My filthy new .45 auto load!

[Tony k]

I just worked up a new (to me) bullet/ powder combo:

230gr LRN Silver State Bullets out of Carson City, Nevada
6.5 grains Unique Powder
Winchester WLP primers
Mixed brass
OAL: 1.65

This is the dirtiest, most smokey load I've ever done. Shooting them is sorta fun, but cleaning is a pain.

What is the most likely culprit? The bullet (particlarly the lube), or the powder. My suspicion is that it's the lube because the residue feels kind of greasy/waxy. But I'm not sure becasue both the powder and the bullet are new to me.

I've used other lead bullets before (Oregon Trail Bullet Company 230gr LRN), but that was with 700x powder. They were dirtier than the xtreme plated LRN bullets that I normally buy, but not nearly as bad as this new bullet/powder combo.

FWIW the load shoots and cycles fine. POA=POI out to 25 yards.

 

[steveno]

most of the smoke is probably from the lead bullet lube

 

[rcmodel]

The lube is burning off.

And 6.5 Unique is a pretty hot load with a lead bullet.

Try 6.0.

rc

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, it's probably the lube but like RC said, you're not helping with that hot load. Unique is also known to be a little dirty but usually not when loaded hot.

 

[floydster]

Eliminate that nasty lube--powder coat your bullets

 

[sexybeast]

Ha, both of them together although the lube more! At our range we would want you to go shoot with the black powder shooters!

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I'm shooting plated 9mm bullets with Unique and at the higher pressures the "New" Unique is way cleaner than in the past....I put 200 rounds thru my Beretta Px4 last weekend and the gun was so clean I couldn't tell it had been fired.

I did get some black residue when I ran a patch with Hoppe's on the gun but was very surprised how clean the gun was. I also shot a bunch of lead bullets with Unique in .38 thru the Ruger LCR and it was smoky and dirty...so my guess is that the dirt is mostly the lube and not the Unique.

VooDoo

 

[BullfrogKen]

I think it's both. I stopped using Unique - even with jacketed bullets - because it left behind that awful residue. But it's probably both the lube and the powder.

 

[chris in va]

I get comments all the time how smoky my lead reloads are. Doesn't matter the powder. It's so bad I can't shoot at indoor ranges anymore. A cloud of smoke develops and I simply can't see the target after a mag.

According to my Lyman manual 6.5 Unique is a mid-range load, probably 775fps.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Switch over to 5.5gr W231 with everything else being the same and you will find it's a much cleaner load.

My favorite 45 Auto load is 5.5gr W231 under a 230gr LRN bullet.

 

[Tony k]

RCModel Said:

And 6.5 Unique is a pretty hot load with a lead bullet.

Try 6.0.

cris in va said:

According to my Lyman manual 6.5 Unique is a mid-range load, probably 775fps.

I was using Hornady 8th addition page 1002. This edition recommends loading between 5.3-6.6 grains (page 382 of 49th ed). I considered using the Lyman data, but the bullet listed is 225 rather than 230.

Sexybeast said:

Ha, both of them together although the lube more! At our range we would want you to go shoot with the black powder shooters!

Exactly! I felt like I was trying to put on some kind of one-man Revolutionary War re-enactment.

Once I shoot through this bullet/powder combo, I'm going back to plated lead and 700x. Unless I decide to keep a few rounds for smoke signaling purposes.

 

[7mmb]

Lead bullets and Unique. Doesn't get any filthier than that. I'll stick with plated and Universal, thank you.

 

[Metal Tiger]

ArchAngle said:
Switch over to 5.5gr W231 with everything else being the same and you will find it's a much cleaner load.

My favorite 45 Auto load is 5.5gr W231 under a 230gr LRN bullet.

YUP except I use 5.4gr of W231