Alliant BE-86

[Hawker Man]

I have a chance to buy a 8 pounder of Alliant BE-86 powder and was hoping for some opinions as to how it works as a target powder in medium to lower velocities in the 9mm, 10mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP. I looked at the Alliant web page and the load data seems to show it as a hotter powder. Anyone have any practical experience with this powder?

 

[Bruce51]

I've heard it is similar to Power Pistol but with a flash suppressant.

I have not seen any to buy or try. Shooting Times has a decent write up with test results.

Performance of Alliant's New BE-86 Pistol Powder - Shooting Times

I would like to see if it would work well in .45 Colt without the position sensitivity of Unique.

I hope someone here has done some tests as it could replace both Power Pistol and Unique as a go to powder.

BLM

 

[bassgunner]

I just tested some today. 5.6 grains under a 124gr fmj 9mm rn clocked at about 1130 fps and was my tightest grouping. I have shot all of 25 rounds with it so far from 5.3 to 5.7 grains and the 124gr fmj. I did load up 50 more at the 5.6 to try later this week. It was pleasant to shoot and as clean as factory stuff. I will continue to use it. Not sure how it would do for low velocity, even my 5.3 grains was clocking at about 1030 fps.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I want to find it here in town but no luck....

8lbs is a bit much but being like Unique it will go dry in the long run. I would get it if you have enough reloading to make it work.

I could have picked up a pound of Silhouette that is very close but the company keeps their data under locks.........
you have to send for the data, which ticks me off........... no sale.

 

[rh73]

I want to find it here in town but no luck....

8lbs is a bit much but being like Unique it will go dry in the long run. I would get it if you have enough reloading to make it work.

I could have picked up a pound of Silhouette that is very close but the company keeps their data under locks.........
you have to send for the data, which ticks me off........... no sale.

Western Powders reloading guide is available for download.

Newest Reloading Data « Western Powders

 

[bwxmas]

Loading data is only on the front page of every powder company.
If only I had a fence to build..
Hawker,
If you would do a search, you would find out pretty quick the answer to your question.

 

[rsrocket1]

I found a pound locally a few weeks ago
It does indeed work very well in 9mm and it is right between Unique and Power Pistol in burn rate. For anyone who used Herco, it is right in line with that powder except it meters very well. For light loads, I think you might find it a little "dirty" simply because you won't be burning it at pressures where it likes to burn. For medium speed loads, it will work very well.

Alliant has been selling this powder for a long time to ammo manufacturers and is now trying to push it onto the reloading market, but it still has a very tough time getting it out to the public. If I could find an 8# jug at a reasonable cost locally, I'd be all over it.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't have any but.....

The "BE" doesn't mean a thing and has nothing at all to do with Bullseye. I understand that it is closer to Unique in burn rate.

It sounds to me like it would be a very useful powder, not the hottest, but a good medium powder. I'm not sure what any other characteristics are. I would suppose clean, less flash. It's advertised as having good metering. It's good for .32 to .45 Colt and .44 Magnum. It gets hotter velocities but not quite magnum.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

...position sensitivity of Unique (in 45 Colt).

Really? I've never run into that. I even use it in reduced loads in 460 Magnum, & 500 Magnum, cases & haven't run into that.

.

 

[bwxmas]

The "BE" doesn't mean a thing and has nothing at all to do with Bullseye. I understand that it is closer to Unique in burn rate.

It sounds to me like it would be a very useful powder, not the hottest, but a good medium powder. I'm not sure what any other characteristics are. I would suppose clean, less flash. It's advertised as having good metering. It's good for .32 to .45 Colt and .44 Magnum. It gets hotter velocities.

You really need to look at the manual before describing what it can do.
I see a lot of people on this forum preaching to look at the manual.
Instead of actually reading the manual, most opinions I see,
are from people who have never even seen the powder
So, here are the figures, cut, and pasted for you for these two calibers.
I will even post the link again
Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide
http://www.alliantpowder.com/resources/alliant/2016_Alliant_Powder.pdf

As you see, other than Pro 300mp, It is the fastest powder in 357 mag.
and barely 3rd in 44mag, with 10 grains less powder.
I would say this powder can truck when needed.

158-gr JHP BE-86 Fed. 100 Federal 1.570 7.8 1362
158-gr Cast RNFP BE-86 Fed. 100 Federal 1.570 8.1 1438
158-gr JSP BE-86 Fed. 100 Federal 1.565 8.1 1390
158-gr Speer UCSP Power Pro 300-MP Fed. 1.570 18.6 1690
158-gr Speer GDHP Unique CCI 500 Speer 1.575 7.7 1040
158-gr Speer GDHP Power Pistol CCI 500 Speer 1.575 8.5 1078
158-gr Speer GDHP Blue Dot CCI 500 Speer 1.575 10.2 1188
158-gr Speer GDHP 2400 CCI 500 Speer 1.575 14.8 1265

44 mag is not far behind. 2400 needs 10 more grains of powder for 100fps.
300mp, is well 300mp.

240-gr JHP BE-86 Fed. 150 Federal 1.565 11.6 1322
240-gr Cast RNFP BE-86 Fed. 150 Federal 1.580 11.8 1324
240-gr cast LSWC Bullseye CCI 300 Speer 1.605 6.0 894
240-gr cast LSWC Red Dot CCI 300 Speer 1.605 6.5 905
240-gr cast LSWC Green Dot CCI 300 Speer 1.605 7.0 901
240-gr cast LSWC Unique CCI 300 Speer 1.605 7.0 899
240-gr Speer GDSP Power Pro 300-MP Fed. 150 Federal 1.575 25.0 1570
240-gr Speer GDHP Unique CCI 300 Speer 1.575 10.3 1175
240-gr Speer GDHP Blue Dot CCI 300 Speer 1.575 13.7 1285
240-gr Speer GDHP 2400 CCI 300 Speer 1.575 21.0 1434

 

[X Ring]

The "BE" doesn't mean a thing and has nothing at all to do with Bullseye. I understand that it is closer to Unique in burn rate.

Power Pistol (formerly called BE-84) was developed from Bullseye. BE-86 is Power Pistol with a flash suppressant added. True, neither are at all like the parent, but related none the less.

 

[alwslate]

Really? I've never run into that. I even use it in reduced loads in 460 Magnum, & 500 Magnum, cases & haven't run into that.

.

Re position sensitivity of Unique powder: Have you done any
chronograph tests or are you just stating opinion? I have
tested several different powders for position sensitivity by
tilting the gun up to orient the powder near the primer and
then firing over a chronograph and then tilting the gun down
to orient the powder near the bullet and then chronographing
the shot. I have found Unique to be quite position sensitive,
even in the 38 spl and 357 magnum.

 

[Moe Mentum]

i would try it, if I could find it. Should be like Power Pistol with flash inhibitors.

 

[Fishslayer]

i would try it, if I could find it. Should be like Power Pistol with flash inhibitors.

Recobs has 1# & 8#. I've been using it in low pressure range target fodder in .44 MAg & .454 Casull. I like it enough that I just ordered another 8#.

Browsing ALLIANT

There is some data available. Everything I've been able to find on it says that Unique data is usable. Since I'm making "special" level loads for magnum guns I'm pretty sure I'm safe.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I have found Unique to be quite position sensitive, even in the 38 spl and 357 magnum.

Interesting. With what percentage of case fill?

I have noticed position sensitivity with some loads/powders but never with the loads that I use Unique with.

.

 

[Vortec MAX]

I tested some 45 ACP loads from a 4.4" barrel today. Here is what I got:

6.0 Grains BE-86 - 742 FPS - 16 FPS Spread - 5.4 Std Dev - 283 ft-lb
6.2 Grains BE-86 - 763 FPS - 45 FPS Spread - 12.7 Std Dev - 299 ft-lb
6.4 Grains BE-86 - 790 FPS - 26 FPS Spread - 7.5 Std Dev - 321 ft-lb
6.6 Grains BE-86 - 813 FPS - 39 FPS Spread - 14.2 Std Dev - 339 ft-lb
6.8 Grains BE-86 - 837 FPS - 32 FPS Spread - 10.1 Std Dev - 359 ft-lb

All used a CCI 300 primer and a Berry's 230 GR RN bullet.

I am seeing velocities similar to Power Pistol with the same charge weights, but BE-86 max charges are lower than info I have on Power Pistol. I have tested all the way to 7.5 grains of Power Pistol. I still want to try 7.0 and 7.1 grains of BE-86.

 

[alwslate]

Interesting. With what percentage of case fill?

I have noticed position sensitivity with some loads/powders but never with the loads that I use Unique with.

.

My loads chronographed were with typical charges in the 38
and 357 with 158 gr cast bullets, surely with less air space
than with the large cases you mention. The key word in your
question here is "noticed". Again, have you actually tested
Unique for position sensitivity? I'll guess not. Legends die
hard but there are many better powders around today than
Unique.

 

[flyrobb]

I tested some 45 ACP loads from a 4.4" barrel today. Here is what I got:

6.0 Grains BE-86 - 742 FPS - 16 FPS Spread - 5.4 Std Dev - 283 ft-lb
6.2 Grains BE-86 - 763 FPS - 45 FPS Spread - 12.7 Std Dev - 299 ft-lb
6.4 Grains BE-86 - 790 FPS - 26 FPS Spread - 7.5 Std Dev - 321 ft-lb
6.6 Grains BE-86 - 813 FPS - 39 FPS Spread - 14.2 Std Dev - 339 ft-lb
6.8 Grains BE-86 - 837 FPS - 32 FPS Spread - 10.1 Std Dev - 359 ft-lb

All used a CCI 300 primer and a Berry's 230 GR RN bullet.

I am seeing velocities similar to Power Pistol with the same charge weights, but BE-86 max charges are lower than info I have on Power Pistol. I have tested all the way to 7.5 grains of Power Pistol. I still want to try 7.0 and 7.1 grains of BE-86.

What was your COL on those loads?

 

[Vortec MAX]

What was your COL on those loads?

1.250"

Mike

 

[sellersm]

This is the word directly from Paul at Alliant:

I am glad to see you have stumbled onto some of the BE-86 we began shipping into distribution recently. Sorry to take so long to get it to market, but we have been under siege demand wise for all of our existing products in both OEM and canister markets that marketing didn't want to prioritize this new product (for canister). We will continue to get some out as we can, so if you ask for it, those orders should pull through.
I am very confident you will really like this powder.

It is the same magic formulation as Bullseye(R) and Power Pistol(R), and virtually the exact geometry of Power Pistol. It is a little faster burning than Power Pistol though, and very similar to Unique(R), burn speed wise. As you mentioned, we have added flash suppressant to this product to moderate the flash response, whereas we do not for Power Pistol.

BE-86(TM) is a high energy propellant though, so do not expect it to be flashless. The FS added moderates what would be maybe a basketball or bushel basket size bloom for a stout load of Power Pistol down to more like a baseball or cueball. I find it very acceptable from the shooter's position, and we have several OEM's that use this material for duty applications.

So to summarize, the "so what" on BE-86 is that it has the outstanding ballistics and ignitability of the BE series powders, in Unique burnrate, with great metering characteristics, with FS to moderate the flash bloom.

Thank you for your interest in our new pistol powder BE-86.
Shoot well,
Paul