Buy Alliant Bullseye or stick with Win 231 ?

[Snowdog]

I've recently purchased some 200gr Swaged SWC from Magnus to work up a mild target load for my 1911s. The brinell is around 10-12, so velocity should be keep conservative anyway.

The problem is that I have very little Winchester 231 left, perhaps enough for 100-150 rounds. After used up, I have only Alliant Power Pistol left, and I'm usually using that for my 9mms (though I have loaded some 230gr FMJs over 7.0grs of Power Pistol at the advice of a good friend that I have yet to try).

Why Bullseye as a replacement?
I'm probably going to stick with swaged SWCs exclusively for a while, a few thousand rounds anyway. The manufacturer of the swaged SWCs recommended 4.2grs of Bulleye if fired from a 1911 (which it will be).
Why bother asking?
I still have a few thousand Rainier HPs and Winchester FMJs on hand and know from experience that they love Winchester 231.

I don't have much of a problem buying both, but if there are accurate recipes that include 230gr plated and jacketed bullets using Bullseye as the propellant, I'd like to just buy and use it instead. I don't like having several different types of powder or primers laying around, so I'd like to pick just one powder for all my .45acp target needs just as I have chosen WLP and WSPs for all my priming needs...

To sums things up: Could I manufacture accurate target loads with 230gr plated HPs and FMJs while using only Bullseye? My goal is to work up accurate loads that span the entire weight spectrum while using the same powder, assuming that's possible.

If Winchester 231 is generally believed to offer superior accuracy with these heavier bullets, can it be used in lieu of Bullseye to load an accurate target load (in the 700-750 FPS range) with swaged 200gr SWCs? I found it created an accurate load with the other 200gr SWCs I used, but they were hard cast, harder than I thought (Brinell of 15) and pushed to 900 FPS.

I'll have to decide by this morning at I have some time to load a couple thousand rounds tomorrow.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Snowdog]

BTW, I plan on loading 100 or so of these swaged 200gr SWC over 4.6 grains of the remaining 231 on hand. If this proves to be an accurate load, I'll stick with 231 as I already know how well it performs under a 230gr slug.
I'm looking for a target velocity of 700-750 and I believe it falls in that catagory according to the Lyman #48 manual. Time will tell.

 

[dmftoy1]

I've got 2-3 lbs of Bullseye left over from experimenting with it last year and I'm burning it up in my .45LC and .45ACP loads to get rid of it. I found that I had more accurate loads with Titegroup and AA#5. The other knock is that my low power target loads (which I prefer) seemed to be much "dirtier". I don't have any real complaints about what Bullseye has done for me, but if you're happy with W231 and it works good for other projects you have then I'd stick with it. (just my .02)

I'd actually like to get down to having 2-3 powders on hand in 8lb kegs instead of the 5-7 I've got now. I don't know if I'll ever do it, but who knows?

 

[HSMITH]

I like Clays better than anything listed so far. That said I have about 10 pounds of Bullseye left from a big can and cannot honestly complain about accuracy. Bullseye will deliver all the accuracy your gun can deliver.

 

[Delmar]

In the end, its all about what your pistol likes. If you have a bit of 231 left over, by all means, load some up and see if you are satisfied with it. If so, I'd skip the Bullseye and stay with 231. If not, have fun experimenting!

 

[jeepmor]

Bullseye loads per Speer manual 13

DISCLAIMER - THESE ARE OUT OF A MANUAL, BUT THERE COULD BE A TYPO. OBSERVE ALL APPLICABLE CAUTIONS IN YOUR RELOADING PROCESS. DO NOT USE THESE WITHOUT VERIFICATION FROM SAID MFRS WEBSITES OR MANUALS.

Specs at full power tables
Bullseye powder
200 grn bullet
5.2grains = 845fps
5.8grains = 934

Win231
200 gr bullet
5.6grn = 769fps
6.3 grn = 857fps

Specs at 800fps (target shooting)
Bullseye
4.2 grn = 744fps
4.6 grn = 807fps

Win231
4.6 grn = 739fps
5.0 grn = 803fps

They actually look like a pretty good match at target loads, but the bullseye appears to offer a bit more at the full power specs. Test firearm sig p-220 4.4" barrel length w/cci primers. If the 1911 has a longer barrel, suspect you would get a bit more velocity, not sure how much. I've read good information in here about clays as being a clean burning powder, one of the cleanest. No info in speer manual for comparison.

jeepmor

 

[Meplat]

BTW, I plan on loading 100 or so of these swaged 200gr SWC over 4.6 grains of the remaining 231 on hand. If this proves to be an accurate load, I'll stick with 231 as I already know how well it performs under a 230gr slug.
I'm looking for a target velocity of 700-750 and I believe it falls in that catagory according to the Lyman #48 manual. Time will tell.

I have a personal preference for W231 since it burns cleaner than Bullseye. That said, I do have a couple of pounds of Bullseye (unopened) that I got from a friend who was getting out of reloading, and plan to shoot that up, mainly in revolvers.

I really haven't been able to tell a world of difference in the accuracy of the two powders, and have never chrono'ed either, as I have used them strictly for cast lead bullet range loads. Both are adequate (accuracy-wise) in that department for me.

Just for the sake of clean-up after a two-three hundred round range session W231 is my favorite.

 

[Meplat]

I like Clays better than anything listed so far. That said I have about 10 pounds of Bullseye left from a big can and cannot honestly complain about accuracy. Bullseye will deliver all the accuracy your gun can deliver.

That's been about my experiences with it too. If I had ten pounds of the stuff, I'd load it and clean a bit more than with the 231. Seems like a logical thing to me.

 

[HSMITH]

I started with a 15 pound can, it takes a while to burn that much bullseye!!!

For $50 I could not walk away, I had to buy it.

 

[Khornet]

Can't go wrong with Bullseye

generations of expert shooters have had excellent results with Bullseye. It has been the standard for target loads forever.

I don't find it materially dirtier than 231.

Suffice it to say that I have routinely used 231, Bullseye, Accurate #5, and Unique for target and defense loads. When stocks get low I always hoard my Bullseye for target shooting. It's old-fashioned as the dickens, but for a good reason.

 

[Rico567]

In line with "HSMITH"'s comment that "Bullseye will deliver all the accuracy your gun can deliver," I would only add that my guns (with any powder mentioned here) will deliver more accuracy than I'm capable of.
I shot 231 for many years in .45 ACP, 5.3 gr. with a H&G #68 200 gr. bullet. Fine powder. I moved to Clays for softer recoil, and plan to stay with it, even though playing with Titegroup recently also demonstrates that it is a very, very good propellant.

 

[Snowdog]

Thanks for the opinions! Being relatively new to reloading, I thought I'd ask as I'm sure many of those here have been faced with similar choices themselves.

Jeepmor, I have to say that your post just about has me convinced to stick with 231 as the velocities you listed from your Speer manual are similar to what I was hoping to achieve with Bullseye and the powder charge you listed is exacly what my Lee Auto Disk powder dispenser is currently set up to mete out. I've loaded 100 rounds using 4.6 grains of the 231 on hand under the swaged SWcs. All it has to do is prove accurate, then it's 231 from now on.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[georgeduz]

i use both powders,i use bullseye the most.you will do just fine with either powder.

 

[ball3006]

I used to shoot alot of bullseye meets....

and used both bullseye and W231. I prefer W231 as the recoil is a bit softer. You will use a bit more 231 in your loads though. There is no difference in my pistol with either powder as far as accuracy goes.......chris3

 

[Jwar88]

Bullseye is one of my favorite powders...I like the way it smells.

 

[Bronson7]

I was using Cays in my 200grn target loads and was getting significant leading, to the point where accuracy suffered in short order. It was clean, but inaccurate in my gun. I switched over to Bullseye (which I used years ago), accuracy picked up, and leading is almost non existent after 200 rounds. Bullseye, I believe is a bit cooler than Clays which I'm guessing is the reason for the decreased leading. I've been very pleased with it. I'm also using 4.2 grains for my 200grn swcs and 200 grn rnfps. Your mileage may vary in your gun.
Bronson7

 

[LAH]

I shoot a lot of Bullseye. Is it the best? Probably not but I like it.