Been Bullseye forever. Was discussing with an old shooter, and still uses it. But with all the new pistol powders out, and wondering what is being used in the 45 ACP, in Bullseye (NRA) matches. Is Bullseye powder still "IT" or is there something else now.

Viht N320 or N330. Nothing else burns as clean. Worth every penny if you can find it.

I've been using Blue Dot for quite some time. 9 G. w/ a 230 G. cast.

Bullseye was, and still is, the gold standard for bullseye pistol, both at the 25 and the 50 yard line. For stiffer loads Unique and WW231 are often used eg. IPSC, IDPA etc.
I suggest that you go to bullseyepistol.com. That's where the bullseye guys hang out.
BTW, just about everyone uses 185 or 200gr. SWC bullets.
Peter.

I've used Bullseye, 231, Unique, Bullseye mostly. Bought a handful of eight pound canisters of Titegroup from an estate. Tried the Titegroup haven't noticed any lazer like accuracy from this powder.
It's my thinking the hand wrapped around the grip that's going the make the most difference.

quote:

the hand wrapped around the grip that's going the make the most difference.

You are of course, correct, but if your pistol cannot shoot a 3" group at 50 yards from a Ransom rest, you are not going to be competitive. Hence the whole handloading bit, custom barrel and fitting etc..
Just my $0.02.
Peter

I, too, am a Bullseye competitor. I've used many, many pounds of Bullseye powder. Over the years I've tried several different "new" powders thru my Ransom Rest. As a result, I always end up using Bullseye.

Yes, its a little dirty, but who cares, I had rather have the points.
Phil

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:

quote:

the hand wrapped around the grip that's going the make the most difference.

You are of course, correct, but if your pistol cannot shoot a 3" group at 50 yards from a Ransom rest, you are not going to be competitive. Hence the whole handloading bit, custom barrel and fitting etc..
Just my $0.02.
Peter

For sure at the top end of competition the extra bit a great firearm brings is critical.]

I have never shot competitively so I won't weigh in on that, but I shot some Bullseye in the 45acp early on and it worked well. Having said this I switched to W231 because it was more versatile for shooting other cartridges, and worked well in all the auto cartridges I shot.

quote:

Originally posted by tysue:
Been Bullseye forever. Was discussing with an old shooter, and still uses it. But with all the new pistol powders out, and wondering what is being used in the 45 ACP, in Bullseye (NRA) matches. Is Bullseye powder still "IT" or is there something else now.

I like Unique (& have lots of it) in my 45ACP's

I have beaucoup of Unique too, but I also have a bunch of Blue Dot + since my Dillon 650 is set up already, why rock the boat.

Because I brought shotgun powder by the keg.

Mostly red-dot and herco that is what I used in my pistol loads mostly.

There are likely better preforming pistol powders out there.

But they have worked well of many 10's of rounds

When I first got started with Bullseye s couple of the more experienced and better shooters gave me a whole lot advice wisdom.
When it came to reloading one of the fellows advised using 200 grain SWC cast bullets, 4.5 grains of Bullseye and shoot at a 8.5 by 11 piece of paper with no aiming point. I was to put the bullets into the center with nice tight clusters.
I'd load brass picked up from the range left behind by the various military teams by the thousands. Finding 8 pound canisters of bullseye, Federal primers and the time to cast enough bullets.

When I 1st started reloading in the early 70s our powder choices were pretty slim. I used Herco + 2400 for just about all my pistol + revolver loads. I still prefer the 2400 for 44 loads. But we definitely have much more diversity these days (when we can get it!) Thank goodness that it seems that supplies are becoming more available.

Bullseye and 231 used to be the definitive .45 ACP powders for target loads. Even after attempts to get them to burn cleaner, they're still on the dirty side.

Titegroup seems to have replaced Bullsys and 231 as the competitors' powder of choice. I've made the switch. No regrets. It burns a lot cleaner. From memory alone, 4.5 grains of Titgroup with 200 grain target bullets print small groups with easily managed recoil. Titegroup does burn a lot cleaner.

I love Unique. It meters like cornflakes. But when loading at the low end for target shooting a tenth or two of a grain, one way or the other, won't make a difference.

When hand loading for handguns, I stay away from max loads. I don't need velocity for target shooting, and I see no benefit of increasing stress on handguns. A box of factory self-defense ammo will last many lifetimes, and I don't have hideous power measuring and precise seating and crimp to sweat.

You are right about keeping the factory rounds for self-defense. I reload everything but the rounds that I carry in my 1911 are factory Black Talons. I even have the box they came in secreted away. I have read + heard too many horror stories about what some hoplophobic prosecuting attorney can come up with, not to mention that I would truly NOT be judged by a jury of my peers. Were the 12 jury members shooters + handloaders I would have no complaint

I mostly use 231 and had some accurate loads for a 220 Sport using the 185 xtp.

Unique also gets a bit of use with 200 grain cast flat points in older 1911s.

Here's a true tale from '07.

Old shooting buddy Mac died. We'd shot and swapped a lot over several years.

His son and sil's saw all those powder jugs and drums. Filled his widow with nonsense about "all that powder will blow the house up one day."

She called me and asked if I'd like to have Mac's reloading tools, powder and supplies. "hell yes" "then if you'll come right over two of the boys are here and will carry things out of the basement to your truck". Mighty hard to beat an offer like that.

While packing it out a closet door was opened. There sat 7 of those 15# cardboard Red Dot drums. I started drooling all over my shirt.

We never looked in them or questioned. Just "knew" there was 100lbs of Red Dot. Out they went.

A few days later going thru all that stuff I opened some of those drums. Talk about a let down!

They were full of empty 12 and 20 ga hulls stacked in there neatly, not just tossed in.

Hell of a deal! I've never loaded shotgun shells. Called two of my friends and they came down to haul all they wanted. The rest I passed around to a bunch of others. One fellow had a sheet metal shop that was a popular gathering place. I piled it up on an empty table for others to help themselves.

No way to even guess how many hulls there were.

A pickup load of stuff and there wasn't 15# of powder in the whole load. Those were pistol and rifle powders. No doubt much of it was from the '50's or before maybe.

Some 30,000 various primers in those wood slotted trays that were popular in '58 when I first started reloading. 15 & 20 cents a tray. A $1.25-1.50/1000.

I loaded most of them in .38 cast plinker loads.
I'm still mighty grateful to have gotten all those things. Even his set of micrometers up to 6". Lots of those kind of tools.

The joke was on me with those powder drums.

George

About 18 years ago there was an elderly lady from the church whose husband had died that wanted to get all his reloading stuff out of the house. There is a long story to this but I will not get into the rest but just say that I came over + he had a case of powder from Bruce Hogden in cardboard boxes that was so old that they crumbled when you touched them. I really hated to throw it all away as it was really historically significant, but totally unusable.

Usually Bullseye but I fell into a drum of AA452 which also works well.

Bullseye, 700-X and Red Dot are great, Ramshot Comp worked best for me. WST and 231 are OK and Titegroup was terrible. Tested in my Ballgun with 230, 200 SWC and 185 JHP loads.

As usual, YMMV. For NRA Bullseye, the loads don't seem to matter as much as how well the gun's fitted and surely not as much as the hand holding it. You'll earn many more points dry firing than fiddlin' with loads - but I'm sure you've heard that before.

Mark
Dist #1500

tysue - where in MD? I used to shoot mostly at 12th Precinct and Marriottsville. RO'd at Ft Meade with the MD Rifle Team.

I have always used WW231 on the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" line of thinking. Good power range with it, from target to defense.

After running into a thread by Ed Harris of "Ed's Red" fame, I am going to load up some .45 Colt cartridges with Bullseye -- along with some .45 ACP.

Not a bullseye competitor, but best results for me with the .45 auto are with 231.

I’ve used bullseye, HP38/231 (same), AA5, unique, titegroup, VV320, 700x, 800x, red dot, green dot, blue dot, clays, and probably a few more.

All gave acceptable results for me, but 231 seems the best.

The only one that didn’t work was trail boss. It didn’t have enough oomph to work the slide.

I've had great results with 231 myself, but I have a lot of blue dot in inventory + it is comparable in performance.

I have burned umpteen dozen pounds of 231 under the Lee 200 gr SWC which I believe supposed to be an H&G copy. Been using it probably 45 or 47 years now.

Steve..........

As a Bullseye competitor I tested a lot of .45 ACP loads at 50 yds. A lot of it using a Ransom Rest. I also paid attention to the loads the best shooters in Texas were using. Bullseye was used by most of us with a few shooting WST. The most popular bullet was a 200 grain Star brand swaged soft lead SWC. Some of us used the Star 185 grain HP for the 25 yard line, timed & rapid fire. Bullseye for the 185 grain too.

As a IPSC shooter I found WW 231 to be the best powder in .45 ACP. The burning rate was just right for 200 grain SWC's loaded to meet the IPSC required minimum power factor.