Author Topic: Reload Question- smoky reloads  (Read 2331 times)

jaybet

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Reload Question- smoky reloads
« on: July 05, 2009, 09:42:13 AM »
I've been reloading and notice that the reloaded rounds are very smoky. Being an old firefighter I know that smoke comes from incomplete combustion. So I'm thinking that the combination of ingredients isn't right.

I'm loading .38 and .45 using 158 and 200 grain lead bullets respectively. I've tried Hogden HP-38 and Hogden Clays, and I'm using Winchester primers (which was all I could get at the time).

Is this a situation where the primers maybe aren't firing off the powder well enough?
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1911 Junkie

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2009, 09:45:35 AM »
How much smoke are you talking about?

Lead bullets are always going to smoke more than jacketed or plated bullets.

I wouldn't be to concerned about the primers.
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MikeBjerum

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2009, 09:55:28 AM »
I use a lot of HP-38 with jacketed, moly and plain lead.  HP-38 is a smoky and sooty powder, but it works very well too.

The other powder I like is Titegroup, and it is very smoky as well.

One thing I do find important is to clean the lens on my c-more.  Even with a blast shield the lens gets fogged with both these powders, and I get to thinking the battery is going dead.

The reason I use these two as my top loads is that they are fast burning powders, and fast burning equals less felt recoil (exact opposite of what I thought).  My loads can also be converted to 700x ... now that is one dirty powder.  In trap loads I had always noticed flakes in the barrel after shooting the reloads, and in a handgun my arms get covered with those little flakes ... at least it doesn't smoke though, but the slower burn will really hammer you in the fast moving loads.
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jaybet

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2009, 11:23:07 AM »
How much smoke? hard to say, but a good bit, and seems like way more than factory ammo. I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong, but maybe not.
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Badgersmilk

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2009, 11:23:30 AM »
The age of the powder may be the cause.  How old is it?  After being opened the first time how long have you had it?  Is it stored in a cool, dry area?  Condensation may have rendered the powder bad (slow burning, or some of it just wont burn).

Are you using brass that was fired before?  Could be residue from whatever was used to clean the brass.

Using lubricant on the cases or bullets before pressing them in?  That brand of lube, or a bit to much of it.

Some of the things I'd question anyway.  Hope it helps.


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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #5 on: Today at 10:03:00 AM »

Badgersmilk

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2009, 11:27:49 AM »
You'd mentioned primers.  SUPER cheap to buy one box of another brand for testing.  Probably not super easy to find though.

Can you give exact details of your load data?

Are you weighing each round?  Or using a measure?

jaybet

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2009, 11:43:58 AM »
Yikes! That's a lot of questions....
Don't know how old the powder is...picked it up at small shops. It has been open about a month, sealed tight, in a cool place. Humidity is so-so- I live near the ocean.

Carbide dies...no lubricant.
Polished with corn cob only...no additives.
Previously fired brass...the inside looks almost as clean as the outside.
I do have a pack of CCI primers and I"ll try them.
Loads...misc brass,
.45 ACPwith Hogdon Clays, Midstates 200 Grain Lead RN bullet, 4.5 gr powder.
.45 ACP with Hogdon HP-38, Magnus 200 gr lead SWC, 5 gr powder.
.38 SP with Hogdon HP-38, Magnus 125 gr lead RN, 4.6 gr powder
All with Winchester primers.
I'm using a measure, but only weighing periodically.The loads seem to be consistent.
I got the blues as my companion.

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Badgersmilk

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2009, 12:02:23 PM »
Well DANG!  All sounds good to me.  Powder is usually good for years, and years before its opened the first time (then its iffy depending on storage).  Without watching the loading process, the only thing your doing I'm not familiar with is using unjacketed bullets.  They're perfectly fine, I just dont know much about using them.  Is it possible they have some kind of mold release, or coating on them? (just guessing.  Sorry)

Looking at Hodgdons site the loads you list are on the warm side.  Tried using their data with the same components?

m25operator

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Re: Reload Question- smoky reloads
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2009, 01:20:57 PM »
Jay, is the smoke at the muzzle or around the case. Some lead bullets will smoke from the lube in the grooves or burning the base of the bullet as it passes the barrel. If the base is burning, you will have a lot of lead to clean up in the barrel, your loads are pretty mild so I doubt the base is burning unless the bullets were swaged instead of cast.

If the smoke is around the case, like leaving a sooty residue, the case is not filling out completely during combustion. Try a little harder crimp, especially the revolver.
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