Load reco's .38spl & .45acp

vfRVco · August 13, 2011, 01:46 PM

Can someone suggest starting loads using Bullseye for the following bullets?

1. Berry's 158gr jacketed flat point (box also says DS)

2. Remington 230gr FMJ-RN

Can't seem to find load data for these exact bullets in the guides I have. Thanks.

Ozzieman · August 13, 2011, 01:55 PM

For the Berry's 158gr since it’s a plated bullet use the same load as a lead bullet.

For the 45 ACP 230 you can find loads at the following sites, just use the same load as listed by weight and type (lead or jacketed)and don’t worry about manufacture. Start on the low side and work up.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

WESHOOT2 · August 14, 2011, 05:49 AM

The 158g = not much; use cast lead data.

The 230g = 4.6g.

PawPaw · August 14, 2011, 06:25 AM

Bullseye for many years was considered THE target powder for the .45 ACP and almost everyone who loads a 230 grain bullet uses 4.6 grains of bullseye under that bullet. I've got one powder measure dedicated to the load.

For the .38 special, I've long used 2.7 grains of Bullseye under a 148 grain wadcutter for target work.

overkill0084 · August 14, 2011, 10:00 AM

.38- I settled on 3.1 gr BE w/ a 158 gr cast SWC. I would start around 2.7 and see what works best.
.45- 4.6 gr of BE is my default w/ cast 230 gr bullets. IIRC, I started at around 4.2 during testing. 5.0 gr w/ a 230 FMJ was the go-to load for mil spec ammo for a few decades, so you could do worse.

Sounds like you could use more data.

vfRVco · August 15, 2011, 12:03 PM

Thank to everyone for their input.

The Alliant guide states max charge of 3.5g of Bullseye for a Speer LSWC 158g. If I start about -10% that's about 3.1 so I'll try that range.

Also says max charge of 5.7g of BE for a Speer 230g TMJ RN (same as FMJ?) - seems high given your comments. Lee says max 5.0g of BE for a 230g jacketed bullet. -10% brings me down to the 4.5-4.6 range you guys reco. Is Alliant just wrong?

Super Sneaky Steve · August 15, 2011, 04:41 PM

Berry's says to use low to midrange jacketed data.
http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq-q9-c1-H...d_Bullets.aspx

I used 3.7grains of Bullseye behind my 158 grain round nose bullets and it works great.

August 13, 2011, 01:46 PM	#1
vfRVco Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2011 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	Load reco's .38spl & .45acp Can someone suggest starting loads using Bullseye for the following bullets? 1. Berry's 158gr jacketed flat point (box also says DS) 2. Remington 230gr FMJ-RN Can't seem to find load data for these exact bullets in the guides I have. Thanks.

August 14, 2011, 05:49 AM	#3
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	The 158g = not much; use cast lead data. The 230g = 4.6g. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

August 14, 2011, 06:25 AM	#4
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	Bullseye for many years was considered THE target powder for the .45 ACP and almost everyone who loads a 230 grain bullet uses 4.6 grains of bullseye under that bullet. I've got one powder measure dedicated to the load. For the .38 special, I've long used 2.7 grains of Bullseye under a 148 grain wadcutter for target work. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

August 14, 2011, 10:00 AM	#5
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	.38- I settled on 3.1 gr BE w/ a 158 gr cast SWC. I would start around 2.7 and see what works best. .45- 4.6 gr of BE is my default w/ cast 230 gr bullets. IIRC, I started at around 4.2 during testing. 5.0 gr w/ a 230 FMJ was the go-to load for mil spec ammo for a few decades, so you could do worse. Sounds like you could use more data. __________________ Cheers, Greg “At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child – miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats.” — P.J. O’Rourke

August 15, 2011, 12:03 PM	#6
vfRVco Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2011 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	Thanks Thank to everyone for their input. The Alliant guide states max charge of 3.5g of Bullseye for a Speer LSWC 158g. If I start about -10% that's about 3.1 so I'll try that range. Also says max charge of 5.7g of BE for a Speer 230g TMJ RN (same as FMJ?) - seems high given your comments. Lee says max 5.0g of BE for a 230g jacketed bullet. -10% brings me down to the 4.5-4.6 range you guys reco. Is Alliant just wrong?

August 13, 2011, 01:55 PM	#2
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	For the Berry's 158gr since it’s a plated bullet use the same load as a lead bullet. For the 45 ACP 230 you can find loads at the following sites, just use the same load as listed by weight and type (lead or jacketed)and don’t worry about manufacture. Start on the low side and work up. http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

August 15, 2011, 04:41 PM	#7
Super Sneaky Steve Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 2011 Posts: 1,250	Berry's says to use low to midrange jacketed data. http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq-q9-c1-H...d_Bullets.aspx I used 3.7grains of Bullseye behind my 158 grain round nose bullets and it works great.