Things that just work

[Petrol & Powder]

I had been playing around with Bullseye and WW-231 [AKA HP-38] and wasn’t sure if I wanted to switch my 45 ACP target load over to Bullseye powder or stay with HP-38. I shoot a SAECO #069 bullet (flat base copy of the H&G #68, 200ish grain bullet). Those are sized to .452” and lubed with NRA 50/50. I decided to increase the load to 5.3 grains of HP-38 and try that.

I had accumulated a small batch of very mixed headstamp, Small Primer, 45 ACP casings. All range pickup and not enough to sort through. Perfect brass to test functioning and I don't care if I lose it.

Without much care, I loaded those mixed SP casings and seated the bullet to my very precise, “fingernail thickness” of driving band protruding beyond the case mouth and applied a light taper crimp.

From an inexpensive, Philippine made, Commander length, 1911 style pistol, I was breaking clay pigeons on the berm at 15+ yards, standing with open sights. Then I shot the bigger pieces and was consistently breaking the bigger pieces left over, then the smaller pieces. About 75 rounds through the pistol without a hiccup. The gun ran perfectly, the rounds went where the sights were pointed – every time.

I’ll put it on paper next time I get a chance, but I think I’m done with load development!

 

[Brad]

Love it when that happens. It is also where I stop, cast up a bunch, and just stick with one load.
No other moulds or loads need apply, I am done.

 

[fiver]

sometimes i base my 'what works' on which mold has the most cavities, or which bucket has the most bullets in it.

 

[Brad]

Sometimes my mould with the most cavities is based on what works.

 

[oscarflytyer]

I have an MP 68 clone. Anything from 4.2-5.0 BE works flawlessly - in every 1911 (and a 1917) I have shot it in. I pretty much stick to 4.2-4.5 and done. Never tried HP-38 on 45. I don't care for Unique in 45.

 

[Elpatoloco]

That has been my powder and charge for anything 230gr out of the A.C.P. for better than 35 years.

 

[Brad]

I have an MP 68 clone. Anything from 4.2-5.0 BE works flawlessly - in every 1911 (and a 1917) I have shot it in. I pretty much stick to 4.2-4.5 and done. Never tried HP-38 on 45. I don't care for Unique in 45.

Same bullet here but with 4.8-5.0 of Red Dot

 

[Thumbcocker]

The Lyman 452460 is the projectile of choice for all things .45 acp here at the compound. An old Lyman manual reccomend 6.0 of 231 as the "potentially most accurate load". It was right. That is a max charge. I load 5.8 of 231 and have not looked back. In a Sig 1911 or a 625 model of 1989 44 oz soda cups on the 100 yard berm have a bad day. I have ceased .45 acp load development.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The Lyman 452460 is the projectile of choice for all things .45 acp here at the compound. An old Lyman manual reccomend 6.0 of 231 as the "potentially most accurate load". It was right. That is a max charge. I load 5.8 of 231 and have not looked back. In a Sig 1911 or a 625 model of 1989 44 oz soda cups on the 100 yard berm have a bad day. I have ceased .45 acp load development.

I have no experience with the Lyman 452460, but it appears to be similar to the H&G 68 except for two grease grooves in place of one.

I agree that 6.0 grains of WW-231 behind a 200 gr bullet in a 45 ACP case would be a near maximum load but probably still within acceptable pressures. My Lyman #47 manual shows that loading at over 920 fps and 18K psi. So, it’s getting close to the limit.

Your load of 5.8 grains of WW-231 [HP-38] is promising. I may not go that high with my SAECO #069 bullet simply because it’s shooting so well at 5.3 grains. However, when I put this load on paper, I might try some rounds at 5.5 grains just to see if there’s anything to be gained.

I am inclined to use the lowest powder charge that reliably cycles the action AND provides the best accuracy but if 5.5 grains will tighten the group any, that is worth exploring (although it seems to shoot really well at 5.3)

 

[CZ93X62]

I much prefer WW-231/HP-38 to Bullseye across the board in all pistol & revolver calibers. If I want an uber-fast pistol powder I use Red Dot, because of its shared utility in 12 gauge trap loads. I have used Red Dot for 53 years.

Bullseye powder etches and clouds the plastic hoppers on my RCBS powder measures, and sticks to the hopper walls when emptied out. Not having that--it's weird.

I still use WWB 45 ACP x 230 grain JHP as my carry load in 45 ACP. I duplicate its ballistics with the Lee 230 grain TC atop 5.5 grains of WW-231 for 875-900 FPS. The bullet is seated with .020" of front drive band proud of the case mouth and taper crimped gently.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

After using WW-231 [HP-38] in 38 Special and 45 ACP loads for many years, I have switched over to Bullseye for most of my 38 Special loads. However, I have held onto WW-231 for 45 ACP loads.

My affinity for WW-231 was initially due to the local lack of availability of Bullseye.
Over the course of my life I've burned far more WW-231 than Bullseye but that gap may be closing.

I don't leave powder in powder measures when I'm not actively using them, so the effect on the plastic parts doesn't really bother me. But the older measures are discolored, so even short term contact has some effect.
My shotgun powder is usually WSF, which by chance, turns out to be a fantastic powder for moderate 9mm loads. Win-Win!

 

[fiver]

the only pistol powder my dad ever bought was 231.
he did buy some Unique once and then used it to set off fireworks without ever using it in anything gun related.

i'm currently using 700-X in my 45 acp loads, but i know there's some here with green-dot, and titegroup [probably]
the next batch might be clay's since i still got 4-5lbs. of it kicking around.

 

[Brad]

I used up my Clays early on with the 45 ACP. used up an 8#’er of Promo too. Now going thru 3# of 700X I got from Paul.
Once that is gone I am going back to a new 8#’er of red dot.

I use HP38 in the 32 H&R right now.

 

[CZ93X62]

I don't let powders sit in measure flasks either. Bullseye starts to adhere within a minute of being added to the measure. It's a one-trick pony--like WW-296, just at the opposite end of the pistol powder speed spectrum. Red Dot and 2400 are more useful by accident than Bullseye and 296 ever were on purpose.

This concludes this week's installment of heresy. You're welcome.

 

[RicinYakima]

I only have about a pound of 231 left. It goes only into 45ACP target loads. But I have 10 pounds of Bullseye, from 10 to 50 years old. The old stuff doesn't stick to the measure because the solvents all evaporated many years ago.

 

[L Ross]

the only pistol powder my dad ever bought was 231.
he did buy some Unique once and then used it to set off fireworks without ever using it in anything gun related.

i'm currently using 700-X in my 45 acp loads, but i know there's some here with green-dot, and titegroup [probably]
the next batch might be clay's since i still got 4-5lbs. of it kicking around.

While looking for something else I found a couple of pounds of Green Dot! I guess I should shoot it up.

 

[Mainiac]

I don't let powders sit in measure flasks either. Bullseye starts to adhere within a minute of being added to the measure. It's a one-trick pony--like WW-296, just at the opposite end of the pistol powder speed spectrum. Red Dot and 2400 are more useful by accident than Bullseye and 296 ever were on purpose.

This concludes this week's installment of heresy. You're welcome.

One of my most bizarre things ive found.....
Bullseye sucks!! Everybody talks about how great it shoots,and in every test/trial i have done,BE just doesnt shoot for me! and ive tried and tried to see what everybody is enamored about.
Hp38,clays,titegroup,wst,,will beat it everyday of the week,and twice on sunday!!!

 

[fiver]

JMO but green-dot does better as a light cast bullet rifle powder than it does in the 45 acp.
it doesn't quite give you the easy peasy recoil of Unique, and doesn't shoot as well as the faster powders.
i sent mine back out to the shot shell bench..

i like bulls-eye in the 9mm at the slow end of the dial where the brass drops into a bucket at my feet,,, and i like it in the 357 pushing light wad cutters out to like 1300 fps... with a magnum primer.
it's also pretty good in medium rifle loads at the bottom end,, maybe not quite titegroup nice, but it works good-nuff.
it also makes a pretty good 1oz. shot shell load.

 

[Rushcreek]

I like 5 grs of Bullseye in the 9mm with the Lee 358-105gr and in the .45 auto with the Lee 200gr SWC.
I like it for round ball squirrel loads in the 30-40 Krag, 38-55, and 44-40.
But- I can substitute with Red Dot or AA#2 for similar loads- and do sometimes.
My two .38 Special revolvers with fixed sights hit just right with 3.5 grs of Red Dot and the Speer swaged 158 gr hp- so my .38 Special load development is done.
Since I no longer have magnum revolvers; 296/H110 only gets used in the Bee, the .30 Carbine, and 410 shotshells.
I use more Unique in my rifles with cast bullets than in my handguns- and it is great there.

 

[Matt_G]

I have no experience with the Lyman 452460, but it appears to be similar to the H&G 68 except for two grease grooves in place of one.

According to an NRA reprint I have here, the Lyman 452460 is their copy of the H&G 78.
The H&G 78 is a standardized version of a bullet designed by Ed Rowland of Los Angeles.
The story in this article states that Mr. Rowland gave Harry Reeves 10 rounds loaded with this bullet at Camp Perry in June of 1940.
Mr. Reeves shot a 99 X 100 at 50 yards (slow fire) in the .45 team match.
Word spread quickly and Mr. Rowland had an instant hit.