Bye Bye Bullseye

[Sevens]

There are some places where I get effective use from Titegroup in revolvers but NEVER in .38 Special. The performance of the loads themselves are perfectly fine except for what I consider to be extreme heat.

No, not worried in the slightest about my revolvers, I simply cannot enjoy handling the guns that get so hot, so quickly. I typically notice it in the first 18-24 rounds.

Wrapping fingers of my left hand around the cylinder upon ejection with the typical known practice is simply no fun when using Titegroup-powered ammo. The high nitro content of the Titegroup powder makes them run too warm for my tastes.

 

[fredj338]

I loaded 1# worth of BE about 40yrs ago. Didn't really like it then or now. Small charge volume & really dirty. Today we have lots of "better" alternatives like Ramshot COmp, WST, AA#2, VV310 (pricey), new IMR Red, some even like TG.

 

[daniel lawecki]

This may seem strange to many of you. But I never reloaded using Bullseye 37 years as a reloader

 

[Spokes]

Bullseye was the first powder I used in late 50's. Think I paid less than a buck for a cardboard box of it..

 

[DWalt]

Bullseye was the first powder I used in late 50's. Think I paid less than a buck for a cardboard box of it..

I don't remember Hercules Bullseye cardboard cans back then, but I started loading a little later, around 1961. I sort of remember having some old Hi-Vel #2 that may have been in a rectangular cardboard can. Mainly Hercules cubical steel cans with snap lids, followed by cylindrical cardboard cans with steel ends. Old duPont powder cans were rectangular cardboard with steel ends, screw-on caps. I still have some of those.

 

[Skeet 028]

Before the snap on lids there was a screw on lid with a fold down spout under it. Like the spout on a Morton salt lid. snap lid next cardboard with plastic snap on lid then the screw on sealed lid. I have many of the old metal snap lid cans still sealed including Hi Vel and HV #2. Somewhere back east I have a Dupont 50 lb metal can(4350??). My first pound of powder came from a very large can of I think Red Dot...in a paper bag

 

[USN-RET]

Are you really using Bullseye for 357 loads? If so, Bullseye is a very poor application for this use. I suggest going to 2400.

Yes I am, I'm loading a 125gr CMJ FN bullet on top of 7.2gr of BE. Both my Colt Trooper MK III & Ruger GP100 (each have 6' barrels) love the loads and clean up the 10 ring @ 30ft. Granted I don't shoot a lot of these at paper as it kind of a waste of powder but it works for me.

 

[DWalt]

Yes I am, I'm loading a 125gr CMJ FN bullet on top of 7.2gr of BE. Both my Colt Trooper MK III & Ruger GP100 (each have 6' barrels) love the loads and clean up the 10 ring @ 30ft. Granted I don't shoot a lot of these at paper as it kind of a waste of powder but it works for me.

If you believe the Quickload ballistics program (which I think provides conservative results) your load is well under the SAAMI peak chamber pressure limits and would produce a MV in the 1350-1400 ft/sec range from a 6" barrel. If it punches tight groups, it seems to be safe to use.

 

[AJ]

Been using Bullseye for over 30 years. I still have a steel Hercules can of Bullseye that is unopened.

 

[pjames32]

I started with Bullseye and Unique in 1970 when I started reloading pistol. In the 80's I had a friend who was a commercial loader who was "direct" with Accurate and I switched to AA #2, #5 & #7. I've stuck with Accurate, but loaded many thousands of rounds with Bullseye.

 

[sarg1c]

Bullseye was my first powder in 1976.
Today it's still one of my favorites.

I guess I haven't learned a thing?

I'm not far behind you, my first pistol powder 30+ yrs agon and still loading itt today, First rifle powder was IMR3031 still my favorite rifle powder. I'm 73 and loaded a few .38spc shot cartridges with #4 shot this morning...

 

[sarg1c]

Bullseye got a little hard to get here in E.KY, but I did find some in pigeon Forge TN. I bought a can of REDDOT and it is very similar to Bullseye.

 

[AZretired]

Bulls eye and Unique are my favorite powders.

 

[Fishslayer]

Bullseye got a little hard to get here in E.KY, but I did find some in pigeon Forge TN. I bought a can of REDDOT and it is very similar to Bullseye.

Red Dot gained lots of fans during the Great Powder Drought. I went with Green Dot because it was what I could get. Data nearly identical to Bullseye.

Stocked up mass quantities of both BE & GD (and others) in anticipation of the next round of Kalfornistan gun & ammo laws.

 

[model3sw]

Well, I'm true blue. Bullseye for me is one of the most versatile powders for the calibers that I reload for, although I have about 8 or 10 others that I use on occasion, including Unique.

For revolver shooting of the .32 S&W Long and the .38 Special, Bullseye is still my favorite. I'm talking target loads, not barn burners here.

But I am a traditionalist, and I love loading rounds with a powder that has been around for over a hundred years in cartridges that were designed over a hundred years ago, to shoot in guns that are closing in on a hundred years old. Just sort of fulfilling.

Best Regards, Les

Les, I agree. I've been using Bullseye for so long and never a problem, it burns clean, so, if it "ain't" broke ... don't fix it.

I'm 63 and loyal to product brand that has been loyal to me. Beside that it was one of Phillip Sharpe's favorites.

 

[AveragEd]

I too started with Bullseye for .38 Special wadcutter loads but over the last 40 years, I've changed powder favorites many times. Bullseye worked well but is so dirty that I sought replacements and found several. TiteGroup, as others have mentioned, is good. I settled on IMR SR4756 for all my target revolver handloading. Of course, it is now discontinued but I've been able to lay in a supply large enough to do me AND our son for a long, long time - at age 70, well past my life expectancy.

Just as a clarification, when I refer to a powder as "dirty" I do not mean it leaves dirt in the bore - all powders do. But Bullseye leaves a sticky black coating on my guns and my hands, something other newer powders do not. If I can realize the same performance without the mess, it's a no-brainer for me.

Ed

 

[df06]

Intresting. I started reloading in 1966 and never have loaded a grain of bullseye. I mostly used unique and 2400 in my handgun loads.

 

[Marksman]

Bullseye.............

When I started reloading in 1973 my first pistol powder was Bullseye, while I still shoot some Bullseye loads I have switched to Unique due to its versatility. I use Unique with cast bullets in my rifle loads, mainly .35 Whelen but some .30-06 too.

 

[OldChief]

I'm nearly 80 and I began with Bullseye and Unique many many years ago and I still use them today for .38 Special, 357 Magnum and .45 ACP.

 

[bluetopper]

A feature that Bullseye has over other fast powders is that it is not pressure spikey near the top end, it is very consistent and dependable. Back when I started reloading I used a lot of it in top end 357 and 44 Mag loads. I don't do that practice anymore but Bullseye was very consistent when I did.