Bye Bye Bullseye

[HKSmith]

This thread is not a criticism of Bullseye powder, but rather a bit of nostalgia. I started reloading in 1964 and my first powder purchase was an 11 ounce can of Bullseye for $1.80. Today, I used up the last of a 4 pound jug of Bullseye. I realized that I would not be replacing it because I have a robust supply of similar powders (AA #2, HP-38, VV N310 and N320). At age 75, a 10 year supply of powder may be beyond realistic. If I'm still shooting and reloading at 85, I'll certainly buy some more Bullseye!

Interestingly, Bullseye is cheaper now than it was in 1964 on an inflation adjusted basis. The price I paid then would be $20.67 per pound now and I see it advertised for $18.95. 8 pound jugs are available locally for $129.99.

 

[chief38]

Bullseye was one of my first powders too. I started using Titegroup in place of Bullseye (when I began shooting SASS Matches) only because Titegroup is supposed to be less position sensitive in the large case vs the actual grain weight I use in the case. Be that as it may, Bullseye is still a great powder and it can be used for many cartridges.

 

[JBnTx]

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

I guess I haven't learned a thing?

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I too am shifting from Bullseye ...not because of bad performance but because I happened on a 12# can of 700X at a very good price and can resupply at will.Besides,it is clean and very accurate.With these assets,I'm ready to live with the fact that it meters a little less easily but IMO not at an objectionable point.
Qc

 

[Krogen]

I don't think I'll buy any more Bullseye. I haven't used a lot of it; just bought my second pound! I started handloading in the 80's. Yep, last century. I soon bought a pound of Bullseye to try. Over the years I strayed to a lot of different powders but didn't really take to Bullseye. In the last year I got started in NRA precision pistol competition. 3.5 gr of Bullseye under a 200 gr LSWC was great. Until I ran out of my original cardboard can of Bullseye. I heard they had improved Bullseye and looked forward to trying it. I was dissapointed. It binds my Redding powder measure. How's that happen? I cleaned it carefully and still the new Bullseye is troublesome. I switched to 231 and the trouble went away. Never had any other powder do this. So Bye Bye Bullseye for me too.

 

[TjB101]

I too am shifting from Bullseye ...not because of bad performance but because I happened on a 12# can of 700X at a very good price and can resupply at will.Besides,it is clean and very accurate.With these assets,I'm ready to live with the fact that it meters a little less easily but IMO not at an objectionable point.

Qc

700x is nice and flashy ... makes for some fun shooting out of my 357

 

[mi2600]

Bullseye and Unique were my staples back in the 70s. I've quit Unique and tend to use more Titegroup now than Bullseye.

 

[les.b]

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

 

[Carrier]

I load a lot of really light Bullseye 38 loads in 357 cases for shooting paper and they are some accurate in a 686.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Bullseye/Unique & 2400.......My Favorites......Favorites for others for nearly 100 years!..........I use others but these are my favorites..........

 

[hdwhit]

There's a Bullseye load for every pistol cartridge I load for; 25 ACP, 9mm, 38 Spl, 45 ACP. And, I have enough on hand to reload every pistol case I own multiple times, so like the OP, I think I'm set for life.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Bullseye is still my go to powder for light 38 special lead loads
and 9mm pistol with light 115 and 124 plated target loads.

The 38 also likes trail boss and the 9mm CFE ........
never tried the titegroup yet.

 

[Fuddster]

I use Bullseye for .38 wadcutters. I have an old Star loader set up for them and the charge bars are calibrated for Bullseye. The charge bars drop exactly what they are marked.

 

[Mistered]

There was a time when all I loaded was 3.5 gr of Bullseye with 158 gr LSWC bullets for .38 Special - Shot 1000s of them!

 

[rwsmith]

Old favorite........

Been using BE since about 1980. BE and Unique were all I needed for handguns in those days. The shortages of the last few years made me branch way out and obtain whatever I could, whenever I could. I've added Now I have lot more powder that all seem to do well.

 

[TLflag]

Been using Bullseye since the early 60's. I have a factory sheet, one page, giving a load for every caliber from pistol to rifle. To me,if times get tough, I can load almost anything. I've used at least 30 lbs. and still have a stash. Good stuff.

 

[38SPL HV]

Bullseye was my first powder also 40 yrs ago. In 38 Spl, 2.7 grs 148 gr HBWC and 3.5 grs 158 gr lead RN or SWC. These are still great loads today. I prefer Bullseye to WW231/HP38, uses less powder for comparable velocities and with more accuracy, at least in my revolvers of old.

 

[Sevens]

Bullseye was the first powder I bought but the second one I actually used, as it seemed in my earliest time at the load bench that Green Dot was a "closer fit" to my Lee dippers. My original first can of Hercules Bullseye was in 1989 and I believe that one pound can was just under $10 before tax.

I definitely use a decent amount of it these days, it feeds my S&W Model 52's and all the .38 Special that I run in revolvers also.

My best guess is that I've probably burnt through maybe 10 pounds of it? That is no small feat when you consider a typical Bullseye charge weight!

Great thread here!

 

[TripleLock]

Like others here, the first powder I ever put through a measure, weighed on a scale, poured into a cartridge case, and seated a bullet on top of, was good old Hercules Bullseye. In more than 40 years I've never passed up an opportunity to add another pound or two to the shelf, with the result that throughout the powder drought I never had any worries or concerns about running out. I'm actually still using out of cardboard Hercules canisters... haven't gotten into the "new fangled" Alliant plastics yet! Oh, and the same goes for Unique, 2400, and Blue Dot... and Green Dot... and I'm still burning DuPont IMR-series powders (3031, 4064, 4227, 4320, 4350, and 4831) out of metal cans.

Bullseye will always be my No.1 "Go To" powder for pistols and revolvers.

 

[at_liberty]

This thread is not a criticism of Bullseye powder, but rather a bit of nostalgia. I started reloading in 1964 and my first powder purchase was an 11 ounce can of Bullseye for $1.80. Today, I used up the last of a 4 pound jug of Bullseye. I realized that I would not be replacing it because I have a robust supply of similar powders (AA #2, HP-38, VV N310 and N320). At age 75, a 10 year supply of powder may be beyond realistic. If I'm still shooting and reloading at 85, I'll certainly buy some more Bullseye!

Interestingly, Bullseye is cheaper now than it was in 1964 on an inflation adjusted basis. The price I paid then would be $20.67 per pound now and I see it advertised for $18.95. 8 pound jugs are available locally for $129.99.

AA#2 is not as readily available, Vihtavuori's are expensive, and HP-38 is not as fast a burner. I was wondering what you were loading with Bullseye as a mainstay.