Different Powders for Bullseye Pistol

Now that things are tight regarding reloading components, I thought it might be a good time to check out what different powders work for Bullseye pistol loads. I've used e3. There are no published loads so I had to work one up. It performed very well, meters well and is very clean. A while back, although I had never tried it, I thought I might have to switch from Alliant Bullseye to Vectan BA 9.5 or Ramshot Zip. Fortunately some Alliant Bullseye became available. I did have to wait 5 weeks after I ordered it to have it delivered. I know that, over the years, some have had good luck with Red Dot, Solo 1000, Clays, 700X, WST and various others. We are mostly talking .45 ACP with lead 200 gr. bullet here and 50 yard accuracy. Anyone have any experience with good accurate loads with powders, other than Alliant Bullseye?

I'll have to check my numbers, but the unusual powders I've used are BE-86, IMR Target, Accurate No. 5. I typically use WST as it seems to meter really well.

Dave

I've used WST and IMR Target.  IMR Target seems pretty comparable to Bullseye.

VV N310 for both my 32 ACP and 45

A caution about Red Dot. Earlier “bur rate” chars and even some load data suggested that Red Dot was a hair slower than bullseye.  It is NOT!   If anything it is very much faster.  



This bar graph shows the pressure and velocity of red dot and bullseye at the same pressure levels in a 20 inch Barrel from Quickload runs. The velocities I obtained from my Contender with these loads matched pretty well.  While these pressures aren’t anywhere near SAAMI max with Red Dot, it does show that RedDot is hotter.

I've not seen two burn rate charts that agree.

The only thing they seem to agree on is that N310 is pretty much toward the top of the chart.

VVN310 and WST

I've got a mostly full 8# jug of Alliant Extra Light left over from my skeet days. I would imagine it could be used but I've never been desperate enough to force me to try. Maybe one day when I get free time

Promo, ww231 and Acurate#2, but not Nitro 100

The 45 with its big volume is a forgiving cartride, especially at the reduced loads we use.

zanemoseley wrote:I've got a mostly full 8# jug of Alliant Extra Light left over from my skeet days. I would imagine it could be used but I've never been desperate enough to force me to try. Maybe one day when I get free time

As I have a full 8# Winchester Super Handicap for thos obnoxious silver bullet back fence loads.

never worked up a pistol load yet... 

In my 45 with slide mounted red dot:
4.1 grains TiteGroup with Magnus 185 grain LSWC for short line. 
4.5 grains Titegroup with Zero 185 grain JHP for Long line

Hello,

I use....

Bullseye
CLAYS
VV N310
700X
WST

Jim

If you are thinking about Ramshot powders. I use Competition.

6" slide mounted ultradot 1".
3.3grs with a lyman 460 cast or zero swc swagged 200grs 
3.7grs with a 160gr cast, 160 or 155 brazos.

I switched to a aimpoint 9000sc and the 160s and 155s still function. 200s no longer do.

The 160 i cast shoot great at 50yds and so does the brazos 160. The 155s are only good for 25yds and didn't shoot at 50yds. 

Competition is very clean and mild recoil impulse. I went away from clays to this several years ago and love it. 

Garth

Standard Bullseye Loads I collected over the years

200 gr Lead Bullet
3.5-4.0 gr Bullseye
4.0 gr N310
4.6 gr N320
3.8-4.2 gr WST - Note 1


185 gr Lead Bullet
3.5-4.0 gr Bullseye - Note 2
3.8 gr Clays
3.1 gr Vectan Ba10
4.0 gr N310
4.2 gr WST - Note 1

160 gr Lead Bullet
3.8-4.2 gr Bullseye
4.4 gr N310 - Note 3

Note 1: My current load is 4.2 gr WST for both 185 and 200 gr lead bullets, but many use 3.8 or 4.0 successfully

Note 2: For many years I used 3.8 gr Bullseye with 185 gr LSWCHP. 3.5 gr is a very light load, 3.8-4.0 is better for slide mounted scopes

Note 3: My current load is 4.4 gr N310 with 160 gr LSWC

I've had good results from N-310 , WST & W231 in addition to BE in 45acp . My main load is a 200 Zero SWC with WLP & 3.8grs BE , same components with 3.6grs N-310 , 4.2grs WST & IIRC 4.8grs W231 . N-310 & WST I've found to be temp sensitive , so if below 50 degrees use Bullseye .