So I tried Bullseye in 9mm...

[Sweetpea]

AND I LIKED IT!!

For the loads I ran over the chrony, I had an extreme spread of 13 fps.

I think I need to try new powders more often.

Brandon

[LUCKYDAWG13]

that all i use in my 92fs 3.8 gr under a 124gr boolit

[FergusonTO35]

Me too, a little goes a long way. 3.2 grains under a 122 grain truncated cone for 950 fps is my carry load in the Kel-Tec PF9. I'm going to try it in .32 Auto too.

[PS Paul]

BE works reallly well in .32 acp, Ferguson. IIRCm it's pretty much the ONLY powder I used in an old WWII German pistol I owned a while back. THOUSANDS of rounds through that thing and NEVER an issue.
Paul

[Char-Gar]

Bulleye has been the "go to" powder in handgun rounds of less than magnum capacity for many generations. It is no less effective now than decades ago. It is a superior powder for the 9mm, 38 Special and 45 ACP rounds and others of similar capacities.

It warms my heart of see folks rediscover this great powder. Some of use "grey beards" have stuck with it for many years as new powders come on the market, none of which have proven superior to Bullseye.

In the 9mm, 3.5/BE over any decent 115 to 125 grain cast bullet will "get er done", in any decent 9mm autopistol.

[chsparkman]

I've been a fan of Universal Clays since I first got into reloading in 1993. It burns clean, meters well and has a burn rate very close to Unique. It's a great powder for revolvers. That said, when I got my first semi-auto, a Kimber .45, a few years ago, I read that Bullseye was a standard for that caliber. Now I use it at least as much as Universal, maybe more. I've used it for .380, 9mm, .40 and .45ACP and soon in .32 mag. It's a great powder.

I shot my first 9mm cast boolits with it yesterday with good results so now I'll load up the rest of the stash.

[bcp477]

3.7 grains of BE....under a 125 grain cast truncated cone boolit....does very well for me.

[ReloaderFred]

With Bullseye being over 100 years old, it's nice to see some of the younger shooters rediscovering this old favorite. I buy it in cases of 32 pounds, so the powder lot is the same for a couple of years worth of reloading.

When all else fails, try Bullseye............

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Jim]

65539

65542

[EMC45]

Bullseye......Gotta love it!

[chsparkman]

Jim, with those cast boolit loads, did you use a filler, being the charge was so small?

[MtGun44]

"Clays has a burn rate very close to Unique" - WOW! This is not even
remotely close to true. Clays is VERY,VERY fast and will not make full
power loads in .45 ACP safely. Unique is a moderately slow pistol
powder, and easily makes max velocity in .45 ACP.

Clays is very clean burning, but way fast burning.

Bill

[Sweetpea]

"Clays has a burn rate very close to Unique" - WOW! This is not even
remotely close to true. Clays is VERY,VERY fast and will not make full
power loads in .45 ACP safely. Unique is a moderately slow pistol
powder, and easily makes max velocity in .45 ACP.

Clays is very clean burning, but way fast burning.

Bill


Yeah... I tried clays under a 230 grain boolit in my 1911... NO accuracy and an extreme spread of OVER 400 fps...

But since I have a bunch of the stuff, I bought an HG 68 copy to try with it...

Brandon

[Jim]

Jim, with those cast boolit loads, did you use a filler, being the charge was so small?

Nope, don't need it. Bullseye being as fast as it is and the case being so small, no filler is necessary. The flash from a SR primer more than completely fills the case with fire. In low charge subsonic testing in small capacity cases, E.G. .223, I don't start using powder locators until the burn speed of the powder gets below somewhere around that of Unique. Somewhere in my files, I have a photo of a target I shot with Red Dot under a Lee 309-230-5R in .308, no locator.

I do miss including data in the documentation on my targets from time to time (no primer size?) and have incorrectly stated data as well (wrong date/primer size!). I try my best, though, to include ALL data. In experimental loads using dacron or Kapok, that is noted.

[ffries61]

I think he was talking about Universal Clays, which is right next to Unique on Hodgdon's burn rate chart, though the whole Clays, Universal Clays, International Clays, naming strategy is just begging for confusion IMHO.

Fred


"Clays has a burn rate very close to Unique" - WOW! This is not even
remotely close to true. Clays is VERY,VERY fast and will not make full
power loads in .45 ACP safely. Unique is a moderately slow pistol
powder, and easily makes max velocity in .45 ACP.

Clays is very clean burning, but way fast burning.

Bill

[Trey45]

Bullseye is a fast favorite here. I use it for everything I can. light 45 Colt, 44 Special, 38 Special, 9mm, even some 40 S&W and 45acp. Come to think of it, I don't know if I've ever loaded a 38 Special without using Bullseye powder.

[chsparkman]

I think he was talking about Universal Clays, which is right next to Unique on Hodgdon's burn rate chart, though the whole Clays, Universal Clays, International Clays, naming strategy is just begging for confusion IMHO.

Fred

Yes, I was referring to Universal Clays.

[chsparkman]

Nope, don't need it. Bullseye being as fast as it is and the case being so small, no filler is necessary. The flash from a SR primer more than completely fills the case with fire. In low charge subsonic testing in small capacity cases, E.G. .223, I don't start using powder locators until the burn speed of the powder gets below somewhere around that of Unique. Somewhere in my files, I have a photo of a target I shot with Red Dot under a Lee 309-230-5R in .308, no locator.

I do miss including data in the documentation on my targets from time to time (no primer size?) and have incorrectly stated data as well (wrong date/primer size!). I try my best, though, to include ALL data. In experimental loads using dacron or Kapok, that is noted.

Thanks Jim, I enjoy reading your posts. I've just started trying cast boolits in .223. My first set was this past Tuesday. I tried a 40 gr. Lyman with gas check over 5.2 gr of Greendot. They were sized to .225. Accuracy was atrocious but it was just a test run...no key-holing or leading. Next I'll try the full spectrum of powders (including Bullseye) and charges to see what works best. I'll also try some 55 gr.

I read your posts on Graphlox and I'm going to try that as well.

[Jim]

Thanks Jim, I enjoy reading your posts.

That's a very nice compliment, thank you!

I've just started trying cast boolits in .223. My first set was this past Tuesday. I tried a 40 gr. Lyman with gas check over 5.2 gr of Greendot. They were sized to .225. Accuracy was atrocious but it was just a test run...no key-holing or leading. Next I'll try the full spectrum of powders (including Bullseye) and charges to see what works best. I'll also try some 55 gr.

I read your posts on Graphlox and I'm going to try that as well.

If I can do anything to help you with that, shoot me a PM, we'll swap phone numbers and I'll do what I can.

I started playin' with Graphlox last fall and ran out of decent weather before I got around to pushin' boolits hard with that goofy stuff. As soon as the weather improves, I'll pick up where I left off and see what happens. I'll post results, good or bad.

[FergusonTO35]

BE works reallly well in .32 acp, Ferguson. IIRCm it's pretty much the ONLY powder I used in an old WWII German pistol I owned a while back. THOUSANDS of rounds through that thing and NEVER an issue.
Paul

Paul, what kind of boolits, primers, and powder charge are you using? I have both 71 grain FMJ and 75 grain LFP's in stock. My guns are a Kel-Tec P-32 and Bersa Thunder 32.

[John Allen]

I too have been using bullseye for 20 years for most of my pistol calibers. If it is not bullseye then it is unique. If this makes me a oldtimer so be it.

[Trey45]

Unique is good for everything! Want to download a rifle caliber? 10gr Unique. Want to load any handgun caliber? Unique! It's even good sprinkled on your cereal!

*disclaimer: Do not eat Unique powder.

[Para82]

I use Bullseye for my 9mm and 45acp loadings also and like it.I only have about half a container left and need to look for some more.
Para82

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Ever wonder why the "oldies" are still so popular? They work.

[MtGun44]

OK, I agree that Universal [Hodgdon has dropped the Clays part on all but
"Clays Clays" because of just this confusion] is pretty similar in burning rate
to Unique. The powders are now Clays, Universal, and International with
a mention later that they use "clays technology", but no longer in the
names. I have talked to friends there and there used to be (apparently
still it) a lot of confusion and errors out there, which could lead to
some real excitement.

Ya'll be careful out there.

As to the Original Poster (OP) - "Back to the Future!" ;-)

Bill

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I use Bullseye for my 9mm and 45acp loadings also and like it.I only have about half a container left and need to look for some more.
Para82

Good luck i have been looking for over a month for Bullseye and 2400

[Boolseye]

I agree. A good 9mm powder, and a little goes a long way. My current load is 3.8 gr. under a 130 gr. RF HP. It hits hard and really feels like a 9mm. I have also used BE in virtually all of my other calibers, of which there are a fair #. I've yet to try it in rifle–my next load is going to be 3.2 gr. under a 93 grain .314 SWC. In a 7.62x54R case :smile: That's what I call underkill.

[FN in MT]

OK, I agree that Universal [Hodgdon has dropped the Clays part on all but
"Clays Clays" because of just this confusion] is pretty similar in burning rate
to Unique. The powders are now Clays, Universal, and International with
a mention later that they use "clays technology", but no longer in the
names. I have talked to friends there and there used to be (apparently
still it) a lot of confusion and errors out there, which could lead to
some real excitement.

Ya'll be careful out there.

As to the Original Poster (OP) - "Back to the Future!" ;-)

Bill

Few years back at SHOT Show I asked one of the Hodgons guys "WHY the hell did they name those three powders....vastly different powders...basically the SAME name"?
They laughed, rolled their eyes and stated they wished they HADN'T. I agree...Talk about confusing.

[MtGun44]

Yep. Friends with several folks there and they do regret that naming
choice.

Bill

[chsparkman]

Didn't realize they'd changed the name. My last 8 lb. container still says Universal Clays.

[j_dude77]

I use Bullseye in 38, 9mm, 40, 45acp. I use unique in 45 Colt and the previous calibers also. 2400 is another one I use when I want something a bit less than max velocity in 45 Colt and 357 mag. When I want to rock and roll I use H110 in 45 Colt and 357 mag.

P.S. I shoot the 45 Colt H110 loads in a blackhawk.

[BCRider]

I bought a bunch of Bullseye that I found after looking it up was VERY old. Like 60's to 70's vintage. It seemed to work so I used it. But the 9mm I loaded with it to a 130 PF for IPSC turned out to be highly temperature sensitive. The ammo which worked so nicely at an indoor range sucked back so far that it would fail to eject in my CZ about 1 in 5 shots when used outdoors on a cold wet day.

But as mentioned it was OLD. It came in the little 12oz square tins with the funky snap caps for those that remember them.

I've since been convinced by some local shooting buddy's and now this thread that I should give Bullseye another try.

[.429]

new to casting here...does unique and BE work as good for cast boolits and it does with jacketed?

[ReloaderFred]

Bullseye was a cast bullet powder long before it was a jacketed bullet powder. The same is true of Unique, though I don't use it due to metering issues, and there are other powders that work just as well and meter better. I go through about 32 pounds of Bullseye a year, all of which is loaded under cast bullets.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[.429]

it does. thanks Fred!

[FergusonTO35]

Bullseye works great with cast. Unique works but I think most cartridges are better served with something else. Unique does not like alot of empty space in the case, and I have found it doesn't meter well below 4 grains. Unique does really well for .357 cast boolit loads, I light it off with a small rifle primer.

[fecmech]

But as mentioned it was OLD. It came in the little 12oz square tins with the funky snap caps for those that remember them.
I just shot up a bunch from the 50's,60's and 70's that was given to me a couple years ago. I chrono'd each can and was amazed at the uniformity using my standard 4.2 gr load. The ballistic averages didn't exceed 40 FPS from my new stock and es's and sd's were right in the ball park. The 2400 from the same time periods did not fair as well.


I go through about 32 pounds of Bullseye a year, all of which is loaded under cast bullets.
Wow! I thought I used a fair amount with 4-5 lbs. a year!

[awaveritt]

God Bless my LGS. Walked in the other day and they had just unloaded a shipment of Alliant products, and I scored 2 lbs. of Good Ole Bullseye. That's 14,000 grains/3.5 grains (average Chg. Wt.) = 4000 rounds. I gotta find some more primers. . .and wheel weights. . .and brass.

Yep, have always loved my Bullseye