Anything better than Bullseye?..

[megaton]

I am currently using Bullseye for my 38sp and 9mm lead cast plinking loads. Its economical and accuracy has been good for me. The only gripe I really have is that it burns a whee bit dirty, not to bad but not as clean as factory ammo.

I recently purchased an xd 45 and thus will be reloading .45acp. I know that Bullseye is known as a go to powder for .45acp and since I have been happy with the results I have been getting in 9mm and 38sp the logical choice would be to continue to use Bullseye for my plinking needs.

Before I make a large purchase, I figured I would check with the folks around here to see if there is another powder that could fit my needs better? I am looking for a powder that will load light plinking loads in .38sp, 9mm, and .45acp.

 

[Lee Roder]

Clays

 

[Clark]

After 10 years of using 1 gr of Bullseye compressed in 45/70, I have switched to Red Dot for quiet loads.

I think it is a little faster and so gives me a little higher [peak pressure] / [muzzle pressure] ratio, so I get a little higher velocity and still stay quiet.

 

[rcmodel]

it burns a whee bit dirty, 38sp and 9mm lead cast plinking loads.

How can you tell when shooting cast bullets?

The major mess is caused by bullet lube grease, not the powder you are using.

rc

 

[918v]

Bullseye meters better than Clays or Red Dot. Bullseye is more appropriate for 9mm than either. I run 3.2grs of Bullseye under a 125gr lead bullet.

 

[LiveLife]

I used to use Bullseye for 9mm/45ACP target loads. Now I prefer W231/HP-38 or Promo using Red Dot load data (per Alliant). Loads are very accurate, less snappy recoil and fairly clean burning.

 

[Walkalong]

Bullseye meters better than Clays or Red Dot. Bullseye is more appropriate for 9mm than either

I agree. As fast powders go, Bullseye seems more forgiving than Red Dot or Clays when the pressure gets up there. Not many powders meter any better.

 

[oldreloader]

I don't load for 38 spcl but for 9MM and 45ACP I use Bullseye,HP38,and AA #5

 

[Certaindeaf]

.not to bad but not as clean as factory ammo..

Who makes factory loaded lead in 9mm? I'd use Red Dot.

 

[J-Bar]

Cowboy Action shooters are experts on light loads!!

I like Titegroup in .38, .357, and .45 Colt cases. It was designed for small powder charges in big cases.

Try a pound and see for yourself.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I load for the 38 Special, 9mm and 45 Auto and I use almost nothing other than W231/HP-38. It produces good accurate ammo for me and actually, I use it for almost all my handgun loading.

 

[thunderranch.45]

I've been pretty happy with hp38/231 for .45acp and .38 seem's to burn fairly clean and meters well. Also i use trailboss in my .38 cowboy action loads i like it, seem's clean but does'nt seem to meter quiet as well,but not bad.

 

[beatledog7]

I have dabbled in Titegroup, HS-6, W231, AutoComp, AA#5, Unique, IMR 4756 and others for light loads, but for my 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP, and .38SPL plinkers, and some hotter loads, I keep coming back to Bullseye.

I'll keep experimenting, of course, but I will not let myself run out of Bullseye.

 

[bluetopper]

To truthfully answer your title question........no, not really.

 

[mitchz]

I use longshot for .357 and shotshell. I get allot more consistant powder drops with it.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Your asking a pretty hard question, I agree with the other who said Bullseye and W231 are both more forgiving than Titegroup is.

I have been using Titegroup for years and it can be touchy up around max loads, not to mention is really heats up barrels fast.

The afor mentioned powders all burn farely clean when up around max loads. Nothing burns clean with lead, the powder isn't the problem.

 

[ljnowell]

I use AA#2 instead of bullseye everywhere I used to use bullseye. It meters better than bullseye, even.

 

[res7s]

Red Dot/Promo is my go to powder for most of my cast bullet plinking/practice loads. If I need more velocity I use AA#7 or Longshot.

 

[4895]

I think Win-231 burns cleaner than Bullseye.

For the price of cast bullets, you could buy FMJ 9mm for about $15-$20 more per thousand and forget all the mess and headache from lead and lube in the air/gun. That's not much money at today's prices.

If you can find them, Bear Creek Supply makes moly coated lead bullets, which I use frequently, and they don't seem to be as smoky or dirty as a plain based lead bullet with lube.

Other than that, I think the only way to eliminate the problems with lead bullets is to not use them.

 

[frankmako]

i use aa#5 for 9mm and 38sp.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

RDot for cast slugs is my go-to over BEye. I use a dipper to mete it out.
.32acp, .380acp, 9Mak, 9Para, .357 and .45acp
it's low flash and clean. a bear to meter though - that's why I use load-thru expander dies

 

[MutinousDoug]

I don't have anything profound to say other than to vote for W231 loads that burn cleaner than Bullseye in my .38 SPL and .45ACP lead bullet loads.
OK, maybe less smoke too, but that's subjective.
Dog

 

[sellersm]

WST is great for .45acp! WSF is a good choice in most of those as well...

 

[LiveLife]

longshot?

I thought OP was asking for powders for "light plinking" loads.

I am looking for a powder that will load light plinking loads

 

[BBDartCA]

Power Pistol or Titegroup for both.