Hodgdon Powder Company · Ball
Winchester 231
The most widely used pistol powder in America.
- Manufacturer
- Winchester
- Grain shape
- Ball
- Burn rank
- #17
- Category
- Pistol Fast
- Temp sensitivity
- Moderate
- Application
- Pistol
- Origin
- USA
- Status
- Active
Burn-rate position
FastestSlowest
Typical cartridges
By cartridge
.38 Special also used: No. 1, CSB1, BA10
.380 ACP also used: No. 2, N310, Bull's-Eye
9mm Luger also used: No. 2, N310, Bull's-Eye
.40 S&W also used: Bull's-Eye, Clays, Vihtavuori N320
Similar burn rate
Supply & handling
- Availability (US)
- Common
- Shortage-prone
- No
- Suppressor-friendly
- Yes
- Flash-suppressed
- No
About this powder
Winchester 231 is an American institution — one of the best-selling handgun powders for decades. It loads 9mm, .38 Spl, .45 ACP, and dozens of other pistol cartridges reliably and economically. Identical to Hodgdon HP-38, just marketed under different labels.