BE-86

[Old Grumpy]

I just started trying some BE-86 loadings, so far, in 9mm. I've used a lot of Power Pistol before and read several reports where BE-86 performs very similar, but with a lot less flash. I have not gotten to the range with my chrono yet, but I must say I'm pleased with several BE-86 traits. It is a flake powder; however, the flakes are very small and it meters very well. Charge weights for the 9mm do a good job filling the case. I load on a single stage, so charge levels are fairly obvious. A double charge would be really obvious, if not overflowing the case. My next trial load will be in some .45acp rounds. The photographs show a charge of 6.3gr of BE-86 before seating some 95gr FMJs.

Grumpy

 

[tightgroup tiger]

What recipe are you using? 5.3 gr with a 124gr Truncated cone, plated bullet works really well for a nice target load. Round nose work well also. I load mine at 1.15"
I think you will be very happy with it. It's good powder.
If you want to read up on it and have a lot of spare time check out this sticky thread at the top of the page.

BE-86

Has anyone tried BE-86 yet and what did you think of it? I see their lots of data for it now if you look up BE-86 on Alliants site, then go to the bottom of the page and click on "View Recipes". I just bought 2 pounds of it yesterday and can't wait to try it. It seems a little hotter...

www.thehighroad.org

 

[Bosn Ski]

I started with Bullseye and then when BE86 came into the market, I switched and BE86 has been my exclusive powder. I have experimented with other powders at first to learn, because of availability and lately for subs. I am happy with BE86 for all the reasons in that OP stated. It suits me and my shooting. I do wish it performed better with 147s for subs. One powder two bullets would be ideal.

Stay safe!

 

[.45Coltguy]

BE-86 is a good powder. I've used it in .357 mag and .45 acp with very good results.

 

[dartor]

I'm working on my second 8lb jug of BE86. I've found good loads for 380 Auto, 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Mag, and 45 Auto. Great powder.

 

[Old Grumpy]

Built some .45acp loads with it today. 185gr XTPs. Plan on running them through my Wilson Combat CQB and my Ruger SR1911.

Grumpy

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have loaded thousands of .357 rounds with BE-86. I like it.

 

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Where does it fall speed wise? Is it meant to replace Bullseye or is is somewhere between Bullseye and Green Dot?

 

[geo57]

Where does it fall speed wise? Is it meant to replace Bullseye or is is somewhere between Bullseye and Green Dot?

According to an Alliant rep it's burn rate is close to Unique but a tad slower.

 

[longdayjake]

BE86 is pretty much my favorite powder these days. It does some really impressive things when it comes to velocity. It can be a little sooty though.

 

[geo57]

I have loaded thousands of .357 rounds with BE-86. I like it.

Howdy. I just used the last of my 2400 which I used to make 90 % power .357 loads with 158 gr. JHP and 80 % power 158 gr. poly coat SWC cast. I'm not going to replace the 2400 and am about out of Unique with no plans to try to find /replace that either. I will be getting some BE-86 soon and plan to load 7.8 grs. with it under that 158 gr. poly cast SWC. Those should run about 1050 FPS from a 4" BBL. May I ask your recipe & observations using BE-86 with .357 mag ? Thanks.

 

[Old Grumpy]

Where does it fall speed wise? Is it meant to replace Bullseye or is is somewhere between Bullseye and Green Dot?

From what I've read, it is similar to Power Pistol (a little faster on the burn rate chart) with way less flash and not quite the top end velocity.

Grumpy

 

[Old Grumpy]

Howdy. I just used the last of my 2400 which I used to make 90 % power .357 loads with 158 gr. JHP and 80 % power 158 gr. poly coat SWC cast. I'm not going to replace the 2400 and am about out of Unique with no plans to try to find /replace that either. I will be getting some BE-86 soon and plan to load 7.8 grs. with it under that 158 gr. poly cast SWC. Those should run about 1050 FPS from a 4" BBL. May I ask your recipe & observations using BE-86 with .357 mag ? Thanks.

2400 is one powder I'll never stop using. I really like BE-86 so far, but not enough to replace 2400. It, BE-86, reportedly will heat up a weapon with prolonged range secessions. Much like Titegroup.

Grumpy

 

[LiveLife]

Where does it fall speed wise? Is it meant to replace Bullseye or is is somewhere between Bullseye and Green Dot?

Alliant uses internal company nomenclature of "BE" to identify powders with same/similar flake/size formulation. So while "Bullseye" may have same/similar looking flake/size, burn rate is different and faster than Power Pistol (BE-84) and BE-86.

Here's close up comparison picture of "New" Unique and BE-86 showing even consistent "flake" size

According to an Alliant rep it's burn rate is close to Unique but a tad slower.

From what I've read, it is similar to Power Pistol (a little faster on the burn rate chart) with way less flash and not quite the top end velocity.

According to Paul from Alliant Reloading, BE-86 has similar burn rate as Unique and Power Pistol (BE-84) is slower burning than BE-86 - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/full-power-9mm-powders.830743/page-2#post-10727788

BE-86 is certainly very similar burn speed to our Unique ... No, Power Pistol and BE-86 are most definitely not the same. Nor is BE-86 just Power Pistol with flash suppressant added.

Power Pistol is the canister version of BE-84, which is slower burning than BE-86, which is the canister version of BE-86. They are not that far apart, and the formulations are identical, but the deterrent percentage is higher for Power Pistol (BE-84) compared to BE-86.

 

[dartor]

Howdy. I just used the last of my 2400 which I used to make 90 % power .357 loads with 158 gr. JHP and 80 % power 158 gr. poly coat SWC cast. I'm not going to replace the 2400 and am about out of Unique with no plans to try to find /replace that either. I will be getting some BE-86 soon and plan to load 7.8 grs. with it under that 158 gr. poly cast SWC. Those should run about 1050 FPS from a 4" BBL. May I ask your recipe & observations using BE-86 with .357 mag ? Thanks.

I run that exact load in 357Mag using a 158gr bullet I cast and powder coat. I've had good results with the load.

 

[geo57]

I run that exact load in 357Mag using a 158gr bullet I cast and powder coat. I've had good results with the load.

I thank you.

 

[JO JO]

I have used BE 86 for 9mm and tried it in 44 mag
its a good powder I just wish it was stocked locally

 

[AJC1]

Sounds exactly like herco with smaller flakes.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Howdy. I just used the last of my 2400 which I used to make 90 % power .357 loads with 158 gr. JHP and 80 % power 158 gr. poly coat SWC cast. I'm not going to replace the 2400 and am about out of Unique with no plans to try to find /replace that either. I will be getting some BE-86 soon and plan to load 7.8 grs. with it under that 158 gr. poly cast SWC. Those should run about 1050 FPS from a 4" BBL. May I ask your recipe & observations using BE-86 with .357 mag ? Thanks.

I have only worked up a load using MBC 140 gr Zingers, both coated and uncoated. In both styles, 7.5 gr gave the best accuracy out of my 8 3/8" 686. Both shot about 1300 fps. I loaded and shot several thousand of these out of a pair of 686 guns I used for metallic silhouette shooting.

 

[geo57]

I have used BE 86 for 9mm and tried it in 44 mag
its a good powder I just wish it was stocked locally

We ended up getting an 8 pound keg of BE-86 from Powder Valley online. I intend to use it for .357 & .45 Colt, poly coated cast for both. 158 gr. SWC @ about 1050-1100 FPS and 250 gr. RNFP @ about 850 FPS respectively.

 

[geo57]

I have only worked up a load using MBC 140 gr Zingers, both coated and uncoated. In both styles, 7.5 gr gave the best accuracy out of my 8 3/8" 686. Both shot about 1300 fps. I loaded and shot several thousand of these out of a pair of 686 guns I used for metallic silhouette shooting.

Thanks.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I never understood these two sentences that Paul from Alliant told you. From your post #14
Statements you posted from Alliant:
1st.
No, Power Pistol and BE-86 are most definitely not the same. Nor is BE-86 just Power Pistol with flash suppressant added.
2nd
They are not that far apart, and the formulations are identical, but the deterrent percentage is higher for Power Pistol (BE-84) compared to BE-86.

Which is it, can't be both at the same time.

 

[LiveLife]

I never understood these two sentences that Paul from Alliant

1st ... No, Power Pistol and BE-86 are most definitely not the same. Nor is BE-86 just Power Pistol with flash suppressant added.​

2nd ... They are not that far apart, and the formulations are identical, but the deterrent percentage is higher for Power Pistol (BE-84) compared to BE-86.​

... can't be both at the same time.

I think we are mixing up "formulation" with "burn characteristics/rate" as two are not the same and different.

This post illustrates different "formulation" of various powders - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/i-give-up.910844/#post-12420196

My take is that Alliant makes different powders under different "formulations" indicating granule type and size but not burn rate. Alliant makes "large flake" sliced formulation of Unique/Red Dot/Promo, small flake sliced "BE" formulation of Bullseye/Power Pistol (BE-84)/BE-86 and "cut extruded" formulation of Sport Pistol, etc.

Here's third "reblended" (That I can recall) Promo which now has all round flakes of more consistent size and smoother slices (No more crinkly flakes of different sizes) that allows it to meter much better and it definitely has different "formulation" than Bullseye/PP/BE-86 compared to W231/HP-38 (Which is flattened ball powder) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...powder-that-meters-well.912034/#post-12451073

Here's Red Dot vs Old Promo vs New Promo showing consistency of flake size change but under same "large flake" formulation

And here's Sport Pistol that is definitely cut extruded powder formulation (Think N320 but cut shorter) which is different from thin flake slice "formulation" of Promo/BE-86 -

And here's Unique and Bullseye pictures for comparison showing large/small flake slice "formulation":

Like Bullseye and Power Pistol, BE-86 has same "formulation" of small flake slice size.

 

[Jim Watson]

In my line of work "formulation" meant the ingredients and their proportions going into the product.

They are not that far apart, and the formulations are identical, but the deterrent percentage is higher for Power Pistol (BE-84) compared to BE-86.

If I had said that, I would have meant that they had the same proportions of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine but skating by the difference in the small content of Ethyl Centralite and Diphenylamine.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

In my line of work "formulation" meant the ingredients and their proportions going into the product.

Agreed.

Much as H335 and Bl-c2 are the same "formulation", meaning that the powders are the same. The only difference is in the burn speed.

In other words, the ingredients are identical, but sometimes the powder comes out a faster lot - H335.
Sometimes it comes out a slower lot - BL-c2.

Methinks Alliant spokesman is talking official-ese.