I have always used Bullseye or Unique in practice loads for 38's and 45's, but I think there must be a powder that makes less smoke and less mess out there. Any suggestions?

500 - Winchester's 231 is some cleaner burning IMHO and it was suggested to me that I get some VV 340, but so far I haven't found any to try.

The good news is Unique and Bullseye etc clean up easily.

One other thought, if you are shooting cast bullets, likely a lot of your smoky residue is actually bullet lube and not the fault of the powder. But again, it cleans easily. I always begin by just spraying my gun with WD-40 and wiping good before I get down to the serious cleaning. This first step gets most of the stuff.

I like Hodgdon's Titegroup. Very clean, and very economical. The comments about bullet lube making smoke are right on - the last time I took my Dad shooting before he died, he shot some hot .38's with lead bullets and Bullseye - I thought he was shooting black powder!

Accurate #2 always worked better for me. Very clean.

500grains,

VV N320 and N340, I haven't found up to now any better powders.

My favorite is N340 over the N320.

I'll try the suggested powders when I can catch up to them.

I know what you mean about smoke with Unique. The newer Unique doesn't smoke any more and I've had it loaded for two years and shot it and it was just like I just loaded it.

I like 700x, it burns real clean, I've never had a problem with it and it's useful in reduced loads in most things, includeing cast loads for 30-06...

I always like to see a little smoke and fire when I shoot my 45s. Goes well with the loud bang.

Winchester's WSF makes excellent normal power loads in 9mm and 40 S&W. Should also work in 38.

WSF is the magic potion for light bullets in 40 S&W and 10 mm. (Don't try this at home ... have gotten 1540 fps with a Nosler 135 in 40 S&W loaded long for a single column 1911-based custom gun with a Nowlin fully supported match barrel and a Baer or Colt Delta Elite slide.)

Have used a boat load of #7 and 3n37 in Super as well. Great for max power loads.

Hard to beat Bullseye for hardball equivalent 45 loads. WW 231 isn't a lot cleaner, but some.

Unique is really suited to higher energy loads with 200 gr bullets in 45 ACP.

Well now pilgrim; (Doing in my best John Wayne drawal.)
I don't see what the problem is with ole You-nee-que and ole Bulls-ee-eye, them new fangled catridge powers.

I use 8.5 and 9.5 grains Unique in S&W 45 Colts, 7.75 grains in the 44 Spec with cast bullets and 4.5 grains of Bullseye in the 357 and the same powder charge in the 45 acp and 45 Auto Rim. I try to clean the guns every 500 or so rounds even if they don't need it.
I don't remember, ever, having to do the black powder side step to see the target after shooting. Could be my friends are a bit windy-er then your's and they blow the smoke away. If that's the case tell your shootin' pards to speak up and the smoke won't be a problem. If you be shooting by yourn self shoot and sing a rousing rendition of 'Ole Stewball was a race horse' and you'll solve your on problem.
I've been known to carry a gallon bucket of Ed's Red to the range and when one of the 45 Colts gets too hot from shooting I'll drop the pistol into the bucket of Ed's Red, while I shoot with the other. It's a fast way to cool the pistol down and clean off the soot. Wipe it down, swamp out the barrel and cylinder and you're ready to keep shooting.
Jim

I will have to try some of these and see how they do. Thanks.

WHAT YOU GOT AGAINST A LITTLE POWDER SMOKE? PERSONALLY I LIKE THE WAY BURNING POWDER SMELLS. LIKE I'VE SAID ELSE WHERE BULLSEYE WORKS GOOD FOR ME.