[EdGCNM]

I was shooting at the club I belong to, which has an indoor range. After firing 100 rounds of .22 (CCI Standard Velocity) and 90 rounds of .45 (185 gr LSWC, 3.9 gr W231), I picked up my .45 brass and then swept up the .22. In using the broom, I noticed that I was also sweeping up quite a lot of unburned powder with the brass. It's hard to say exactly how much; maybe 10 grains worth? I know it was unburned because I lit some of it and sure enough, it burned.

Is this unusual, or normal? Now, had this been an outdoor range I would of course never have even seen the powder. I use a mild load, as indicated, which cycles flawlessly in my Series 70 Gold Cup National Match, and have no evidence of bullet setback or other problems. Unfortunately, I don't have a micrometer, so I can't measure the crimp I'm using if that might be a question. The bullets do seem firmly seated. I use Winchester large pistol primers.

Opinions? And thanks!

 

[CCV]

Try some Hodgdon's CLAYS. I suspect just changing powders will make to problem go away.

 

[shooter452]

I use 231 by the tub-full, and have for years, but one thing I discovered early was that it is what I would term a 'dirty' powder. It seems always to leave an unburned (and burned) residue. I shoot a lot of 38 HBWC loads in PPC, and 231 is notorious for getting under the extractor in a wheelgun, tying up cylinder rotation. Another thing I've noticed is that it leaves much more of that residue in very light loads. As the load increases, the crap decreases.

I'm thinking of switching to a newer, cleaner burning powder, but it has to meet three criteria. It has to meter well through a Dillon measure, has to shoot as consistently as 231, and has to be available in 8 Lb kegs.

 

[EdGCNM]

Thanks, Shooter452 and CCV. Powder characteristics are odd. I find that W231 causes much less chamber fouling than TiteGroup in my light target loads. I hadn't considered that it could be just blowing more powder out the barrel instead of gumming up the chamber. I remember Unique being very messy as well, though I haven't tried it in years. I like W231 for its precise measuring, good range of loads and relatively clean chamber, but still plan to try Red Dot, Clays, Bullseye and some others over the next year or so. Wonder how they fare with light loads?

 

[Houston1944]

Ed--
Don't overlook Power Pistol. I switched from AA #5 & #7 to Power Pistol in my 38super due to both of the AA's leaving so much unburned powder. It is very clean and meters as good as any powder I have ever used.

 

[jrchilds]

Originally posted by EdGCNM:
Thanks, Shooter452 and CCV. Powder characteristics are odd. I find that W231 causes much less chamber fouling than TiteGroup in my light target loads. I hadn't considered that it could be just blowing more powder out the barrel instead of gumming up the chamber. I remember Unique being very messy as well, though I haven't tried it in years. I like W231 for its precise measuring, good range of loads and relatively clean chamber, but still plan to try Red Dot, Clays, Bullseye and some others over the next year or so. Wonder how they fare with light loads?

I started with 321 in 45's only used 5.0-5.5 and a 200 lswc. Recently, my local gunshop was out of 231, so I bought Bullseye. Seems MUCH cleaner, no more black specks all over my arm, and the pistols seem easier to clean too.Accuracy was just as good, plus I use only 4.5 of bullseye, so it's cheaper to load too.
Jack


[This message has been edited by jrchilds (edited 07-10-2001).]

 

[paul788]

Unburned powder is very common at any range. The local range had a fire several years back. The range cleanup guy swept up everything and dumped it into a 5 gal. plastic bucket and left the bucket about 5 ft. downrange from the line. A friend and I happened to use that lane and his .38 snubnose and 158+p ignited what was in the bucket. It flared like rocket exhaust and set the rafters and roof on fire. Later the operator told me that was the third time it had happened, twice in Atlanta and now in Augusta. Any load and a short barrel leave a lot of unburned powder.