I need some Bullseye for minimum cast bullet loads in my .32 S&W Long and .38 Special. I have been looking in my near-by gun shops to no avail. There is a gun show that I am going to tomorrow morning with the hope of finding some. No thinking that finding any Bullseye is going to happen, what other likely to be available powder comes closest to Bullseye in regards to minimum weight of charge for light loads? I sure do miss my Bullseye!
Replacement for Alliant Bullseye?
- Thread starter dahermit
- Start date
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Trail Boss
Likely to be available, though.... who knows.
Likely to be available, though.... who knows.
Here are a couple of burn rate charts that I use:
http://www.reloadersnest.com/burnrates.asp
http://www.lapua.com/upload/reloading/reloadingburningratechart2011.pdf
Most of the close powders are hard to find in my area except for TiteGroup.
I like Bullseye for my 45GAP target loads.
http://www.reloadersnest.com/burnrates.asp
http://www.lapua.com/upload/reloading/reloadingburningratechart2011.pdf
Most of the close powders are hard to find in my area except for TiteGroup.
I like Bullseye for my 45GAP target loads.
mtlucas0311
New member
My load for 38 special is 2.4 gns of WST with 148 HBWC's or DEWC's. A friend uses the same charge with 100 gn cast bullets. It's a very light, very accurate target load.
Availability is the issue - as is always is the case these days.
Depending on how strong or weak your "minimum" loads are. If they're truly super light target loads, Vihtavuori N-310 or Accurate Nitro 100 do well. I load light target for 38 Special and 45 ACP with both of these. They are both faster than Bullseye and definitely work for the application. But they are super fast and need to be approached cautiously. Should not be used for anything but light pure target rounds.
N-320; W231/HP-38; & Red Dot will fit the bill. They are a touch slower than Bullseye, but are still in the correct burn rate range for the application.
TiteGroup will do it too. But it's actually rather slow compared to its fast burning contemporaries.
Again, it goes back to availability.
Depending on how strong or weak your "minimum" loads are. If they're truly super light target loads, Vihtavuori N-310 or Accurate Nitro 100 do well. I load light target for 38 Special and 45 ACP with both of these. They are both faster than Bullseye and definitely work for the application. But they are super fast and need to be approached cautiously. Should not be used for anything but light pure target rounds.
N-320; W231/HP-38; & Red Dot will fit the bill. They are a touch slower than Bullseye, but are still in the correct burn rate range for the application.
TiteGroup will do it too. But it's actually rather slow compared to its fast burning contemporaries.
Again, it goes back to availability.
Asked a Master Class Bullseye shooter what he would use if he could not get Alliant Bullseye, and he recommended Titegroup. If titegroup works well in reduced 45 ACP loads with cast bullets, it ought to work well.
I had a hard time finding decent cast lead bullet information on the 32S&W Long. I looked through my reloading manuals and did not find any significant information on the 98 grain bullet and the 32 S&W Long. If there was data, it was with Bullseye. The bullets I used were commercial cast, and were two grain heavier than 98 grains, the difference is inconsequential for me. The bullet is a round nose with a flattened tip.
I chronographed factory ammunition as a guide.
I found factory equivalent ammunition (2.25 grs Bullseye) to be so mild that after shooting 1000 rounds of it, I shot 1000 rounds of 2.5 grains Bullseye. Nothing evil happened to my pistol, that is still a very mild load, and my next 1000 rounds that I loaded are 2.7 grains Bullseye. I have not chronographed that load, I expect it will come out around 800 fps. Three grains of Bullseye produced a sharp recoil in my revolver. While cases fell out, I just did not want to deal with the recoil.
Unique had potential and if you can't find Bullseye or Titegroup, might consider Unique.
I had a hard time finding decent cast lead bullet information on the 32S&W Long. I looked through my reloading manuals and did not find any significant information on the 98 grain bullet and the 32 S&W Long. If there was data, it was with Bullseye. The bullets I used were commercial cast, and were two grain heavier than 98 grains, the difference is inconsequential for me. The bullet is a round nose with a flattened tip.
I chronographed factory ammunition as a guide.
I found factory equivalent ammunition (2.25 grs Bullseye) to be so mild that after shooting 1000 rounds of it, I shot 1000 rounds of 2.5 grains Bullseye. Nothing evil happened to my pistol, that is still a very mild load, and my next 1000 rounds that I loaded are 2.7 grains Bullseye. I have not chronographed that load, I expect it will come out around 800 fps. Three grains of Bullseye produced a sharp recoil in my revolver. While cases fell out, I just did not want to deal with the recoil.
Unique had potential and if you can't find Bullseye or Titegroup, might consider Unique.
Code:
[SIZE="3"]
[B]S&W No. 3 Hand Ejector 3.25" barrel[/B]
98 LRN Aguila Factory
19-Mar-06 T = 51 °F
Ave Vel =665.9
Std Dev =17.52
ES = 69.38
High = 697
Low = 627.6
N = 32
Horrible leading.
100 gr LBBFP .313" 2.25 grs Bullseye SS Brass WSP
19-Mar-06 T = 51 °F
Ave Vel =693.3
Std Dev =20.71
ES = 103.9
High = 721.8
Low = 617.9
N = 32
Elevation good, Windage left, Mild recoil
100 gr LBBFP .313" 2.5 grs Bullseye SS Brass WSP
19-Mar-06 T = 51 °F
Ave Vel =768.2
Std Dev =16.97
ES = 62.06
High = 807.3
Low = 745.3
N = 17
Elevation good, Windage good, Mild recoil, prefer this to 2.25 grain load
100 gr LBBFP .313" 2.9 grs Unique SS Brass WSP
19-Mar-06 T = 51 °F
Ave Vel =717.4
Std Dev =42.33
ES = 144
High = 789.3
Low = 645.3
N = 18
Elevation good, Windage good, Mild recoil accurate[/SIZE]mikejonestkd
New member
Bullseye is slowly coming back - I have seen it at Midway, Cabelas and Powdervalley recently. Be patient, and keep looking.
Good alternate powders are red dot, win 231, trail boss and 700x ( but it meters poorly at light charges)
Good alternate powders are red dot, win 231, trail boss and 700x ( but it meters poorly at light charges)
I gave up Bullseye 25 years ago for the calibers you mention...Winchester 231 has replaced it, though it's a bit slower burning, but meters a heck of a lot better through my Dillon and RCBS measures. WST is another good choice, and may be easier to find. Lately too, I've seen 700x on the local Cabelas' shelves. Best regards, Rod
Thanks...metering through my Dillon (550b), is an issue. I have been using Unique for my .38 Spl. 125 grain cast bullet loads with, not so satisfactory results. With the .32 S&W and a Lee 93 grain round nose bullet, and the adjustment on the Dillion powder measure closed all the way, it throws 2.0 grains of Bullseye...an accurate load in my pre-J frame (I forget the model, but it has the flat mainspring), .32 S&W Long. So, with any new powder being able to meter small amounts accurately is a consideration. With the Unique metering so poorly in the .38 Special, I do not want to even try that in the Dillion measure with the .32 Long.
I load and shoot a lot of .38 Special wadcutters and have always used Bullseye until this year. I still had plenty of bullseye, but decided to give Titegroup a try. I loaded and fired about a thousand of them and I have no complaints. I can't give you any kind of detailed information: I am not shooting them for extreme accuracy and didn't shoot them for comparison groups or anything.
I shoot on Friday nights at a local club, indoor range during the winter. I shoot a variety of .38 Special and .357 handguns. We shoot at paper from fairly close range. There is no need for max loads or anything. I used. 2.8 grains of Bullseye and the same charge of Titegroup with a 148 grain DEWC and I didn't notice any significant difference between the two powders but I am not sure I would with what I am doing with them.
I shoot on Friday nights at a local club, indoor range during the winter. I shoot a variety of .38 Special and .357 handguns. We shoot at paper from fairly close range. There is no need for max loads or anything. I used. 2.8 grains of Bullseye and the same charge of Titegroup with a 148 grain DEWC and I didn't notice any significant difference between the two powders but I am not sure I would with what I am doing with them.
I am glad you found Titegroup and not a couple of the others that were "possibly" tossed out as alternates.
Trail Boss is a bad idea because of the nature of it, how it is designed and engineered to work. It's the largest/fluffiest powder on the market and just a pinch of it is not (at all) how it was meant to be used.
And Red Dot certainly does work in the same circles as Bullseye but it is a medium flake powder and at 2.7 grains, I would be extremely worries about bad/light powder drops with Red Dot.
Titegroup absolutely meters well. AA#2 meters well also. W231 is always a fantastic alternative to Bullseye EXCEPT in the case where Bullseye is "hard to get" hahaha, W231 is probably the most popular and hardest to get fast powder on the planet. If you can't find Bullseye... W231 ain't happening, period.
Trail Boss is a bad idea because of the nature of it, how it is designed and engineered to work. It's the largest/fluffiest powder on the market and just a pinch of it is not (at all) how it was meant to be used.
And Red Dot certainly does work in the same circles as Bullseye but it is a medium flake powder and at 2.7 grains, I would be extremely worries about bad/light powder drops with Red Dot.
Titegroup absolutely meters well. AA#2 meters well also. W231 is always a fantastic alternative to Bullseye EXCEPT in the case where Bullseye is "hard to get" hahaha, W231 is probably the most popular and hardest to get fast powder on the planet. If you can't find Bullseye... W231 ain't happening, period.
Field and Stream (Troy-14 mile and 75) had Unique and W231 in stock (all 1#) on Wednesday
Hunters In Sight (north of Pontiac) has a good selection as well of pistol powders in stock as well. Had a bunch when I checked on Wednesday as well.
Bass Pro at Great Lakes had Unique, CFE Pistol, and I think Green Dot (1#) on Monday
I was looking for more BE86 or AA7 as I'm sitting on 8# of Unique already as my fallback powder.
A pause for the COZ
New member
My very small stash of Bullseye is set for my 45 acp cast loads.
So I have migrated my 32 cal cast loads, 38 special light bullet loads and .380 loads to Red Dot or Promo.
Promo is Red Dot with out the dots and cost allot less. Same loads ether one.
Once I go up in bullet weight I change powders. Usually Unique or Universal.
So I have migrated my 32 cal cast loads, 38 special light bullet loads and .380 loads to Red Dot or Promo.
Promo is Red Dot with out the dots and cost allot less. Same loads ether one.
Once I go up in bullet weight I change powders. Usually Unique or Universal.
Some people substitute N320 for Bullseye.
It is more expensive and clean burning. I have not done it.
https://www.natchezss.com/vihtavouri-n320-smokeless-handgun-powder-6410.html
It is more expensive and clean burning. I have not done it.
https://www.natchezss.com/vihtavouri-n320-smokeless-handgun-powder-6410.html