Downloaded BE-86

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Lee Q. Loader

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I wanted to see how low I could go with BE-86 and 125gr powder coated
truncated cone, .356 from Brazos​
in 9mm. Win brass and CCI 500 primer
I searched the site and didn't really find where anyone wrote about going low with BE-86, (doesn't mean its not here somewhere, I just couldn't find anything).

I started at 4.5 grains, then to 4.8 and then 5.0. I truly believed that 4.5 wouldn't cycle my Ruger 9e. I was wrong! It cycled fine and turned out to be one of the most accurate 9mm loads I've ever produced. It left the cases a bit dirty, but I love it and I'll head down to the reloading bench and load a bunch more.

I shot the other loads and they all shot well. I've got a ton of BE-86 and I know it's great for hotter loads, but I'm pleasantly surprised by these results. I've now got very soft shooting accurate load.
 
I’ve played around with it a little and have some soft shooting 40 cal loads, but my favorite is a super light load of bullseye powder with a 180g plated bullet at 650fps, it cycles but just barely,
 
BE86 is one of my favorites.

One problem with downloading very low is that the peak pressure may not be high enough to expand the brass and form a gas seal. This is probably why your brass looked dirty. It also allows gasses to blow back into the gun, more than normal. I am of the opinion that it would be better to use a faster burning powder if you are looking for really light loads.
 
Toprudder said:
BE86 is one of my favorites.

One problem with downloading very low is that the peak pressure may not be high enough to expand the brass and form a gas seal. This is probably why your brass looked dirty. It also allows gasses to blow back into the gun, more than normal. I am of the opinion that it would be better to use a faster burning powder if you are looking for really light loads.
Click to expand...
So what problems will the blow back cause? I feel like I have more handgun powder than I'll ever use and I'd rather not buy more.
 
Just dirtier brass and a dirtier gun, nothing that can't be cleaned up. If it shoots well for you, and your happy with it, no problem......, but yea, I would (do) use something like Sport Pistol or N-320 for lighter loads.
 
Some powders I have used in 45acp actually left lots of powder residue on my arms. If someone mixed up all my loads, I could tell by the large flakes on my arms when I was shooting 800x.
 
I bought a pound of BE-86 probably four years ago and still have most of it. None of my manuals even list it. The time or two that I used it, I have had to go online. Was/is there some reason it isn't worthy?
 
MI2600 said:
None of my manuals even list it. The time or two that I used it, I have had to go online. Was/is there some reason it isn't worthy?
Click to expand...
In recent years, new powders came to market and manuals have been slow to list load data for these new powders.

Along with online load data from powder manufacturers, I have found Speer online load data to list BE-86 and newer powders like Sport Pistol - https://www.speer-ammo.com/reloading/handgun

Enjoy.
 
MI2600 said:
I bought a pound of BE-86 probably four years ago and still have most of it. None of my manuals even list it. The time or two that I used it, I have had to go online. Was/is there some reason it isn't worthy?
Click to expand...
Probably it’s not listed because it’s not one of the legacy powders that have been around for a long time.
 
One thing you could do if the dirty cases bother you is resize them with a Redding Dual Ring die.
The case doesnt have near as far to expand to seal up because the case body isnt overworked like with conventional dies.
My light loads stay very clean using them.
 
tightgroup tiger said:
One thing you could do if the dirty cases bother you is resize them with a Redding Dual Ring die.
The case doesnt have near as far to expand to seal up because the case body isnt overworked like with conventional dies.
My light loads stay very clean using them.
Click to expand...
Had not thought about that. They are expensive, though. I have found that the same thing can be accomplished by full length sizing with the Lee FCD, then using a normal sizing die adjusted to size just the desired bullet area. I do that primarily with my 44mag loads.
 
MI2600 said:
I bought a pound of BE-86 probably four years ago and still have most of it. None of my manuals even list it. The time or two that I used it, I have had to go online. Was/is there some reason it isn't worthy?
Click to expand...
BE86 was released to the reloaders only a few years ago. I’ve seen it start showing up in a couple of manuals, but the most complete data is the Speer online (they are affiliated with Alliant). I have tested it in 380, 9mm, 40, 45acp, 357mag, 44mag, 10mm. I have found good loads that worked well in all of those. It is one of my favorite powders.
 
If you haven't looked, the "Reloading Library of Wisdom" thread has a BE-86 sticky with tons of information on the powder. Also Alliant has a good bunch of BE-86 reload data, you have to get creative with that reload library on Alliant and look for both Loads with BE-86, and then look for specific caliber, you will find that more information will come up that way.

Lefty
 
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