I had good accuracy with 185 grain bullets in .45. My 230 grain loads were not so accurate with BE-86....were better with unique, acc #2, bullseye and a couple others. 9mm was stupendous with 124 grain bullets.
BE-86
- Thread starter tightgroup tiger
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Dudedog
Contributing Member
ArtofGolf
Did some testing the other day, but was having one of THOSE days where the masking tape kept moving the target.
Hope to test again this weekend with my new SIG P226.
(and a different, better trained roll of tape
)
Did some testing the other day, but was having one of THOSE days where the masking tape kept moving the target.
Hope to test again this weekend with my new SIG P226.
(and a different, better trained roll of tape
)
My favorite bullet for .357 plinking is the X-Treme 158 gr SWC, so I have tightgroup tiger's post (Previous thread) about them and BE-86 bookmarked so I won't forget what to try with them when I find some BE-86.
Artofgolf
Member
Dudedog
Just got a PM from Jell-dog about his BE-86 testing & range session ~ he mentioned impressive results with 380 Auto handloads for the wife
Looking forward to his posted data & pics....
I going to the range today for another BE-86 session using 115g HAP's thru my G-19, with a reduced charge
ArtofGolf.....Did some testing the other day, ....
Just got a PM from Jell-dog about his BE-86 testing & range session ~ he mentioned impressive results with 380 Auto handloads for the wife
Looking forward to his posted data & pics....
I going to the range today for another BE-86 session using 115g HAP's thru my G-19, with a reduced charge
Alliant Reloading
Member
Guys,
Thank you for giving the new powder such a good work over.
We have been putting it out as quickly as we can, so it should become more readily available. Ultimately the availability is up to the dealers, so you should ask for it if it isn't available.
We have a couple of new rifle powders that are also breaking out now, but I will start a new thread on those.
Happy New Year,
Paul
Thank you for giving the new powder such a good work over.
We have been putting it out as quickly as we can, so it should become more readily available. Ultimately the availability is up to the dealers, so you should ask for it if it isn't available.
We have a couple of new rifle powders that are also breaking out now, but I will start a new thread on those.
Happy New Year,
Paul
jell-dog
Member.
BE-86 BERSA 380 Review
Well, here I go!
I'm working up some load data for my wife's BERSA FIRESTORM 380 3 1/2" barrel using the format began by Artofgolf, mstreddy, bds, and many other contributors of load data.
Basic info: 7 yards, standing, open sights, no pistol rest, target has 1/2" grid lines.
(I am no master champion marksman, but I can hit the broad side of a barn from the inside
)
First Photo shows BE-86 3.5 gr, CCI, mixed brass, OAL 0.975". Using 100gr FRONTIER PLATED RN, Start load, Moderate, mild recoil, accurate, clean burn.
Note: This is the most accurate load I have worked up for the Bersa to date, will share data using BERRYS 100gr PLATED HBRN as soon as I have it.
Next:BE-86 3.7 gr, CCI, mixed brass, OAL 0.975". Using 100gr FRONTIER PLATED RN, Mid-range load, Snappy recoil, clean burn.
Last: BE-86 3.9 gr, CCI, mixed brass, OAL 0.975" Using 100gr FRONTIER PLATED RN, Max load, VERY Snappy recoil, clean burn.
Note: I will not use this VERY Snappy load again in my wife's Bursa Firestorm 380. (Warf Rat shooters, you MAY want to try working up to this load
)
In conclusion I am excited about BE-86 for the 380auto, BUT as you can see, increasing the powder above 3.5gr BE-86 increased the grouping.
I loaded up 50 rounds of the BE-86 3.5gr loads for my wife, she shot it all up and loved it, then asked why I didn't load more for the range visit?:banghead:
I like the 3.5gr BE-86 load as it has a mild to moderate recoil and gives good accuracy.
Now remember, I am no master champion marksman but this load data made me look almost as good as walkalong or gamestalker or rcmodel
ALMOST, that is
jell-dog
Well, here I go!
I'm working up some load data for my wife's BERSA FIRESTORM 380 3 1/2" barrel using the format began by Artofgolf, mstreddy, bds, and many other contributors of load data.
Basic info: 7 yards, standing, open sights, no pistol rest, target has 1/2" grid lines.
(I am no master champion marksman, but I can hit the broad side of a barn from the inside
)First Photo shows BE-86 3.5 gr, CCI, mixed brass, OAL 0.975". Using 100gr FRONTIER PLATED RN, Start load, Moderate, mild recoil, accurate, clean burn.
Note: This is the most accurate load I have worked up for the Bersa to date
, will share data using BERRYS 100gr PLATED HBRN as soon as I have it.
Next:BE-86 3.7 gr, CCI, mixed brass, OAL 0.975". Using 100gr FRONTIER PLATED RN, Mid-range load, Snappy recoil, clean burn.
Last: BE-86 3.9 gr, CCI, mixed brass, OAL 0.975" Using 100gr FRONTIER PLATED RN, Max load, VERY Snappy recoil, clean burn.
Note: I will not use this VERY Snappy load again in my wife's Bursa Firestorm 380. (Warf Rat shooters, you MAY want to try working up to this load
)
In conclusion I am excited about BE-86 for the 380auto, BUT as you can see, increasing the powder above 3.5gr BE-86 increased the grouping.
I loaded up 50 rounds of the BE-86 3.5gr loads for my wife, she shot it all up and loved it, then asked why I didn't load more for the range visit?:banghead:
I like the 3.5gr BE-86 load as it has a mild to moderate recoil and gives good accuracy.
Now remember, I am no master champion marksman but this load data made me look almost as good as walkalong or gamestalker or rcmodel
ALMOST, that is
jell-dog
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Artofgolf
Member
Well done, jell-dog
I'm going to give that 3.5g load a run with the Xtreme FP's that arrived last week.
I'm going to give that 3.5g load a run with the Xtreme FP's that arrived last week.
jell-dog
Member.
Artofgolf,Well done, jell-dog
I'm going to give that 3.5g load a run with the Xtreme FP's that arrived last week.
Thank you.
Our Bersa Firestorm 380 does not feed flat nose bullets reliably.
When purchased, we picked up several brands of factory ammunition, round nose and flat nose, cheapest we could find for break in.
All brands that were flat nose had at least one stove pipe or failure to feed per magazine.
So, now we only use round nose, and have had no problems, with either factory or reloads.
Will be looking forward to seeing your X-Treme FP's results.
I really like performance of X-Treme bullets (any profile) in 9mm & 38/357mag.
jell-dog
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Looking good at 3.5 Jell Dog.
Shame on you for not loading up enough ammo for your wife
Maybe you need to tell her you need a new press to load faster
(wait till she runs out of ammo first......)
Side note-Picked up my SIG the other day hope to shot it this weekend.
Need to test some of my BE86 loads.
Shame on you for not loading up enough ammo for your wife
Maybe you need to tell her you need a new press to load faster
(wait till she runs out of ammo first......)
Side note-Picked up my SIG the other day hope to shot it this weekend.
Need to test some of my BE86 loads.
Artofgolf
Member
jell-dog, the Berry's 100g HBRN is a fantastic bullet for 380 Auto, IMHO; you mentioned that the FP's don't function well in your Bersa Firestorm.
I think you will find the HBRN a good match ~ I had to charge those wee rascals
for the Wharf Rat. VV-N330 worked very well for me. I'm still looking for some Zip & True Blue (Ramshot) for testing
cswpsi
Member
toprudder Just wanted to thank you for the 38spl (as well as the 45acp 200gn HP) load tests. Been following this thread since its inception and yours is the only 38spl posts I could find. (If there are others, I must have missed them.)
I just bought a S&W Model 66 w/4" bbl and really needed the 38spl 158g SWC loads for this powder for plinking & practice rounds. I'll work up my own loads using yours and Alliant's as a reference.
The 357 and 45 data is welcome also for SD loads in those same bullets weights. Thanks[emoji3]
Artofgolf
Member
Toprudder
Member
No problem! I love doing this.
I was looking over my powder/caliber matrix I put together, and BE-86 looks like one of the more versatile powders I have tried. I have tried it in calibers from 380 to 357mag and it has performed well in all of them.
Artofgolf
Member
jell-dog
I was ruminating about your comments on the FP FTF condition for your Bersa Firestorm. If you remember, what OAL did you load the FP's to?
I was ruminating about your comments on the FP FTF condition for your Bersa Firestorm. If you remember, what OAL did you load the FP's to?
jell-dog
Member.
Artofgolf,
I used 0.980", approximately 0.005"/0.010" shorter than my max usable OAL as outlined in walkalong's thread http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6294790#post6294790
jell-dog
LiveLife
Member
When I was doing load development for my TCP with X-Treme 100 gr RNFP, although longer length passed the barrel "plunk test", working OAL/COL of 0.945" was used as it reliably fed/chambered from the magazine.
Toprudder
Member
I went back and looked at my load data, 0.955 OAL is what I used. Works in every 380 I have, including a Bersa Thunder.
jell-dog
Member.
bds,
If I'm reading this right, you slowly reduced your OAL from "plunk test" OAL until you found an OAL which functioned without problems?
The 0.980" OAL I came up with met plunk test and fit in magazine with room to spare and functioned when hand cycling the slide, letting it snap forward.
But even factory flat point cartridges fail to feed reliability every so often.
This FP bullet problem is well discussed on BERSA CHAT, not EVERY BERSA 380 is this picky, I chalked problem up to our BERSA being picky.
jell-dog
jell-dog
Member.
TR,
Thanks for input!
It looks like I gave up on my load development for FP bullets to soon!
Will have to get some more from the bullet mfgrs that offer THR discounts and support THR.
More fun, I enjoy load development
jell-dog
LiveLife
Member
Yes. Depending on the barrel, max OAL/COL that passes the "plunk test" could be longer than SAAMI max length but I always function check the dummy round from the magazine to determine the "working" OAL/COL that reliably feeds/chambers from the magazine by incrementally decreasing the length.jell-dog said:
jell-dog
Member.
380 fp coa
bds, Artofgolf, Toprudder, etal,
My apologies, after triple checking my notes, my OAL for FP 380 auto was 0.940" NOT 0.980".
Pretty sure 0.980" FP would NOT have fit my magazines.
Back to the reloading bench!
jell-dog
bds, Artofgolf, Toprudder, etal,
My apologies, after triple checking my notes, my OAL for FP 380 auto was 0.940" NOT 0.980".
Pretty sure 0.980" FP would NOT have fit my magazines.
Back to the reloading bench!
jell-dog
Artofgolf
Member
After jell-dog's check-off of his notes, I thought another session using BE-86 was warranted; it was time to integrate some new test information
(click on image to expand)
The Xtreme 100g FP joined a cadre of fine bullets that function well in the Wharf-Rat (aka Glock-42).
I'm very confident that they will work in the Bersa Thunder; confirmed by Toprudder a few posts previous (as I don't have one).
What got me interested is that the BE-86 has exhibited exceptional performance for many of us.
Time to dial-in Mr. Accurate for the mouse
Well, I felt that today's range session helped the process - yes, we're knockin' on the door here with the 3.5g charge from 7 yds.;
it cycled the mouse (Woo-Hoo) and proved to be the most accurate so far
We're getting' close here, guys.......replies welcomed
(click on image to expand)The Xtreme 100g FP joined a cadre of fine bullets that function well in the Wharf-Rat (aka Glock-42).
I'm very confident that they will work in the Bersa Thunder; confirmed by Toprudder a few posts previous (as I don't have one).
What got me interested is that the BE-86 has exhibited exceptional performance for many of us.
Time to dial-in Mr. Accurate for the mouse
Well, I felt that today's range session helped the process - yes, we're knockin' on the door here with the 3.5g charge from 7 yds.;
it cycled the mouse (Woo-Hoo) and proved to be the most accurate so far
We're getting' close here, guys.......replies welcomed
Last edited:
Toprudder
Member
Went back looking for where I posted my 380-BE86 data and it looks like I never did.
I ran 3 loads, 3.4, 3.5, and 3.6. I had the best standard deviation at 3.5gn, and that seemed to be the sweet spot for my Bersa.
Xtreme 100 RNFP. 0.955 COL. Winchester primers.
3.4gn, 724fps, 29.0sd, 64 spread
3.5gn, 732fps, 19.2sd, 47 spread
3.6gn, 757fps, 22.0sd, 54 spread
At 3.6gn, it felt like the recoil was biting just a little, felt much better at 3.5gn. Accuracy seemed fine, but I was shooting at steel so can't really give a number for the grouping.
I ran 3 loads, 3.4, 3.5, and 3.6. I had the best standard deviation at 3.5gn, and that seemed to be the sweet spot for my Bersa.
Xtreme 100 RNFP. 0.955 COL. Winchester primers.
3.4gn, 724fps, 29.0sd, 64 spread
3.5gn, 732fps, 19.2sd, 47 spread
3.6gn, 757fps, 22.0sd, 54 spread
At 3.6gn, it felt like the recoil was biting just a little, felt much better at 3.5gn. Accuracy seemed fine, but I was shooting at steel so can't really give a number for the grouping.
Artofgolf
Member
I was pleased that 3.5g of the BE-86 cycled the mouse.
I'm thinking that an adjustment of COL to 0.940 and an extended range session (50-100 rounds) to verify the veracity of this recipe would be helpful
(This will keep me busy for a day or two.....)
I'm thinking that an adjustment of COL to 0.940 and an extended range session (50-100 rounds) to verify the veracity of this recipe would be helpful
(This will keep me busy for a day or two.....)
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