Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. I have been smoking Bullseye powder since 1967. Of course it was part of the many canister grade powders offered by Hercules. This quick burning powder dates back to 1898 and while it is now bottled under the Alliant name, only the corporate name has changed with a few improvements. Being a powder designed for handgun cartridges, it only made sense for to try this stuff. I use it for 9MM, .38 Special, and .45ACP. Metering has always been good for me as I never have experienced the hoopla over better metering powders. For instance, in throwing charges from my Lyman model 55, my variances for all lots that I have tested is +/- .1 Grains. All 4 of my Dillon Powder Measures throw this accurate as well. For reason beyond my understanding however, I have a better SD with charges weighed with my RCBS Chargemaster Lite.
Bullseye is double-based with a 40% nitroglycerin content. Bullseye is economical as well. I can get almost 17,000 9MM loads at a 128 PF out of one 8LB Keg. As I have seen newer American powders introduced in my lifetime of loading, I have tried them all. While Hodgdon Tite Group comes really close to the same performance, my SD test and accuracy test are still a wee bit better with Bullseye. Also the new powders with additives that seem to be popular, i.e Winchester 244 for example, does not improve performance in any category. I will just save my money. I must point out that my tests do not include any foreign powders as I have no use for imported stuff. The marketing majors have introduced clean burning, copper cleaning, less recoil and other gimmicks that proved perhaps better in the lab, but I shoot in the field and have seen nothing worth the extra money. The 15LB Keg in the picture had an MSRP $39.00 back in the day. One year at the Smith and Wesson plant A shooter/ friend/ colleague of mine, Frank James, from Wolcott Indiana, and I compared notes on pushing Bullseye to plus p or 357 magnum loads. While both of our results were fine, we came to the same conclusion that a slower powder is better for .357Mag rounds. As you enjoy the accompanied pics showing empty cans old and new, a Lyman Reloading manual from 1970 and a Hercules handout from the 50’s we have had a good run and I still have powder to burn.
If something new comes along, I will challenge my position by trying it out as I do everything but so far Bullseye still propels my 9’s, 38’s and 45’s. It seems the more I try to change, the more reason I have to stay with what works.
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Bullseye is double-based with a 40% nitroglycerin content. Bullseye is economical as well. I can get almost 17,000 9MM loads at a 128 PF out of one 8LB Keg. As I have seen newer American powders introduced in my lifetime of loading, I have tried them all. While Hodgdon Tite Group comes really close to the same performance, my SD test and accuracy test are still a wee bit better with Bullseye. Also the new powders with additives that seem to be popular, i.e Winchester 244 for example, does not improve performance in any category. I will just save my money. I must point out that my tests do not include any foreign powders as I have no use for imported stuff. The marketing majors have introduced clean burning, copper cleaning, less recoil and other gimmicks that proved perhaps better in the lab, but I shoot in the field and have seen nothing worth the extra money. The 15LB Keg in the picture had an MSRP $39.00 back in the day. One year at the Smith and Wesson plant A shooter/ friend/ colleague of mine, Frank James, from Wolcott Indiana, and I compared notes on pushing Bullseye to plus p or 357 magnum loads. While both of our results were fine, we came to the same conclusion that a slower powder is better for .357Mag rounds. As you enjoy the accompanied pics showing empty cans old and new, a Lyman Reloading manual from 1970 and a Hercules handout from the 50’s we have had a good run and I still have powder to burn.
If something new comes along, I will challenge my position by trying it out as I do everything but so far Bullseye still propels my 9’s, 38’s and 45’s. It seems the more I try to change, the more reason I have to stay with what works.
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