What is a good round to load with Bullseye?

[maxxhavoc]

OK, just a quick question for folks who use Bullseye powder.

During the powder drought, I ended up buying a variety of powders to offset the lack of Win231. During that time, I found out that Red Dot works equally as well as 231 in 9mm, and fills the case more. I may keep using it.

I also switched my .45 Colt loads to Unique, which I like a LOT better than 231 for that use.

So I am back to having enough 231/HP-38 for the foreseeable future, but I have 3# of Bullseye to play with. Is there any caliber that it particularly shines in? I load pretty much every major caliber except .40.

 

[243winxb]

38 special, 45 acp. Target loads. Not a great powder, if looking for maximum velocity.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Bullseye is just about all I use in .38 Special anymore. I also use it in .45 acp, but prefer Win. 231 for that round, even though the original U.S. Military loading for the .45 acp was with Bullseye.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[BullRunBear]

I use Bullseye for target (less than maximum) 38 special loads with 148 WC and 158 SWC. Also use it in 45 acp. I'm sensing a pattern here. Considering the small charges needed, your 3 lbs. of BE will last a long time,

I've used Bullseye in 32 long and 32 mag. But I'm still playing with those calibers so that may change.

Jeff

 

[GaryL]

I really like BE in 380acp.

 

[LiveLife]

I like bullseye for 9mm as it produces more accurate loads than W231/HP-38. But when loaded comparably, Bullseye produces more "barky/snappy" recoil than W231/HP-38, if felt recoil is a concern.

Bullseye and W231/HP-38 are two powders that meter very well for small powder charges required for 380 and for my Pro Auto Disk with micro-adjust mod that meters Bullseye consistently down to 1.5 gr, if W231/HP-38 is harder to locate, I would gladly use Bullseye for 380 loads.

 

[tcoz]

I really liked Bullseye for 9mm and 45acp but I stopped using it because it would stick to the inside of my Chargemaster making it very time consuming and difficult to empty and clean.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Light .357 loads, .45 auto.
I was skeptical about BE in 357, but Lyman recommends it and it works great.

 

[wbstx11]

45 ACP 38 spcl and 357

After going thru a bunch of powders, I just stick to Bullseye for these. Lazy I guess but it's good and consistent for paper punching.

 

[41 Mag]

I use it with 9mm, 38 SPL, and 45 ACP. Generally between 3-8 and 5grs will handle them all depending on which bullets and what caliber.

Nothing fancy or hot rodded, but very accurate. Not as clean as some but certainly seems to last forever when you pour the measure full.

 

[David4516]

.380 ACP, 9X18 Mak

 

[joneb]

I use it for 45 acp, 380 acp, 9x18, and 38 spl but I'd rather use W-231.

 

[Slamfire]

I am pretty certain that I am working on the tens of thousands of rounds down range in the 38 Special shooting a 158 Lead (LRN or LSWC) with 3.5 grains Bullseye. Very accurate out to 50 yards. A 148 LWC and 2.7 grains Bullseye is a classic NRA Bullseye Pistol Load. Very accurate, hardly any recoil.

This year I shot 1800 rounds of 45 ACP in NRA competition. At fifty yards I used a H&G 68 type bullet, a 200 LSWC with 4.0 grains Bullseye. At 25 yards I cut that to 3.5 grains Bullseye. I also dribbled motor oil over every one of my timed fire and rapid fire rounds to improve function. It was messy as heck, but after the first failure to feed that occurred in timed fire, I started oiling. Never had a problem after that. These low recoil loads may not always function the mechanism with dry cases and a dry chamber, but my lubed cartridges always functioned. It was however, messy as heck.

[SIZE="3"]
[B]M1911 Les Baer Wadcutter [/B]			
					
200 LSWC (H&G 68 type) 3.5 grs Bullseye Lot 919 11/2005 WLP Nickle, mixed cases 
8-Jun-15	T = 91 °F	OAL 1.250"	Taper Crimp 0.469"	
					
Ave Vel =	660.6		 		
Std Dev =	16.37		 		 
ES =	60.28		 		 
High = 	695.6				 
Low =	635.3				 
N =	22				 
					
functioned every round,  light recoil, accurate			
					
					
200 LSWC (H&G 68 type) 3.8 grs Bullseye Lot 919 11/2005 WLP Nickle, mixed cases 
8-Jun-15	T = 91 °F	OAL 1.250"	Taper Crimp 0.469"	
oiled cases 					
					
Ave Vel =	714.4		 		
Std Dev =	17.17		 		 
ES =	77.2		 		 
High = 	755.1				 
Low =	677.9				 
N =	30				 
					
 accurate					
					
					
200 LSWC (H&G 68 type) 4.0 grs Bullseye Lot 919 11/2005 WLP Nickle, mixed cases 
8-Jun-15	T = 91 °F	OAL 1.250"	Taper Crimp 0.469"	
oiled cases 					
					
Ave Vel =	742.9		 		
Std Dev =	9.89		 		 
ES =	33.19		 		 
High = 	760.6				 
Low =	727.5				 
N =	20				 
					
 accurate					[/SIZE]

This load with the 9mm worked fine in a couple of different service pistols.

9mm data

[SIZE="3"][B]Walther P5  3.4" barrel[/B]			
					
					
125 LRN .356" 4.0 grs Bullseye  Lot 827 (60's/70's) Mixed cases WSP OAL 1.10"
20-Jun-09	T = 90 °F	
		
Ave Vel =1065	 			
Std Dev =15.19				
ES =	41.07				
High =	1081				
Low =	1040				
N =	8				
					
					
	 				
125 LRN .356" 4.0 grs Bullseye  1998&2005 mixed lot Mixed cases WSP OAL 1.10"

20-Jun-09  T = 90 °F			
					
Ave Vel =1038	 			
Std Dev =8.48				
ES =	20.71				
High =	1049				
Low =	1029				
N =	8				



[ATTACH=full]738456[/ATTACH][/SIZE]

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[Bula]

There is a reason it's been around over 100 years. It works. Sure there are better, but when all you have is Bullseye, you can readily shoot most non magnum calibers at spec velocities. I load .38spl, 9mm and 45. Different bullet weights for all but 9mm. It works. Some people are turned off by it being a dirty powder. Yield per pound, shooting home cast bullets, you will not find A cheaper powder to keep you on the trigger. Do your homework and start loading, you'll not be disappointed. IMO.

 

[Catpop]

Good point on motor oil. I can't count the number of shooters at the range I have helped by lubing their 1911s for them.
1911 belts should have 3 pockets, gun, clips, and oil can!

 

[RealGun]

What do the books tell you?

I would concur on using BE with 38 Special. I also use it on 45 ACP and 32 S&W Long.

I load 13 cartridges. I don't worship at the altar of W231 but am in fact currently loading plated DEWC in 38 Special using HP38. That is a one pounder. My 4 pounder of W231 has never been opened, and I don't use the equivalent HP-38 on anything else. I was well into reloading before I ever found any of the exalted W231 available to buy. Thus I am settled into other loads that work well enough.

I have many powder choices, so am not one to try to do everything with as few as possible.

 

[RealGun]

Yield per pound, shooting home cast bullets, you will not find A cheaper powder to keep you on the trigger.

I think W231 is the champ on cost per load.

 

[LeonCarr]

Bullseye will work in just about any non-magnum handgun round, and there is also loading data published for non-magnum loadings in magnum handgun rounds.

At one time Alliant stated that ammunition loaded with Bullseye has won more pistol matches than any other powder.

Please follow all safe reloading practices.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[eastbank]

when i saw a very nice k 38 ruined with a over charge of bulls eye years ago(i know not the powders fault), i loaded a half pound of bulls eye into my round burn barrel. and use slower powders that bulk up in the case and added a small lite on my dillon press to check powder level in the case before i seat the bullet. but thats just be. eastbank.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Bullseye will work in just about any non-magnum handgun round, and there is also loading data published for non-magnum loadings in magnum handgun rounds.

^ This.

Other than the large capacity cases like .44 mag and .45 Colt, it is great. I've used it in .45 Colt in a pinch and didn't really like it.

But it has served me very well in .40, 9mm, .38 Spcl and .45 acp. Meters good and shoots good.

 

[RealGun]

when i saw a very nice k 38 ruined with a over charge of bulls eye years ago(i know not the powders fault), i loaded a half pound of bulls eye into my round burn barrel. and use slower powders that bulk up in the case and added a small lite on my dillon press to check powder level in the case before i seat the bullet. but thats just be. eastbank.

Yes, that's just you, when you have to know that a number of other powders could have been involved in the same sort of incident. Well-suited, bulky powders are few. Trailboss comes to mind, but it is relatively expensive per round...so much so that they deceptively package less than a pound in a one pounder size jar just to make a competitive price point per container.

Some of the other bulked up choices like SR4756 are being dropped, if I understand the IMR story correctly.

In reviewing powder loads for 38 and powder density numbers, the powders that are relatively bulky are 700x, Green Dot, SR4756, and American Select, with Trailboss remaining the champ in that regard.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

I use with good enough results in 9mm, 38, and 45. Not talking hot loads but economical lead plinking rounds.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Its my favorite for 380acp, and my runner up behind Unique for 45acp. My loads for both of those are at the upper end of things, so it burns clean for me!

 

[Dudedog]

Not one of my favorites but works decent in 9mm MAK, 9mm, .38 Special (light-med .357) and .45 ACP. (and lots of other things I don't own)

Some people swear by it.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

I use in 9mm, 38, and 45. Not because its the best but because it was available in quantity and flexible. All of this for target loads - basically only fast enough to cycle the action on semis and send lead downrange. I'm slowly building up a variety of more specialized powdrs but bullseye does a decent job across the pistol board and keeps me shooting on a budget.