BE-86 or Power Pistol

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dmar

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For those of you with experience with BE-86 and Power Pistol, which one would you recommend for 10mm? How about with .44 and .357 mag?

I currently use Blue Dot with my 10mm loads, and 2400 with the magnums. Wondering if BE-86 or PP would work as well for all of these? Not looking for nuclear loads, but I do want full power capability for the caliber, with good consistency/accuracy.

I've done some research and it looks like BE-86 may be a better option than PP due to lower flash and boom, but again looking for some first-hand experience as I've never used these powders.

I also load 9mm and.38spcl, with W231, and .45acp with Bullseye. Would BE-86 and/or PP be better for those loads. I know they are slower powders, and from what I've read some folks seem to be getting some great results with BE-86. Wondering if it's worth changing to the newer powder... Thanks!
 
I have used both in several different loads in multiple calibers and I like them both. The flash of PP is impressive AND distracting. That flash is less obvious in 9mm that the others and PP made some nice accurate 124/125gr loads for me just barely sub-sonic at 4.5gr PP out of several guns. Works well.

BE86 has the middle ground covered pretty well and has kind of taken Unique out of the picture for the last few years. BE86 also worked better with coated bullets in 40, 45 & 44mag. BE86 did not work well for me on the slower loads and started to get dirty in 45 when speeds dropped. Bullseye still seems more versatile in 45 for diverse use and offers noticeably less recoil.

IMO, neither PP or BE86 is going to replace 2400 (or Blue Dot) for true full powered mag loads. I was happy with some loads out of my 629 with 240LSWC in mag case under 7.7gr for general use up to 11.4gr for faster stuff. I still prefer 2400 for the grin inducing stuff though.
 
BE-86 is my vote . Neither will deliver full magnum capability . 2400 and rams hot enforcer are great for that. Remember that 2400 can be down loaded some and still be effective. Regards , Paul
 
I have used both a fair bit, quite a lot in 10mm. I find the BOOM from PP to be very annoying at indoor ranges. Outdoors not so much, though even in daylight outside the muzzle flash can be impressive. I am not throwing away my PP but am probably not buying any more either.
 
I haven't tried BE86 in 10mm yet, but never a fan of PP in anything. It is accurate & decent vel across several calibers but the blast is just annoying. You didn't ask but AA#7 or AA#9 are a better bet for top vel in 10mm with exc accuracy.
 
OP, thanks for starting this thread. I just started loading 10mm and, after checking out several other forums, picked up some PP because all the fanboys were gaga about it. But they also all seemed to want to load to loony pressures.
 
Thanks guys, great feedback so far...!
 
There is more data available for Power Pistol but I've been using BE86 for low pressure target loads in .45ACP, .44 Mag & .454 Casull & have been very happy with it. Very clean & meters well. I have been using Unique data.

According to Alliant BE86 is Power Pistol with a flash suppressant that speeds it up to about Unique's burn rate.

EDIT: Should been "speeds up"
 
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Nobody can answer your questions but...your gun. Buy a pound and try it.

That said, I'd be surprised if you found BE86 a suitable replacement for 231/Bullseye in the .38spl and .45ACP target loads.
 
I use BE-86 for some of my lower pressure cartridges such as .38 Special and .45 Colt. For .44 Magnum I find that 9 grains of BE-86 gets me 1040 FPS out of a 4.6" Super Blackhawk. I don't recommend sizzling hot loads with that powder. I do not recommend Power Pistol for the 10 mm, .357, or .44 Magnum as the muzzle flash will be excessive to say the least.
 
PP has always been good for me accurate powder....flash bang never bothers me....good powder....never had good luck with BE-86 for accuracy and overall just don't like it....some people say its like Unique but I have compared the two side by side with numerous loads in 9mm and 40 and I disagree, its not the same.... got 1 1/2 pounds left of BE-86 that will be fertilizer unless I can find someone locally to trade for it...
 
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I use BE86 for .380 auto, 9mm, .38spl, and medium loads for .357 mag. That said, I used PP before , and also W231. I find BE86 to be almost a universal powder, (like Unique) but meters a whole lot better. BE86 produces some snappy loads, so start off mid range.
 
Power Pistol. If I was forced to be limited to just one powder, for everything I reload in, this would be it. Plus I like the flash. :p

You mentioned 2400, not sure if you meant in the 10mm too but I found it groups very well in my 1076 & 1006s (14.5gr/2400 & 165gr JHP). You don't get as much velocity but it works surprising well. I do generally save my 2400 for my large revolver cartridges though.

.

Just shot my first 10mm rounds thru my modified 4013 today using P-P. Shot lower than as a 40S&W but I compensated for it. ;)

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I'll second Longshot that Rule3 mentioned. It's a pretty versatile powder and I load it in 9MM, 38 Special, 357 Mag and 44 Mag. I find it much the same usefulness as Blue Dot, but it meters much much better for me. Also, I really like Accurate #9 for hotter loads in 357 and 44 Mag. Nearly the same velocity as H110 without the boominess or muzzle flash. It might also do good in 10MM but I don't know because I don't own anything in that caliber. The Western Load Guide data does show data for A #9 in 10 MM though. Accurate #9 also meters very well.
 
Before Power Pistol it was known as Bullseye 84 and a bulk powder used for commercial loads.

They like to keep us guessing.:D
 
Rule3 said:
They like to keep us in the dark:D
Click to expand...

Fixed that. ;)

Someone from Alliant does frequent another board and has provided a lot of info on BE86 among others.

I never had a need for the middle of the Powder Trinity until I started loading .44 Mag & .454 Casull. I needed something for low pressure target loads. In years past that was Unique. IMO it is now BE86.

A friend of mine still swears by Unique and loves his Power Pistol for the flash & BOOM! :D
 
muddocktor said:
I'll second Longshot...
I find it much the same usefulness as Blue Dot, but it meters much much better for me.
Click to expand...

Power Pistol & Longshot load data is typically within a .5gr of each other where you find them tested under the same conditions in semi-auto cartridges. (Longshot being a tad slower but virtually interchangeable.)

Blue Dot is a lot slower.

With Bullseye assigned a relative quickness of 100, Blue Dot is listed at 37.8 and Power Pistol as 58.6.

.
 
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