deadear dan
Member
Using the old target load of 2.8gr and a 148GR HBWC, is there a powder between reddot and bullseye which is cleaner burning? I have my choice between the two. tks.
bullseye vs reddot - cleanest with 148gr HBWC?
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fredj338
Member
I find BE quite dirty, almost like black powder dirty. So I went with Red Dot for minor loads in most of the calibers I shoot from 9mm-45colt.
David R
Member
Nothing but good luck with red dot or Promo (same loading by weight)
Here are some results for a 138 gr Button Nose Wadcutter.
I shoot a scope better.
Going to load up 1,000 of these with 4.2 Promo, then 500 HBWC with 2.8 bullseye because it meters better and I have it.
I also shot my 637 with the same load at the 25 yard target. I kept 10 on the paper, most in the black of the right target above. Empties fall out.
Here are some results for a 138 gr Button Nose Wadcutter.
I shoot a scope better.
Going to load up 1,000 of these with 4.2 Promo, then 500 HBWC with 2.8 bullseye because it meters better and I have it.
I also shot my 637 with the same load at the 25 yard target. I kept 10 on the paper, most in the black of the right target above. Empties fall out.
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I noticed a huge difference in smoke and general crud on the gun depending upon the bullet. I think the lube on a lot of the HBWC's are pretty messy and responsible for a lot of the smoke and crud on the pistol after shooting. I was always told that Unique was a super dirty powder but I had a can I got for free along with some 110 grain jacketed HP's for the 38-357 so I loaded them up at a 38 special load and they actually shot much cleaner and with a lot less smoke than my regular 38 HBWC bullseye powered reloads.
I have used Bull, red, promo and e3 in my 2-6" barrel target loads.........
with 148gr HB, BB ..........158gr RN, SP, HP ....... 125gr cowboy
and each pistol or revolver has its favorite so that is a toss up.
All these powders are some what clean but may do better with
more powder or a heavier crimp to burn a little better. They all
have their place and can work in your guns if things are right.
I never had an Alliant powder that was real clean but a little
solvent and a rag usually brought the weapon back to normal.
Maybe if I just shot only five rounds, the powder would be clean ? Never tried doing that.....................
with 148gr HB, BB ..........158gr RN, SP, HP ....... 125gr cowboy
and each pistol or revolver has its favorite so that is a toss up.
All these powders are some what clean but may do better with
more powder or a heavier crimp to burn a little better. They all
have their place and can work in your guns if things are right.
I never had an Alliant powder that was real clean but a little
solvent and a rag usually brought the weapon back to normal.
Maybe if I just shot only five rounds, the powder would be clean ? Never tried doing that.....................
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Red Dot is cleaner than Bullseye. If you could find Clays that would be extremely clean. W231/HP-38 is also cleaner than both.
For several years Alliant has had Clay Dot out for the shotgun loaders.
You never hear of it being used in hand gun loads.........
yet there is data for the "Clays" powder and I always wondered why this was.
+1 on the other type of powders being cleaner.......
if it were not for the accuracy of Alliant I would change in a heart beat.
You never hear of it being used in hand gun loads.........
yet there is data for the "Clays" powder and I always wondered why this was.
+1 on the other type of powders being cleaner.......
if it were not for the accuracy of Alliant I would change in a heart beat.
DFrame
Member
You should never use Bullseye and clean in the same sentence.
MyDads38
Member
For me, Red Dot definitely shoots cleaner than Bullseye. That being said, Bullseye has always been my "go to" powder. When I ran out of BE and had to find something else, the only thing I could find was RD. With testing, I was able to find comparable loads and accuracy was at least on par with BE. So I'll keep both on hand, "just in case".
Dirty.....ok
It cleans up easy.
It cleans up easy.
rsrocket1
Member
I love Bullseye, but Red Dot would be cleaner in those light loads. e3 would be a good alternative if you can find it, so would Clay Dot, Extra Lite or the Hodgdon powders Titewad (not Tightgroup), Clays (unavailable now) or Trail Boss (expensive). All would be safe at 3g start load and work down from there to where you get constant velocities, non-smokey shots and low residual soot while working toward really light loads.
I never got RD, GD or Unique to shoot as well as BE.
Then again I mold my own WC for 38's & 44 Spl.
The lube I use is not wax based so it's not that dirty for me.
bamacisa
Member
Bullseye is a very accurate powder. It burns a little dirty, but it is very easy to clean up with a good solvent. The increase in accuracy is worth the very little extra effort in cleaning. With Hoppe's or Shooter's choice, it wipes off with almost no effort.
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USSR
Member
Funny how all the concern is about how "clean" a particular powder is, and not how accurate it's loads are.
Solvent and a little elbow grease are cheap.
Don
Solvent and a little elbow grease are cheap.Don
AveragEd
Member
I agree but if you can obtain equivalent accuracy with a clean powder and a dirty one, why use the dirty one? My revolvers all shoot close enough to the same for these old eyes with dirty fuels like Bullseye and Unique as they do with cleaner ones like Hodgdon's Clays and IMR's discontinued SR4756.
Granted, your gun requires cleaning after any powder is burned in it but the cleaner ones don't leave your hands a dirty, sticky mess as well. But I know that loyalties to gun powders that have been around a long time are difficult to abandon. The discontinuance of SR4756 had me scrounging around for all the leftovers I could find (seven pounds) instead of finding another favorite powder for my revolver target loads.
Ed
Granted, your gun requires cleaning after any powder is burned in it but the cleaner ones don't leave your hands a dirty, sticky mess as well. But I know that loyalties to gun powders that have been around a long time are difficult to abandon. The discontinuance of SR4756 had me scrounging around for all the leftovers I could find (seven pounds) instead of finding another favorite powder for my revolver target loads.
Ed
"I never got RD, GD or Unique to shoot as well as BE. "
Bullseye can be great for target or 38 "Standard" loads but
it can not match its brothers in the +P department.
In a 2" snub nose J frame, red, green and Unique will get higher fps
with lower pressures and make a +P loading.
In a 3" 9mm, Bullseye can NOT make a +P loading with the 115 or 124gr FMJ with Alliant data....... Unique can just make it.
The bigger the bullet, the less I use Bullseye..... but I will slide
over to Red Dot.
3.5grs of RD with a 158gr lead or 115 or 124gr plated 9mm is sweet.
Bullseye can be great for target or 38 "Standard" loads but
it can not match its brothers in the +P department.
In a 2" snub nose J frame, red, green and Unique will get higher fps
with lower pressures and make a +P loading.
In a 3" 9mm, Bullseye can NOT make a +P loading with the 115 or 124gr FMJ with Alliant data....... Unique can just make it.
The bigger the bullet, the less I use Bullseye..... but I will slide
over to Red Dot.
3.5grs of RD with a 158gr lead or 115 or 124gr plated 9mm is sweet.
Gripgrabber
US Veteran
****, I recently got a great deal on 10# of bullseye, I didn't notice the clean up problem until now! Wow I only thought unique was dirty. LOL I agree as the bullet gets bigger I go to another powder. BE then 231, then unique, then 2400, then H110.
231 is my Goto for 9mm,.40, 44&45 for mild loads.
Gripgrabber
231 is my Goto for 9mm,.40, 44&45 for mild loads.
Gripgrabber
Vortec MAX
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I have also noticed that hotter loads are cleaner using Bullseye in 45 ACP. For example: 4.8 grains under a Berry's 230 GR RN was pretty "sooty," but increase to 5.1 or 5.3 and it seems to clean up some. I am not sure why.
Mike
Mike
I've used Bullseye off and on for years, I find Red Dot, Green Dot, American Select all work good, and seem to be cleaner.
I started using Auto-Comp recently and it's very clean compared to the afor mentioned.
I started using Auto-Comp recently and it's very clean compared to the afor mentioned.
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