couple of handloading questions re bullets and powders

[Philadelphia]

I finally got started handloading (thanks to some gifts from the santa who looks remarkably like my dear wife) and have some quick questions to those in the know.

Anybody ever try "Better Bullets" from King Shooter Supply --

http://www.betterbullets.com/documents/KSS_Pricing.pdf

I bought a few hundred in various varieties to try out and so far they have performed well (at least on the indoor range -- it's cold outside). Accurate at least at indoor distance (50'). Very little or really no leading -- brinell hardness of 21 -- is that too hard? I really want them to "work" because they are inexpensive and I can buy them locally and save all the shipping charges, but before I buy a whole mess of them I was wondering if anyone else has tried them.

On powders I picked up some Power Pistol and some Titegroup. So far I've only tried the power pistol using 5.0 grains behind a 115 grain 9mm LRN bullet seated at 1.100 and at 1.065 OAL. According to the books, that load is on the softer side. I got good accuracy (and the the 1.065 OAL was better of the two) but a good bit of unburned powder sprinkling on the shooting bench.

My assumption is that the unburned powder mess is from the load being so soft (not enough pressure to burn it all?) -- does this make sense or is Power Pistol just a more messy powder?

Any input, suggestions, opinions greatly appreciated.

[JamesH]

The unburned powder is probably from it being a light charge, Power Pistol is intended for heavy loads.
Slower powders don't work so well with light bullets and short barrels, 115gr is relatively light for a 9mm.

[R.M.]

21 BHN is very hard. Yes, 9 mil uses a higher pressure, but my .45 and 38 bullets are cast at 10 BHN, with no leading. It goes against what most of us think, but a softer bullet at low pressures is better. Bullet to barrel fit is important also. If your bullet is the slightest bit undersize, hot gas will blow by and cause leading. One or two thou over groove diameter will work well.
Try your other powder and see what you get. Every gun will have it's likes and dislikes.

[Gort]

A formula that has been around for a long time, that my own experience bears out. 1422 x brinell = chamber psi. Example 1422x21 brinell =29862psi.
My .45 load with a 10 brinell, swadged bullet, 1422x10=14220psi witch is what my load generates. Matching the bullet's brinell hardness to the pressure is critical to accuacy and not leading.
Gort