Unburnt powder in the bore

[meanc]

I'm sure we've covered this before but can't find past info on it.

Anyway, I got my 45colts and have loaded some rounds for it.

I'm using 21grains of 2400 under the Oregon Trail Hardcast 250gr RNFP.

I'm getting pretty good accuracy so far with it, but after every shot I'm seeing a good bit of unburnt powder in the bore.

I have about as tight a neck tension as I can get (can actually see/feel the bullet in the case) as well as a heavy crimp.

So what could be causing this?

[Hobie]

Good bit? IME, it is crimp and/or attaining the minimal working pressure necessary for this powder. I used 17 gr. in some .44 Mag loads and all it took from lots of unburned to nearly none was a change in the crimp.

This doesn't seem to be your problem so, from a distance, I'm stumped.

[J Miller]

meanc,

My favorite .45 Colt load with 2400 powder is 18.5grs with a 265-270gr Keith SWC sized to .454". Heavy neck tension, heavy crimp. Standard WLP primer.

I've used mostly the newer Alliant 2400 in this load and it seems to burn very clean.
Recently I got a partial can of old Hercules 2400. Although it shoot OK, it left behind a lot more unburned powder than the newer stuff.

So my question is how old is your powder? What diameter is your bullets, and what primer are you using?

Joe

[meanc]

The bullets are sized .452" and the Powder is less than a couple months old and using Win LP

I use 19.5 gr in my 44mag under a Hardcast 240gr RNFP and I'm getting very little to almost no unburnt powder.

I'm running as much neck tension as possible and a full rotation on the FCD for a nice heavy crimp.

I can still hear the powder when I shake the round, so I know theres some air between the top of the charge and the bottom of the bullet.

Should I maybe bump up the charge a notch or take it down to about 19.5-20gr?

[Nath]

I know alot of folk like this powder but I ain,t so keen anymore. I would get unburnt when I used it in 22 hornet no matter what I did with the loading and it,s just the same in .410 so I switched. Not very helpfull-just my yarn. Could you try half a grain more?

[claybob86]

Magnum primer?

[Don McDowell]

Cornmeal lookking stuff 2400 leaves behind is just part of the game. Wouldn't worry about it, its pretty harmless. 21 grains is getting pretty stout in the colt.

[Griff]

It is what I don't like about 2400. A little unburnt powder is not unusual, but... "a good bit" is less than accurate. Have you chono'd your loads to see if you're getting consistent velocities? Try backing off a grain or so, see what happens, as that seems like a fairly warm load, back down and work your load back up using mag primers.

Edit: If your shootin' that load in a Colt, CEASE AND DESIST IMMEDIATTELY!

[gon2shoot]

I use 18 1/2 gr. under a 255 boolit in my 45. Been usin 2400 for my 44 for years, a few "crumbs" in the barrel is just part of it.

[gary rice]

im not sure if this helps but will relay my experience last weekend with some 45 lc rounds i loaded. for plinking ive always loaded about 8 grains of unique with a 250 grain bullet and although in times past unique has been historically kind of a nasty burner but acceptable. this particuliar batch i decided not to crimp since i knew i would be firing them one at a time in my marlin as to not mar up the blue finish on the loading gate. well, it was the most filthy experience ive ever had with black soot all over the cases, the bore as dirty as a toilet seat to boot. therefore i can safely say it was definitely because of no crimp and i will never make that mistake again intentionally or non intentionally.

I'm sure we've covered this before but can't find past info on it.

Anyway, I got my 45colts and have loaded some rounds for it.

I'm using 21grains of 2400 under the Oregon Trail Hardcast 250gr RNFP.

I'm getting pretty good accuracy so far with it, but after every shot I'm seeing a good bit of unburnt powder in the bore.

I have about as tight a neck tension as I can get (can actually see/feel the bullet in the case) as well as a heavy crimp.

So what could be causing this?

[Bronco]

Howdy,
I am with the guys that if the accuracy is there, I am not worried about the residue in the barrel. Been using 2400 in my 44 for years, a stout and tack driven power house load it is. If the next bullet always goes where the previous one did, I am okay with that.

John

[cas]

The correct answer is "so?"

That's the nature of 2400, pretty much no matter what you do. Pay it no mind.

[Old Savage]

That was the case with my most accurate 44 Spl. load of 12.5 gr of 2400 in a 6 1/2" model 24. Don't be concerned about it.

[marlinman93]

2400 is a dirty powder from my experience, but performs well. I don't worry about the flakes in the barrel, as long a it's accurate.

[El Chivo]

does the unburnt powder put you at risk for a chain reaction?

[Leverdude]

I dont think so Sobenk.

I use 2400 in alot of things from 32/20 up to 45/70 & most BP calibres in between. It leaves stuff in the barrel & on the shooting bench.
But it sure works well. A good crimp helps a little as does a heavier load. For me it burns cleanest in .357 of the things I use it for. But thats the only one I load up near max with it.

[CaptainFinn]

I've noticed a lot of kernals in the bore after shooting spherical powder. It seems to increase slightly in cold weather.

The Winchest LP is actually their 'magnum' primer. A few years back they discontinued manufacturing standard and magnum LP's and made the magnum version the 'standard' load.

I've switched from Unique to Universal Clays and noticed that the residue is now much reduced. I've also tried H110 as it seems to run at slightly lower pressures with less unburnt powder as well.

Have you tried a factory crimp die ? I have a Lee die on my Dillon 550, and it seems to make quite a difference.

[the telegraphist]

I'm sure we've covered this before but can't find past info on it.

Anyway, I got my 45colts and have loaded some rounds for it.

I'm using 21grains of 2400 under the Oregon Trail Hardcast 250gr RNFP.

I'm getting pretty good accuracy so far with it, but after every shot I'm seeing a good bit of unburnt powder in the bore.

I have about as tight a neck tension as I can get (can actually see/feel the bullet in the case) as well as a heavy crimp.

So what could be causing this?

Laws of physics, it cannot burn all that powder in a short barrel, rifle barrel yes. Tighter crimp and everything else is just trying to jack up pressures to burn all that slower powder, it aint gonna work. Go to a faster powder, but even then it probably will not burn the lot. Ya gotta compromise and experiment with different powders. Yours is asking for something a little faster I think.

Rgds
The Telegraphist.

[1886]

Neck tension is not just a function of crimping more or less. Brass hardness, expander button diameter, bullet diameter, etc. What is the diameter of the expander you are using? Over crimping can actually diminish neck tension. When loading hard cast and jacketed rounds I like to use an expander that is .005" smaller than the bullet diameter. A firm but not gorilla crimp will certainly help. The additional resistance provided by these factors will aid in delaying the bullet as those slower powders burn. I do not think a mag. primer is necessary with 2400. It is not hard to ignite with little deterrent. The mag. primer may actually exasperate your unburned powder issue as it could drive the bullet from the case before your powder begins to really burn. This event is why the expander diameter can be such an issue. You may want to go to the home page and click on leveraction gunsmiths. Go to Mic McPherson's site. Mic has written many articles on hand loading. Check out "Thoughts on improving revolver loads". Hope this helps. 1886.

[Terry Murbach]

WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU LOADING THE 45COLT THAT HEAVY ??? WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU LOAD IT HEAVIER THAN THE LOADS YOU' RE USING IN THE 44MAGNUM ?? YOU SHOULD RE-THINK THIS AND I CARE NOT WHAT GUN YOUR SHOOTING THE 45COLT AMMUNITION IN.

[Don McDowell]

An almost better question is just exactly how long did it take sifting back thru how many pages and pages of thousands of threads did it take , to dig this thing out, that is 11 days short of being 1 year old

[Hobie]

does the unburnt powder put you at risk for a chain reaction?

How would that happen?

[Hobie]

An almost better question is just exactly how long did it take sifting back thru how many pages and pages of thousands of threads did it take , to dig this thing out, that is 11 days short of being 1 year old

[Nath]

I have used 2400 in 22 Hornet and 410, same results- unburnt grains in the pipe work! It's ok but I did not replace it when it was gone

Nath.

[cas]

Hmmm.... zombie post.


No worries, the next shot will push it out of the way.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Lots of powders will leave unburned grains behind, XMP 5744 being one of the worst. I get great accuracy from 5744 and 2400 and am going to stick with both.

[Nath]

Errm yeah, I've posted twice now here. Fool

Nath

[Don McDowell]

Yup Nath you sure did.

Good thing tho you said pretty much the same thing both times. There are folks that wouldn't be so lucky

[Nath]

Senior lever gunner or senior moment

Nath