Best Handgun Reload Powder

[ar15barrels]

I am currently using Alliant Bullseye powder to reload 9mm, .38, .357 & .40 s&w. Seems to be very smokie for a smokeless powder. Any recommendations for something less smokie, cleaner?

Look at Winchester 231 or Hodgdon HP-38.
They are the same powder.

Smoke can also be caused by cast bullets though, especially if you are using a basic wax lube.

[Spanky8601]

Look at Winchester 231 or Hodgdon HP-38.
They are the same powder.

Yep these are my go to pistol powders. I was told many years ago to make sure to have plenty of 231. You can try out other powders but....

[golfish]

My understanding is BE-86 is Unique with a flash suppressant.

Same here, brother....

I've also found that BE-86 meters better through my RCBS Uniflow-III Powder Measure.

[pennstater]

BE-86 is a sleeper powder. It works well in .357 mag, .45 acp. Haven't tried it yet in .38 spl or .45 Colt, but, will. Mark and myself kinda stumbled into BE-86 a few years ago and, it works.

MLC

[JagerDog]

BE-86 is a sleeper powder. It works well in .357 mag, .45 acp. Haven't tried it yet in .38 spl or .45 Colt, but, will. Mark and myself kinda stumbled into BE-86 a few years ago and, it works.

MLC

Like Unique, it won?t be as efficient (low charge weights) in the small stuff or achieve max velocity in the big stuff, but generally good performance in a large swath of cartridges.

45 ACP Ball = 123456. 1.23?, 45, 6 grains of Unique.

[JagerDog]

Same here, brother....

I've also found that BE-86 meters better through my RCBS Uniflow-III Powder Measure.

Last I looked, it appeared Alliant converted a lot of their Unique pistol data to BE-86 and dropped the Unique data from their website.

[pennstater]

Last I looked, it appeared Alliant converted a lot of their Unique pistol data to BE-86 and dropped the Unique data from their website.

Nope, still there.

MLC

[the86d]

Use what you can get right now, as you clearly still have primers, too.

I have been pretty happy with Universal for 9mm, .38 SPL, .357 MAG (non-full house loads), and the wife's (stupid-silly, AKA"cute" .25 ACP reloads (I make her reload these .25 ACP "her damned-self"). When I run out, I'll probably buy it again, as it seems like the most versatile pistol powder I've used, per Modern Reloading 2nd Edition, and Hogdon's Reloading data on their web page ( https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-data-center ).

(For .357 Mag, full-house loads I've been using Lil'Gun, and almost have it up to Full-House PMC Bronze specs...)

When I started, Unique was my go to, but seems to have less load data for calibers I looked at...
However when loading on the heavier charges in 9mm, like toward NATO velocities,
I did notice there was powder floating through the air, and on stuff, and a LOT...

Even .45 Colt, and Shotshells, too, so I plan on buying 8 more pounds, god willing,
with this crap-show administration literally trying to control everything like it's Nazi Germany,
and his "AFT" is the new SS, and we are the new hebrews.

[JagerDog]

Nope, still there.

MLC

I didn't say they dropped all the Unique data. Just that there used to be more (pre- BE86).

[pennstater]

I didn't say they dropped all the Unique data. Just that there used to be more (pre- BE86).

Ok then. Got it.


MLC

[wild_weasel]

Back in the good old day I did most of my handgun reloading with Bulls Eye, Unique, and 2400. What was unique about Unique is that I could use in in 12GA (trap loads), reduced loads in rifles using lead bullets (303 British w/ bullets meant for 32 S&W), and handgun (38 Special, 45 ACP, etc.)

[hundy]

If you can find BE-86, it is a very good versatile powder for normal medium speed loads. I have gone through about 14 pounds of it since it came out but its been non-existent out here in TX since moving here in 2020.

There was a lot of mention of BE-86, so I thought I might try that one also. I looked and right now as of this morning Brownells has BE-86 in stock in 8lbs. with "no haz mat fees". Just thought I would share that if you wanted to get some more.

https://www.brownells.com/reloading/components/powder/be-86-powder/

Good luck,

Jay

[Flouncer]

Dont be a cheap ahs and internet Wore and buy some manuals. Angry rant off.

[PoorRichRichard]

Clean you say?!?

700X and 800X!!!

j/k

[Revoman]

I just ran a test of 200 .38 specials, 100 with Bullseye and 100 with 231, both using the same bullets.
I shot 100 Bullseye one week and cleaned my revolver. Took about 30 minutes to get all of the soot off (Stainless Steel).
The following week I used the 231, it only took me 5 minutes to get the soot off.
Big difference.