Cowboy load with alliant bullseye powder?

[IanC]

Hi there I have been using alliant bullseye powder for several years to make .38 special loads for IDPA. I do 3.8 grains behind 158 LFP and 160 grn LRN cast bullets to meet power factor.
I now need a light charge for cowboy action shooting the same bullets and 38 spcl cases. I have heard of lots of guys using 2.6 grains for ppc and target loads.
Do you use this powder and what charge do you use for CAS I'm just concerned with using too light a load in my .357 carbine.
Thanks for your input.

 

[fingers284]

I'm sorry I haven't used Bullseye powder but have loaded thousands of light "cowboy" loads and will pass on some experiences I have had, maybe of some help to you.
First suggestion is to stick with FP bullets, chances of haveing a magazine AD in your carbine, with very light RN loads is almost nil but why test fate.

When I first started shooting 38sp cases in a 357 mag chamber (handgun not carbine), the seller told me to use 3 grns of powder under a 158 gr bullet. The powder wasn't bullseye but a similar fast pistol powder. I used that load for many yrs for both bullseye and cowboy shooting with excellent results....Then I switched to 130gr bullets (cheaper to buy and less recoil). Immediatly I noticed wide fluctuations in recoil & muzzle report with my ammo, in both pistol & rifle. I did an accuracy test at only 20 yds, with the 158's i was getting under 2" groups, with the 130's I was over 5 ".
It seems that by seating a shorter bullet ,it changed the powder space volume enough where the powder is situated to change the burn characteristics of the powder. I started increasing the charge and at 3.5 grs all symtoms dissapeared.
Just passing on something to watch out for when tailoring your oun loads