[WildeKurt]

I just started loading 45ACP. Only powder I had on hand was Bullseye which I use for 38 Special and 357 Magnum. The sources I've check (Lee and Alliant) both show a min and max charge of 5 grains. Not much leeway there. So I'm thinking, maybe Bullseye is not the best choice. Do others use it?

My auto disk throws light (4.8) or heavy (5.5) so I suppose I should pick something with a bit more margin.

[rcmodel]

It is great .45 ACP powder!

Bullseye was the .45 ACP powder used in GI match ammo years ago.
4.7 grains over a 230 FMJ for a liitle over 800 FPS..

Lyman #47 shows 3.8 Starting load, up to 5.3 Max.

Allient shows 5.0 Max, giving 905 FPS.

Your 4.8 grain auto-disk load would be very close to GI spec Ball ammo.

rcmodel

[Canuck-IL]

That's a limitation of those loading specs ... BE is extremely versatile in a number of cartridges and has arguably loaded more 45s than any other single powder. Bullseye shooters use it for 160 - 200gr lead as well as 185 and 230 JHP and RN. Great powder and, as to the occ. complaints about it being dirty ... well, I clean my guns after use and the residue that BE leaves, and they all leave some, is trivial to clean up.

Personally I usually use 3.8 and 4.0 under 200gr LSWC for 25 and 50 yard BE ... 4.5 - 5.0gr for hardball and general fun.
/Bryan

[Galil5.56]

I love Bullseye for 45 auto (and a lot of other calibers), especially with 200 grain cast bullets. For my pistols, charges of 4.5-5 grains work very well, very accurate, reliable, and are a classic combination that has excelled for generations.

Been around forever for a reason... It simply works, works damn well, w/o all the hype and hyperbole.

[Chief-7700]

Winchester 230 FMJ over 5.0 grs of Bullseye, Winchester brass and primer
is my .45ACP load.
Chief-7700

[ChuckB]

I use 4.1 gr. Bullseye behind LazerCast 200gr LSWC's. Pleasant to shoot, and very accurate! BTW- for such a gun-unfriendly state as Ill-Annoys, we seem to have a bunch of reloaders here! Yay for us.

Chuck

[Claude Clay]

4.2 gr bullseye, 200 gr swc (hard lead): best of many choices.
4.5 titgroup , 200 gr swc is also a winner;and gun stays cleaner overall than bullseye. good luck

[cherryriver]

The 1911 was actually designed from the start to use a cartridge loaded with a military powder that went civilian and became Bullseye.
The action is made for a fast-burning powder and works the best with such a propellant.
I tend to use Winchester Super-Target, a ball powder substitute, but Bullseye's fine with me and my .45s anyday.
Bill

[ftierson]

I use Bullseye behind the Speer 200gr JHP for my primary defense load...

Works great...

Forrest

[lee n. field]

I just started loading 45ACP. Only powder I had on hand was Bullseye which I use for 38 Special and 357 Magnum. The sources I've check (Lee and Alliant) both show a min and max charge of 5 grains. Not much leeway there. So I'm thinking, maybe Bullseye is not the best choice. Do others use it?


What bullet?

I usually use 4.8 grains of Bullseye behind 200 or 230 grain round nose bullet.

[Walkalong]

+ 1 for WST, but like folks have said, Bullseye is heavily used in the .45.

[ForneyRider]

How is Bullseye for flash and smoke?

What about rapid rises in pressure? Is it like W231.

measurability?

I'd be interested in another powder for semi-auto rounds besides W231 if it can outdo it in these categories.

[Snapping Twig]

W231 is slightly slower - slightly - and cleaner burning than BE, but that said, there is little other practical difference between them. I use both, but I prefer W231 for a cleaner burn.

5.3g W231, 230g hard cast TC or FMJ and my 1911 loves them.

[cdrt]

Bullseye meters extremely well. It is not that dirty. Most of the "dirty" rap comes from the lube on lead bullets, not the powder itself. It's easy enough to compare how dirty my hardball gun gets using FMJs and Bullseye versus my wadcutter .45 using lead bullets and Bullseye. The hardball gun very rarely gets cleaned like the wadcutter gun....a lot less residue.

I'm still shooting the classic BE load at Bullseye matches; 3.5 grains of BE with either a 185 or 200 grain SWC. And for EIC matches, I shoot 4.5 grains of BE with a 230 grain FMJ bullet.

You can't beat getting 2,000 reloads out of one pound of powder.

[Walkalong]

+1 to Bullseye metering very well and W231 being a bit cleaner, but if you don't care about a little soot and being a bit dirty, Bullseye will serve you very well.

[LAH]

Winchester 230 FMJ over 5.0 grs of Bullseye, Winchester brass and primer is my .45ACP load.
Chief-7700

+1

[cherryriver]

Chief-7700's five grains and a 230 ball load is almost exactly the original military load.
It was good then, it's good now.

[Corner Pocket]

I'm pleased to join the ranks of those enthusiasts who are happy with Bullseye in loading .45 ACP:

4.1 grains Bullseye under 200 grain SWC, COAL at 1.23

5.8 grains Bullseye under 200 grain Hornady JHP, COAL at 1.23

Corner Pocket

[WildeKurt]

I loaded up 100 rounds with 4.8 grains of Bullseye under 230 grain FMJ round nose. My seat of the pants impression is that it behaved the same as Winchester target loads using the same bullet. A little cleaner though. Also, it metered very consistently from my Lee Pro Auto Disk.

Thank for all the input.

[SlamFire1]

I conducted some load development with Bullseye and a Kimber M1911. My Kimber has the standard 5” barrel.

Bullseye works extremely well in the 45 ACP. Not only does it meter extremely well, as noted, it gives a short hard kick to the mechanism. The SD's are very tight for pistol loads, and this is all to the good in an automatic. A consistant sharp kick, with a rapid pressure drop, is easy on the mechanism, and gives consistant results. I have set, for myself, as a practice load, 800 fps with a 230 grain bullet. This is at the original 1910 vintage Army velocity settings for this round (loaded with Bullseye in fact!) and is not hard on the pistol, nor is it too easy. For my pistols, loads that approach 900 fps with a 230 slam the pistol hard. I don't want frame peening nor do I like having to replace shok buffs after each session. So I have backed off.

I was quite surprised to find that my pistol functioned fine with 230 grain loads that averaged less than 650 fps. These powder puff loads are included for reference. And they also shot well, though a bit high at 25 yards.

I did load development with Bull-X truncated cone lead bullets, the "lead flat nose" bullets, and I did notice any accuracy improvement over the plain old LRN.

I tried a highly recommended target load of a 200 LSWC with 4.0 grains Bullseye. It shot exceptionally well.

My auto disk throws light (4.8) or heavy (5.5) so I suppose I should pick something with a bit more margin

Do check out the actual charge throws on your disc. If they actually throw 4.8 and 5.5 grains, I think you would be fine at 4.8 grains. My 4.5 grain load with the 230 is really close to the old 5.0 grain load that considered a Hardball equivalent. And given the lot to lot varience of powders, maybe the next lot of Bullseye will give me the velocities I want at 5.0 grains.

If you have a chronograph use it. It is a useful tool in load development.


Kimber Custom Classic M1911

230 LFN Bull-X 3.5 grs Bullseye Mixed Brass WLP

OAL 1.20" taper crimp .469"
8-Jan-06 T = 61 °F

Ave Vel = 643.6
Std Dev = 14.07
ES = 63.63
High = 679.9
Low = 616.3
N = 32
shot a little high, Pistol cycled each shot

230 LFN Bull-X 4.0 grs Bullseye Mixed Brass WLP

OAL 1.20" taper crimp .469"
8-Jan-06 T = 61 °F

Ave Vel = 715.9
Std Dev = 11.45
ES = 48.32
High = 742.9
Low = 694.8
N = 32
shot a little low

230 gr LRN 4.0 grs Bullseye Mixed Brass WLP

OAL 1.250" taper crimp .469"
29-Jan-06 T = 68 °F

Ave Vel = 698.8
Std Dev = 10.19
ES = 36.33
High = 713.5
Low = 677.1
N = 28
Little High V. Accurate

230 gr LRN 4.5 grs Bullseye Mixed Brass WLP

OAL 1.250" taper crimp .469"
21-Jun-06 T = 97 °F

Ave Vel = 805.2
Std Dev =11.4
ES=54.08
High=836.9
Low=782.8
N =32

200 LSWC 4.0 grs Bullseye Mixed cases WLP
21-Jun-06 T = 97 °F

Ave Vel = 748.2
Std Dev = 10.86
ES = 41.52
High = 763.2
Low = 721.7
N = 22
Mild recoil, very accurate, excellent target load.

[lgbloader]

B.E. is hands down the most versatile powder in my stock.

[ranger351w]

I bought a taurus pt1911 ss. Am going to reload for it. Do the lead bullets seem to lead the barrel with any of these loads? What is the best overall bullet for IDPA ,USPSA,PIN SHOOT? Allso what to practice with. I already load 38spec.with BE. And 9mm with greendot. Would greendot work well with 45? I just want to not have to carry a lot of different powders. I am new to 45acp

Thanks
Mike

[xring44]

I use green dot for 185 grain JHP bullets in my .45s, it does really well, exceptional accuray. I've never used it with heavier bullets nor lead bullets.

[Aceoky]

B.E. is hands down the most versatile powder in my stock.

+1

I load .380 , 40 S&W and 45 ACP (various bullets ) with it ! :)