I put the BE load data into the Ballistics Swiss Knife calculator. I first plugged in the test barrel length Alliant used and compared against their FPS data. Then I put my actual barrel length into BSK to populate the estimated FPS field below.

Note: testing in this castboolits thread shows throw weights and velocities are similar to to Unique. Estimates preceded by U indicate FPS if the charge weight were of Unique.

data from the range

Caliber Projectile OAL Powder Powder gr. Barrel est. FPS Chrono FPS Chrono FPE  
.380 ACP Xtreme plated FN 0.95 MP 132 2.7gr 3.5” BE 944 776.7 133.9  
.380 ACP Xtreme plated FN 0.95 MP 132 2.8gr 3.5” BE 975 791.8 139.2  
.380 ACP Xtreme plated FN 0.95 MP 132 2.9gr 3.5” BE 1006 848 159.6  
.380 ACP Xtreme plated FN 0.95 MP 132 3.0gr 3.5” BE 1036 838.4 156.13  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 2.7gr 3.5” BE 945 806.5 144.4  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 2.8gr 3.5” BE 976 834.9 154.8  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 2.9gr 3.5” BE 1007 846.3 159  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 3.0gr 3.5” BE 1037 858.5 164  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 3.1gr 3.5” U 906 889.8 164  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 3.3gr 3.5” U 958 943.2 198  
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 3.5gr 3.5” U 1007 991.8 218.4 213
.380 ACP Berry’s RN 0.96 MP 132 3.7gr 3.5” U 1054 979.3    
9mm MEDEF 124 FMJ 1.15 MP 132 4.5gr 5.5” BE 1169 1169.1 376  
9mm MEDEF 124 FMJ 1.15 MP 132 4.7gr 5.5” BE 1210 1194 393  
9mm MEDEF 124 FMJ 1.15 MP 132 4.8gr 5.5” BE 1229 1209.3 403  
9mm Berry’s 124gr RN 1.16 MP 132 3.8gr 5.5” BE 1030 992.2 271  
9mm Berry’s 124gr RN 1.16 MP 132 4.0gr 5.5” BE 1068 1059.1 308.8  
9mm Berry’s 124gr RN 1.16 MP 132 4.1gr 5.5” BE 1087 1062.9 311  
9mm Berry’s 147gr RN 1.16 MP 132 3.7gr 5.5” BE 1007 1001.7 328  
9mm Berry’s 147gr RN 1.16 MP 132 3.9gr 5.5” BE 1036 1017.3 338  
9mm Berry’s 147gr RN 1.16 MP 132 4.0gr 5.5” BE 1051 1034.6 349  
.38 Special4 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 3.0gr 16.5” 899 724.3 184  
.38 Special 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 3.2gr 16.5” BE 933 770.7 208  
.38 Special 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 3.4gr 16.5” BE 967 840.4 248  
.38 Special 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 3.6gr 16.5” BE 1000 894.2 280  
.38 Special +P 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 3.8gr 16.5” BE 1142 860.9 260  
.38 Special +P 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 4.0gr 16.5” BE 1174 915.7 294  
.38 Special +P 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 4.2gr 16.5” BE 1208 969.9 330  
.38 Special +P 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 4.3gr 16.5” U 1113 1030.0 372  
.38 Special +P 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 4.4gr 16.5” U 1129 1025.4 369  
.38 Special +P 158gr Berry’s HP 1.43 MP 132 4.5gr 16.5” U 1145 1079.4 409  
.40 S&W Berry’s 180gr RNFP 1.125 MP 132 4.9gr 5.0” BE 1013 1013.1 410  
.40 S&W Berry’s 180gr RNFP 1.125 MP 132 5.1gr 5.0” BE 1026 1046.2 437  
.40 S&W Berry’s 180gr RNFP 1.125 MP 132 5.2gr 5.0” BE 1033 1048.8 440  
.40 S&W Berry’s 180gr RNFP 1.125 MP 132 5.3gr 5.0” BE 1039 1062.3 451  
.40 S&W Berry’s 180gr RNFP 1.125 MP 132 5.4gr 5.0” BE 1046 1067.7 456  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 5.8gr 5.0” BE 1000 1051.8 442  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.0gr 5.0” BE 1032 1051.7 442  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.2gr 5.0” BE 1064 1068 456  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.4gr 5.0” BE 1097 1092.4 477  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.6gr 5.0” BE 1132 1112.8 495  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.7gr 5.0” U 1137 1139.8 519  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.8gr 5.0” U 1140 1148.6 527  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 6.9gr 5.0” U 1143 1141.4 521  
10mm Auto Raven Rocks 180gr TC 1.250 MP 132 7.0gr 5.0” U 1145 1171.5 548  

metering

The Auto Charge (mine is older) threw the charges well but slowly. When I started making production rounds based on the testing above I attempted to use my Lee perfect powder measure; it did not go well with the flakes until it got up to the ≥6gr weight.

After reading this castboolits thread about dippers I decided to make dippers out of old shells. The throw weight was chosen from the middle of each test so that if heavy or light it’d still be in the ballpark.

The first six are made from .380 ACP cases, the seventh out of a 9mm, and the eighth out of a bent .40 S&W.

Right now the dippers have paperclip handles but I think wide Popsicle sticks flush with the mouth would work better. I’m thinking

  1. drill a slightly oversize hole in the stick; place on wax paper
  2. set the case upside down in the hole
  3. hot glue into place

Drying upside down should make the stick handle and mouth of the case flush for easy carding. And with no ledges for powder to collect as with the paperclip handles.

Update: I got some Popsicle sticks and made 10 handles. Also ruined a dozen learning how to drill them without cracking them. It involved clamping the far end of the stick to stop splitting. This does make the end longer than I want but maybe I can cut them off with a wheel or something.

If I were doing it again I’d get even wider sticks (like I thought these were). I used Elmer’s glue instead of hot glue.

Range update: I used the dippers to load 100gr .380acp, 115gr 9mm, and 180gr 10mm. Worked well at the range but I left the chrono behind. :-( I assume SD will be much wider with dippers than with the electronic dropper but I couldn’t tell the difference in my hand. I’ll use these for range/plinking going forward. Still need to test 124 and 147gr 9mm, 158gr .38 spl, and 180gr .40 S&W. But with the success of the above I think it will work fine.

Srsly: do not take my word (or anyone else’s) on matters of reloading. Get some manuals, start with light charges and work up, etc. You are responsible for your own loads as I am mine.

Also see the BSK reloading calculator announced in this reddit thread.

  1. MP = Midwest Powders, the in-house brand for AR. ↩

  2. Hence the name. They also had IMR Red to complete with IMR Red Dot, etc. ↩

  3. My intent is to make range ammo that functions reliably in all the sidearms/longarms I own. This will preserve pricier retail canister powder (about twice the price) for more critical uses like taking out zombies in the upcoming apocalypse. I am not chasing max velocity or chasing competition-level accuracy. My spinal cord damage causes tremor and thereby restricts my effective range to self-defense distances. ↩

  4. .38 Special standard pressure. ↩