Anyone use Bullseye for autoloading pistol cartridges?

[Metal Wonder Nine Guy]

Just wondering if anyone here has used Bullseye for calibers like 9mm Luger and 380  ACP. My buddy uses Bullseye for 9mm Luger, 45 ACP, 380 ACP, and sometimes for 38 Special, but I'm curious how other people have fared with this powder. I've heard it is fast burning, and another friend of mine says it burns cleaner than unique powder.

[DMY]

I have used Bullseye in .38, and .45 acp for more than 35 years. Got my first 9mm CZ about 1 year ago, and it likes Bullseye almost as much as TightGroup. I've only bought 1# of Unique several decades ago, any it was more dirty than Bullseye.

[Metal Wonder Nine Guy]

I have used Bullseye in .38, and .45 acp for more than 35 years. Got my first 9mm CZ about 1 year ago, and it likes Bullseye almost as much as TightGroup. I've only bought 1# of Unique several decades ago, any it was more dirty than Bullseye.

Unique is very versatile, but I've heard it burns really dirty.

Titegroup is the other powder I've heard people using for 9mm Luger.

[bang bang]

welcome,

take a look at a reloading book and the various calibers both can do in some respect.

Its why i use them when i can.

Burning dirty is relative.  I used some H110? when everyone and their mom raves about it.  I found it "dirty"er than BE and Unique in my experience/observations.  And then there are those that will say "im using it wrong" what the.....

An idea.

Since you have a "buddy" that uses it, ever consider asking him to use a few grains and load some up for yourself? 

One of my shooting "buds" Is always asking for powder from me since he doesnt want to buy any and wants to try some if i have any of what he "thinks" he wants at that time.  It will vary too since he will read something somewhere and may decide to want to try some.

what it comes down to is your endgame and if you want to try some.  I do it for some powders.

fwiw, my endgame is:

 > #1, more bang (bang) for the buck.  IE.  More shots per pound of powder.

 > #2, is using 1 powder for as many of the calibers i reload for.

 > #3 is see #1.

im not shooting for uber accuracy so i can afford to not be so picky.  But its all up to you and your endgame.

and fwiw, i was looking at VV N340 since it was similar to unique/bullseye.  I have several pounds to try but so far only did a handful of rounds.  The only big issue is the cost.  It cost more, but im willing to buy and try and see for myself.  I have some other powders too.

and fwiw, i just made several thousand rounds of 9mm, 357 mag, 44 mag and 45 LC/Auto.  that just about used up the rest of my 8 lb keg.  But i have another keg of both to tap into if i want.

good luck

[George16]

I have used Bullseye in .38, and .45 acp for more than 35 years. Got my first 9mm CZ about 1 year ago, and it likes Bullseye almost as much as TightGroup. I've only bought 1# of Unique several decades ago, any it was more dirty than Bullseye.

Unique is very versatile, but I've heard it burns really dirty.

Titegroup is the other powder I've heard people using for 9mm Luger.

Unique, Bullseye and titegroup share two things in common when I used them, DIRTY and Dirtcheap compared to other powders I have used.

 I still use bullseye on .45 ACP but switched to N320 and sport pistol for 9mm. Way cleaner and better.

[Dan_69GTX]

Everything is relative to each other and not all things can equally be compared.

Burns clean - does it and at what percentage of max load?  Do you want to copy a load that someone else has who says it burns clean when it might not be the best load for your firearm?

My end goal - accuracy!  Then cost of components.  Then anything else.   So, if it isn't accurate I don't care to use it again,  If it is accurate, I want to use it.

If there is a load of equivalent accuracy, I'll pick the cheaper load, then deal with cleaning stuff.   When you shoot thousands of rounds a year it adds up,  If you don't then the more expensive/cleaner might be the way to go.

Now to answer the first part of your question - Yes, I use it in many different calibers.  It has been around a LONG time for a reason - people like it.  It isn't the only powder I use - I use many.  Depends on the purpose of the load  (type of bullet, type of gun, type of competition, etc).

Do what bang bang says - borrow/trade/buy some and try it.

[Wobbly]

I inherited 4 or 5 lbs of Bullseye about a year ago. Hadn't used any since the early 80's. I tried it after our friend ID touted it for use in 9mm. Would have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. I now use it religiously for general target practice in both 9 and 38.

You can summarize it this way... of all the pistol powders over 25 years old, it's my favorite. Period.

Yes, I'm still using Sport Pistol and Bullseye hasn't knocked it or VihtaVouri products off their very high pedestals. But I want to build some clean, accurate, practical target ammo, then Bullseye is my go-to.

 

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

I use it exclusively in .45 ACP and it finds it's way into many of My .38 SPL and moderate .357 Mag loads. The newer Bullseye seems a bit cleaner than the stuff I started with over 30 years ago but I would still use it regardless. I clean my guns after each outing so a little soot is of no concern.

[amada8]

I like Bullseye for my 9mm shooting.  Accurate.

[Fuzzy Sights]

For me to get Bullseye to run clean it has to be a near max charge, not what I want in a target load, even if it is accurate.  Tightgroup is terrible with lead bullets as it burns to hot and leads the barrel badly.  Good for plated and jacketed bullets, but they cost more.  Prefer VV powders as they are clean at almost any level of load that will function the gun and work great with low cost lead bullets.  Overall the cheapest option to get the results I desire.

Good luck on your loading adventure.

JW

[dwhite]

5.0 grains of Bullseye behind a 230 grain FMJ is pretty much the "classic" formula for 45ACP and is what I use.  I also use it with some of my 38 Special loads.

Bullseye is an old design, it's relatively cheap, and isn't the cleanest burning power -- but man does it work well even by today's standards!

I prefer BE-86 or Sport Pistol for my 9mm though.