Bullseye load data needed

[Sgt Hochbauer]

I have 170 gr bullets but did not find load data for bullseye powder for that weight bullet. Any info would be appreciated. Yes, I did look in a current reloading manual.

TIA

 

Hochbauer

[Garrison Joe]

Sounds like you are making a load for Wild Bunch in .45 Auto.  Be VERY aware that the minimum bullet weight allowed for 1911 .45 auto ammo HAS been 180 grain, and now is cited (wrong) in the rules as "minimum bullet weight for the 1911 pistol is .45 ACP"   Per the current PREVIOUS (2025) rulebook.  😄

Whether that 170 grain slug would be match legal is, as far as I can tell, up for questioning due to this typo.

The current Lyman Cast Bullet Loading handbook (4th ed) shows 170 grain cast slug load data of 5.8 to 6.4 grains of Bullseye, making from 971 to 1048 FPS.  An old Lyman handbook (48th edition) shows charges as low as 3.5 grains of Bullseye with a 185 grain bullet (probably used for bullseye target shooting).  You just didn't look in the right current loading manual.

Pick what power factor you are wanting to make (150 is the new minimum for the handgun), and you can figure out what powder weight you want to drop.   My guess would be about 885 FPS (making that 150 powder factor) and that might be obtained with about 5.0 to 5.2 grains of Bullseye.   Chrono your loads if these are to be used in important matches!  good luck, GJ

Edited July 8 by Garrison Joe
corrected the handbook version reference

[marshal stone]

On 7/5/2026 at 6:00 AM, Garrison Joe said:

Sounds like you are making a load for Wild Bunch in .45 Auto.  Be VERY aware that the minimum bullet weight allowed for 1911 .45 auto ammo HAS been 180 grain, and now is cited (wrong) in the rules as "minimum bullet weight for the 1911 pistol is .45 ACP"   Per the current rulebook.  😄

 

 

WRONG. 

Page 32 of the current rule book under 1911 Pistol and Rifle Ammunition clearly states,

1911 pistol ammunition must have a minimum bullet weight of 177 gr.

Marshal Stone

[Garrison Joe]

Quote

Page 32 of the current rule book under 1911 Pistol and Rifle Ammunition clearly states,

1911 pistol ammunition must have a minimum bullet weight of 177 gr.

OK, that's in version 17.7.  I had version 17.6, but I've now updated!   I see though that 17.7 says it highlights all changes in yellow, but the change from the 17.6 nonsense did not get highlighted in version 17.7.  

So, the point still being made to the OP is that he is asking about a bullet weight that is illegal under the WB rules.

good luck, GJ

Edited July 8 by Garrison Joe

[El Chapo]

It's been there the whole time with the min bullet weight over many iterations of the rule changes.

 

Back to the original question, the military used Bullseye to load .45 Auto in WWII.  The load for a 230 grain bullet was 5 grains, which is probably a bit hot by today's standards.  I would start there and work up with a 170 grain bullet.  According to quickload, 5 grains will push a 200 grain LSWC to 165 pf, 5.2-5.3 will probably get you there with your lighter bullet.  No sense in overthinking this, even with a 200, 6 grains is within pressure limits and 192 pf, you have plenty of headroom to work up if needed.

FWIW I have not personally loaded Alliant Bullseye in anything, mostly because I started with Clays and I've yet to find anything better for 45 Auto.  It was unobtainium for a few years so I tried some other stuff, and if Bullseye was available, I might have tried that, but I had other stuff that worked.  There is nothing wrong with bullseye, I just wanted to share that I have not personally used it, I am sharing information based on inference from that the military used it and playing with Quickload a bit.  As with all load data you find on the internet, you should cross reference it against a published source.  If you can't find data for a 170 grain bullet, use 185 grain or 200 grain lead bullet data and work your way up.

Edited 3 hours ago by El Chapo

[Griff]

18 minutes ago, El Chapo said:

It's been there the whole time with the min bullet weight over many iterations of the rule changes.

Actually only the last few.  As of ver 16.3 it was still 180 grains.  (Jan., 2022)  I don't have a WBSHB for 2023, but ver. 17.3 from Feb, 2024 shows 177 grain minimum.