10mm and Alliant BE-86

[The_Shadow]

Nice, Thanks for the report...Interested in the reliability you get with the 220gr bullets seated to 1.2420".  Good luck! 

[control_the_trigger]

Thank you for this testing.  I got some BE-86, just because I was amazed to see it on the shelf, but I wanted to make sure I didn't waste it on range ammo.  I will be getting my first 10mm soon and plan to compare it's performance with longshot, AA9, power pistol, and maybe blue dot, out of a G20 Gen 3 SF.

[radiotom]

Two more loadings with the 220gr hard casts....

6.8 grains of BE-86 and 1.237" OAL
Averaged 1107 with one FTF in 21 rounds.

6.4 grains of BE-86 and 1.237" OAL
Did not FTF out of 45 rounds. Didn't chronograph. Will get around to it soon.

This is interesting because I'm not dropping much velocity, but I've dropped the powder charge a lot since starting this journey. Interested to see what 6.4 yields, probably about 1080 or so. Which will work for me. Especially if it functions reliably.

[radiotom]

Chronographed the 6.4 grains of BE-86 with 220 grain Rim Rock Premium Hard Cast today:

Average: 1051
SD: 11
Low: 1035
High: 1081

A little lower than I wanted, but I've shot a ton of these and they function reliably.

So to sum up the carry loads I've built with BE-86:

180 grain Gold Dot + 8.3 grains BE-86 + WLP + new Starline brass = 1238 fps
220 grain Hard Cast + 6.4 grains BE-86 + WLP + new Starline brass = 1051 fps

Both work great in my G20SF with stock recoil spring assembly and KKM barrel. Both recoil VERY similar, I could not tell a difference. I loaded them alternating in 3 magazines and shot all 3 of those to make sure they functioned that way as well since that's how my backcountry carry will be.

[The_Shadow]

If only I can find some BE-86, I'd buy an 8lbs jug of it...

[radiotom]

I still need to test out the nighttime muzzle flash. Don't let me forget!

[radiotom]

Finally tested the muzzle flash at night.

The Gold Dot 9mm, HST 40, and HST 45 all seemed to have the same flash signature.

The BE-86 10mm, not so much. It was much brighter. Next time I might compare it with a Power Pistol load to see if it's actually any better than that. It was not blinding by any means, but still much brighter than the LE loads for the big three.

[control_the_trigger]

Finally tested the muzzle flash at night.

The Gold Dot 9mm, HST 40, and HST 45 all seemed to have the same flash signature.

The BE-86 10mm, not so much. It was much brighter. Next time I might compare it with a Power Pistol load to see if it's actually any better than that. It was not blinding by any means, but still much brighter than the LE loads for the big three.

I tested the flash with 180 XTP in 10mm with BE-86 and Longshot a couple days ago.  8.2 gr of BE-86 under 180 XTP had a brighter flash and less velocity than 9.2 gr of Longshot under a 180 XTP.  In my opinion Longshot is the best powder out there for 10mm.

[Scorpion]

Hey control the trigger, I'm starting loading for my Rock Island 10(1911). What are you shooting your 8.2 through? I'm looking for a starting point for BE-86.

[Scorpion]

And that's the same bullet I'm using(180 XTP)

[Scorpion]

I found that 9.0-9.1 of BE-86 works for me. 155 XTP. Starline brass. Rock Island 1911 don't have a chronograph, can't tell you how fast they're moving.

[control_the_trigger]

Hey control the trigger, I'm starting loading for my Rock Island 10(1911). What are you shooting your 8.2 through? I'm looking for a starting point for BE-86.

I was shooting them through a Glock 20 with 20 pound spring.  My favorite load is 9.2 grains of Longshot under 180 lead or XTP.

[RedTeam98]

220 Hard cast hi tek coated BHN 22
Longshot @ 8.0
Starline with CCI 300
1.253”
1200 fps in G20

Straight Shooter Cast Bullets from West Virginia

[crkckr]

Speer doesn't list BE-86 in their data so I would use caution as the Gold Dots have a longer bearing surface and can raise pressures compared to other JHP bullets with the same loac.  "Can" is the operative word here! I have had instances where the chro data turned out the same with XTP's and Gold Dots (115 9mm) but in other instances where it was quite different.  Just use caution.  All the data I have been able to find for BE-86 says 8.2 is max for a 180 JHP.  I would guess that as long as you're not getting much higher velocity figures than what Speer says, and as long as you don't any pressure signs (which can be elusive in 10mm!  There's more than a little voodoo when it comes to using brass to read pressure signs!) then you are probably ok.
Remain cautious!
Cheers,
crkckr

[The_Shadow]

I have pushed some Great loads using BE-86 with several bullet weights and cartridges.
One of the loads I tested and was the Speer 200 grain Gold Dot over 8.4 grains of BE-86 @ 1237 fps.  After my testing I wanted to be at 1225 fps so I loaded all of my 200 grain GD's with 8.3 grains (all hand weighed and on my beam scale) of BE-86 as an awesome load for that powder.