Soot On Rifle Reloads

[G11354]

Been reloading .223 Rem with 22.0 gr of IMR3031 with 60 gr V-Max, noticed some soot on brass. Minimum charge 20.3 gr, max charge 22.8 gr by Hornady manual, rounds function fine. Rifle, M&P-15, 16" barrel.

Is this common in semi auto rifles or a low pressure issue?

 

[gamestalker]

Often times if the load is mid table or less, and there are no visible high pressure issues, things will clean up as you increase the charge. I see this all the time during load development, today as a matter of fact. But not all powders will burn clean, you'll just have to see what happens as you work up.

GS

 

[Grumulkin]

Been reloading .223 Rem with 22.0 gr of IMR3031 with 60 gr V-Max, noticed some soot on brass. Minimum charge 20.3 gr, max charge 22.8 gr by Hornady manual, rounds function fine. Rifle, M&P-15, 16" barrel.

Is this common in semi auto rifles or a low pressure issue?

It's common to have a little soot on brass with some autoloaders and it can also be a low pressure issue. If the soot comes most of the way down the case, it's probably from low pressure. Also, if the recently fired case is a lot hotter than usual for that gun, it's likely a low pressure issue.

 

[Canuck-IL]

Something seems amiss ... Hornady, which has been conservative IMO with its loadings, lists the 52gr VMax as an IMR3031 max of 25.5 with an OAL of 2.230 while the 8gr heavier 60 VMax tops out at 22.8 at a slightly longer OAL (2.250).

While the pic seems to show a noticeably longer bearing surface for the 60, those figures still strike me as out of sync. I'd try their max listed load next (22.8 w the 60s) and watch for all the normal pressure signs.

/Bryan

 

[243winxb]

Soot

A little soot may be ok, but if the pressure on the outside of the case causes a dent, you need to make adjustments to the load.

[/URL][/IMG] Steves pages shows a maximum of 26 gr of IMR 3031 for a 60 gr bullet. Other reasons for leakage may be 1. Shoulder pushed back to much on FL sizing. 2. Work hardened brass not expanding. (annealing may help) 3. Neck wall thickness is thinner than most brass. 4. Brass in general, does not come close to the SAAMI standard for a loaded rounds neck diameter of .253" 5. The COL is too long, with very little bullet shank into the case neck and/or light neck tension.

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[G11354]

I've loaded it up to 22.3 but started getting flattened primers.

 

[243winxb]

I see no reason to go highter, or above the Hodgdon posted maximum 22.5 gr for that bullet.