Low Budget Shooter
08-11-2016, 09:41 PM
Here are the initial results of an experiment I ran recently. I hope it helps everybody figure out how to use the new BE-86.
Summary:
At standard pressure, BE-86 edges out Unique in velocity, and is less susceptible than Unique to change in velocity with change in powder position, but all powders give only pitifully slow velocity.
With 158 grain bullet, BE-86 and Unique are almost perfect equals at 5.0 grains charge weight.
BE-86 makes impressive velocity jump at max +P load of 5.7 grains to reach about 850 fps.
Procedure: 35Remington documented how typical .38 Special loads are slower when the powder is forward, as when a concealed gun is drawn to fire, than when powder is rearward, nearer the primer. So I shot the rounds in pairs. The gun was pointed downward for loading, then drawn to level for firing the first shot. The second shot was then fired without lowering the gun.
Load Data: Most of what I tested were the max standard pressure and +P loads from the current, 2016 Alliant manual.
Powder: Red Dot, Bullseye, Unique, and BE-86 were all purchased new within the last year (2015-2016).
Load Equipment: Red Dot was dispensed with Dillon powder measure on 550. All other powders dispensed with Lee pro disk measure. Weights of powder were verified against check weights and were all measured on the same old Ohaus scale in the same session.
Crimp: Very firm roll crimp in crimping groove.
Test Gun: Old Charter Arms Police Bulldog 1 7/8" barrel
Temperature: 100 degrees at least
Results:
130 grain FMJ
Winchester Factory Ammo
Shot 1 697 709 average 703
Shot 2 726 732 average 729
158 grain lead bullet at standard pressure
(Bullet was 360640 weighing 156 grains, made of soft range scrap, lubed with Red Carnauba, sized .359)
3.4 gr Red Dot
Shot 1 619 617 637 avg 624
Shot 2 628 667 653 avg 649
3.5 gr Bullseye
Shot 1 661 632 680 656 628 avg 651
Shot 2 657 648 635 671 646 avg 651
4.7 gr Unique
Shot 1 613 615 609 635 618 avg 618
Shot 2 675 673 690 699 673 avg 682
4.6 gr BE-86
Shot 1 663 686 689 698 701 672 avg 684
Shot 2 691 680 702 708 702 avg 697
158 grain lead bullet at +P pressure
3.8 gr Red Dot
Shot 1 654 694 625 667 682 avg 664
Shot 2 678 713 638 646 683 avg 671
3.9 gr Bullseye
Shot 1 708 689 685 708 703 avg 699
Shot 2 720 700 719 730 713 avg 716
5.0 gr Unique
Shot 1 693 729 724 680 735 avg 712
Shot 2 716 724 734 724 767 avg 733
5.0 gr BE-86
Shot 1 755 721 695 719 736 739 687 avg 721
Shot 2 729 704 709 746 726 716 735 avg 723
5.4 gr BE-86
Shot 1 766 770 752 avg 762
Shot 2 742 794 786 avg 774
5.7 gr BE-86 (Bullet change to 360640 HP 150 grains)
Shot 1 855 861 802 avg 839
Shot 2 884 850 avg 867
163 grain 358429 HP at +P pressure
(MP mold that has bullet seated .03 more deeply than standard Lyman bullet.)
4.7 gr Unique
Shot 1 766 743 avg 750
Shot 2 713 737 avg 727
4.6 gr BE-86
Shot 1 697 710 718 avg 708
Shot 2 730 733 758 avg 740
5.0 gr Unique
Shot 1 796 813 753 avg 787
Shot 2 804 775 812 avg 797
5.0 gr BE-86
Shot 1 737 757 789 767 762 avg 762
Shot 2 757 758 779 759 727 avg 756
Summary:
At standard pressure, BE-86 edges out Unique in velocity, and is less susceptible than Unique to change in velocity with change in powder position, but all powders give only pitifully slow velocity.
With 158 grain bullet, BE-86 and Unique are almost perfect equals at 5.0 grains charge weight.
BE-86 makes impressive velocity jump at max +P load of 5.7 grains to reach about 850 fps.
Procedure: 35Remington documented how typical .38 Special loads are slower when the powder is forward, as when a concealed gun is drawn to fire, than when powder is rearward, nearer the primer. So I shot the rounds in pairs. The gun was pointed downward for loading, then drawn to level for firing the first shot. The second shot was then fired without lowering the gun.
Load Data: Most of what I tested were the max standard pressure and +P loads from the current, 2016 Alliant manual.
Powder: Red Dot, Bullseye, Unique, and BE-86 were all purchased new within the last year (2015-2016).
Load Equipment: Red Dot was dispensed with Dillon powder measure on 550. All other powders dispensed with Lee pro disk measure. Weights of powder were verified against check weights and were all measured on the same old Ohaus scale in the same session.
Crimp: Very firm roll crimp in crimping groove.
Test Gun: Old Charter Arms Police Bulldog 1 7/8" barrel
Temperature: 100 degrees at least
Results:
130 grain FMJ
Winchester Factory Ammo
Shot 1 697 709 average 703
Shot 2 726 732 average 729
158 grain lead bullet at standard pressure
(Bullet was 360640 weighing 156 grains, made of soft range scrap, lubed with Red Carnauba, sized .359)
3.4 gr Red Dot
Shot 1 619 617 637 avg 624
Shot 2 628 667 653 avg 649
3.5 gr Bullseye
Shot 1 661 632 680 656 628 avg 651
Shot 2 657 648 635 671 646 avg 651
4.7 gr Unique
Shot 1 613 615 609 635 618 avg 618
Shot 2 675 673 690 699 673 avg 682
4.6 gr BE-86
Shot 1 663 686 689 698 701 672 avg 684
Shot 2 691 680 702 708 702 avg 697
158 grain lead bullet at +P pressure
3.8 gr Red Dot
Shot 1 654 694 625 667 682 avg 664
Shot 2 678 713 638 646 683 avg 671
3.9 gr Bullseye
Shot 1 708 689 685 708 703 avg 699
Shot 2 720 700 719 730 713 avg 716
5.0 gr Unique
Shot 1 693 729 724 680 735 avg 712
Shot 2 716 724 734 724 767 avg 733
5.0 gr BE-86
Shot 1 755 721 695 719 736 739 687 avg 721
Shot 2 729 704 709 746 726 716 735 avg 723
5.4 gr BE-86
Shot 1 766 770 752 avg 762
Shot 2 742 794 786 avg 774
5.7 gr BE-86 (Bullet change to 360640 HP 150 grains)
Shot 1 855 861 802 avg 839
Shot 2 884 850 avg 867
163 grain 358429 HP at +P pressure
(MP mold that has bullet seated .03 more deeply than standard Lyman bullet.)
4.7 gr Unique
Shot 1 766 743 avg 750
Shot 2 713 737 avg 727
4.6 gr BE-86
Shot 1 697 710 718 avg 708
Shot 2 730 733 758 avg 740
5.0 gr Unique
Shot 1 796 813 753 avg 787
Shot 2 804 775 812 avg 797
5.0 gr BE-86
Shot 1 737 757 789 767 762 avg 762
Shot 2 757 758 779 759 727 avg 756