Interesting experiment- .44 magnum and Bullseye

[Wesprt]

Went out to the range with member vanilla_gorilla and did some .44 load testing, here were the results. 6 shots at a time, 55 degrees outside, gun used was an Elmer Keith Commemorative Model 29 4'' tube, chrono ~15 feet from muzzle. Remington brass, Winchester LP primers (non magnum)

6 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-976
Lo-938
Avg-952
SD-12

6.5 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-1014
Lo-989
Avg-1004
SD-9

7.0 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-1057
Lo-1027
Avg-1042
SD-12

7.5 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-1077
Lo-1061
Avg-1069
SD-5

 

[M29since14]

OK - I give. What am I missing here? (I see you have the SD figures in bold.)

Did you only fire 6 rounds of each load?

 

[smousefam5]

I have always had good results when using Bullseye with cast bullets in .32, .38, .357, and .44 Mag.

 

[Wesprt]

M29, basically that Bullseye isn't really thought of as anything but a target load powder, but it does good in the midrange as well. I have tested it some in the past with similar SD's, so it's not a fluke. The 6.5 grain load will cloverleaf out of a 4'' revolver at 25 yards and that is hard to beat. These are just some general guidelines if someone else has bullseye lying around and wants a very accurate mid level .44 load

 

[Skip Sackett]

I've used Bullseye for years in the 44mag. Light target loads like you said though. 209gr bullet with less than what you have posted here.

750-800fps, great for putting wholes in paper!

Thanks for the results. Good information!

 

[Shuz]

Originally posted by Wesprt:
Went out to the range with member vanilla_gorilla and did some .44 load testing, here were the results. 6 shots at a time, 55 degrees outside, gun used was an Elmer Keith Commemorative Model 29 4'' tube, chrono ~15 feet from muzzle

6 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-976
Lo-938
Avg-952
SD-12

6.5 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-1014
Lo-989
Avg-1004
SD-9

7.0 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-1057
Lo-1027
Avg-1042
SD-12

7.5 grains Bullseye, 250 Keith
Hi-1077
Lo-1061
Avg-1069
SD-5

Thanks for the info.

What size are you revolver's cylinder throats and what size are your boolits? Do you get any appreciable leading?

 

[Spotteddog]

I suspect that the standard deviations go down at just about the optimum MAX powder volume, due to the powder charge being more easily ignited. Just because there's more of it, too ignite! Bullseye's a high density powder and a .44 Mag is a large volume cartridge case. Lots of "air" in there! Although even from my Lyman #43, a charge of Bullseye behind a cast 250 shows a "MAX" charge being no more than 7.0 grains. Not that 99.999% of .44 Magnums wouldn't take it?
Great info!
THANKS!

 

[DFrame]

Very interesting. I've always believed bullseye was one of the most useful powders available.
The usual CAUTIONS about the possibility of double charges are certainly applicable though.

 

[M29since14]

M29, basically that Bullseye isn't really thought of as anything but a target load powder, but it does good in the midrange as well.

Yes, Bullseye does very well in a variety of loads. I wonder if it is particularly easy to ignite?

In any case, the stuff gives me the creeps in a 44 Magnum. The older I get, the more I want to cut down on chances for disaster while loading. I load almost exclusively on a Dillon, where it is not handy to check powder charges before seating a bullet. I have come to prefer bulkier powders, even though they do cost a bit more to use.

 

[Wesprt]

Shuz, I haven't measured the throats but I'm using Magnus Bullets 250 Keiths and they mike at .430 and are a perfect fit for the throats in my model 29. Not too loose, not to snug. I'll measure the BCG in a day or two but it is tight, which may account for the higher velocities than I expected (I'm also using a good roll crimp). There is just the barest hint of primer filling out with the 7.5 grain loads, so I won't push it any farther and in fact will not load any over 7 grains. Extraction was easy with all loads, but it is good to be on the safe side. I was concerned that leading might be bad due to the high temps Bullseye burns at but was pleasantly suprised to see almost no leading. 1 minute with Hoppes, a copper brush and nylon brush had the barrel as clean as a whistle after 70 rounds or so. No joke about the double charges! I have gotten into the habit of dumping a case upside down before filling to avert any possiblity of a double charge- Since my pistol is sighted in for the 6.5 grain load, I will see if this load will account for a deer or hog in the next couple of weeks, there has been a group of 8 or so deer that habitually walk about 15 yards behind my back fence

 

[Homie]

Elmer recommended 5 gr. of BE when the cartridge first came out 53 years ago. Glad that it still works.

Good shooting.

 

[Shuz]

Originally posted by Wesprt:
Shuz, I haven't measured the throats but I'm using Magnus Bullets 250 Keiths and they mike at .430 and are a perfect fit for the throats in my model 29. Not too loose, not to snug. I'll measure the BCG in a day or two but it is tight, which may account for the higher velocities than I expected (I'm also using a good roll crimp). There is just the barest hint of primer filling out with the 7.5 grain loads, so I won't push it any farther and in fact will not load any over 7 grains. Extraction was easy with all loads, but it is good to be on the safe side. I was concerned that leading might be bad due to the high temps Bullseye burns at but was pleasantly suprised to see almost no leading. 1 minute with Hoppes, a copper brush and nylon brush had the barrel as clean as a whistle after 70 rounds or so. No joke about the double charges! I have gotten into the habit of dumping a case upside down before filling to avert any possiblity of a double charge- Since my pistol is sighted in for the 6.5 grain load, I will see if this load will account for a deer or hog in the next couple of weeks, there has been a group of 8 or so deer that habitually walk about 15 yards behind my back fence

BCG? sorry, that one escapes me!

 

[Wesprt]

Shuz- Barrel Cylinder Gap

 

[musicmanbass]

I'm late to the game, but yea, I dig bullseye for paper punching in 44 mag, too. I can't remember exactly but I think I settled around 6.6-6.8 grains.

Any of you guys ever use HP38/231? I kinda' like that, too.

 

[Sara Noh]

HP-38 and 231 are ballistic twins, I have used both in .44 Special. The nod in my experience goes to HP-38 for accuracy. I have added it to my powder inventory for mild loads. I shot lots of 5.0 gr. Bullseye 250 SWC/.44 Magnum loads years ago. Very easy shooting and accurate, also used 3.5 gr. Bullseye when introducing youth and ladies to big bore revolver shooting.

 

[musicmanbass]

Hi Sara,
not to burst your bubble, but not only are HP38 and Winchester 231 ballistic twins, they are actually the same exact powder, poured into different canisters. Yea, I called Hodgdon to double check. Same as H110 and Win 296, and probably a couple more. My guess is that maybe the difference you saw in accuracy was due to different lots, or maybe just how you were shooting one day vs another.

But I'm glad to hear someone else using those powders in 44! They worked well for me, and burned pretty clean.

 

[29aholic]

Originally posted by Sara Noh:
HP-38 and 231 are ballistic twins, I have used both in .44 Special. The nod in my experience goes to HP-38 for accuracy. I have added it to my powder inventory for mild loads. I shot lots of 5.0 gr. Bullseye 250 SWC/.44 Magnum loads years ago. Very easy shooting and accurate, also used 3.5 gr. Bullseye when introducing youth and ladies to big bore revolver shooting.

Sara, what's your HP38 load for 44 mag, or do you just load specials with it. I bought 3lbs at a gunshow for $30 and want to try it. I also bought a can of Trap 100 that I loaded 6.5grs behind a 240 SWC. Havent tried them yet but the T-100 worked great in 45acp

 

[bluetopper]

Bullseye is surprisingly versatile. Not only midrange, but it is good for full house loads also. I recently experimented with 9.4gr behind 240gr lead SWC bullets and was averaging 1270fps with great accuracy and noticeably less recoil that what I am used to. 9.8gr is max according to my Lee manual.
I was using my 6" 629-6. I love that thing, lock on the side and all.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

I've been loading 7 grains of W231 under a 200 grain RNFP in .44 Magnum, but found shot to shot times to be a bit slow. So I've gone to 250 grain SWCs and 6.5 of W231. Haven't had a chance to shoot them yet.

 

[roundgunner]

I used to use Bullseye for bowling pins.
240 SWC over 5gr BE. Towards the end of the match I would go to 6.0 BE because the pins get pretty heavy.
Now I use Titegroup with the same formula. I think it leaves less stuff in the chambers.