I don't remember W231 being this dirty

[Detritus]

Was recently forced by lack of availability to go back to using W231 for my .45acp loads...

Maybe I just don't have that good of a memory of it (it's been 5 or 6 years) but I don't remember my previous batches being this filthy.

started a practice session today with a freshly cleaned and lubed gun and a shooter that had recently bathed, 100 rounds later the interior of the gun looks like the bottom of a coal bucket and I was covered at least to above the elbow and enough burnt powder to look like I was growing severe mold.

Is this normal for this powder or do I need to change something in my load (crimp amount, possible primer change, etc)?

thanks for your time

eta..

Load is as follows 230gr berry's RN over 4.9gr of 231 with CCI standard large pistol primers which comes in toward the upper middle of the load range listed in both the lee 2nd manual and that on the hodgdon website

Edited August 24, 2014 by Detritus

[Hi-Power Jack]

How did those loads chrono?

Sounds to me like it's Possible that it was a Very Light Load ???

Could the "coal bucket" have been to excessive gun oil and a little powder?

Have you shot the Berry's for a while? Is that, in combo with the WW231, be

the possible answer? (I've never shot Berry's, but I used to shoot lead in my

.45 with WW231 - no unburnt powder).

I've shot tens of thousands of rounds of WW231 in both 9mm and .45 and have

NEVER been cover to the elbows in burnt powder - something funny going on

here, I think.

[DougCarden]

That is a lower load. Bump it up in the 5.'s and get it to major and it will burn cleaner. W231 leaves gritty residue in low charge weight loads, esp. in 38 special.

DougC

[bigarm]

I would have to see if I still have this information, but I am sure that when I used 231 the load was in the mid 5's.

[Fullauto_Shooter]

I typically use 5.2 - 5.4gr of W231 with 230gr bullets - shoots relatively clean.

[Toolguy]

I have had the same experience with a .45 ACP revolver. If the loads are too light with 231 they will be dirty and have gritty residue that gets under the extractor and binds up the action.

[norbyam22]

My experience is below that 5gr in 45 with a 230, it tends to burn a tad dirty. Once I got a little higher up on the load scale, it was cleaner.

[danjordan78]

Same thing with Blue Dot. If you try to do puff loads there is a ton of unburnt powder left. If you crank it up a little it burns more completely.

[Mikethor]

I use to use W231 and berrys and was using around 5.6 to 5.7 of 231. 4.9 sounds very light. Changed to WST now less powder and cleaner!

[TJ1911]

I used to load 231 with 200 gr. bullets, but never went below 5 grains, even for light target loads. It always seemed pretty clean to me...

[ncxdm]

I have used 231 in a bunch of different calibers. I would agree that when it is a slow load it can be dirty. I built a few 38 special that were so low they wouldn't go through the plywood backer board. They were way dirty. But I shoot an extreme 9mm that is not dirty at all when it is at a reasonable speed.

So I would agree with the others and check your load to see if you can get it to burn a little better.

[Detritus]

took out a small batch loaded with 5.3grs today.

Yep, looks like I just needed to up my charge a bit. still a bit dirty but now it's more on par with what I was getting with 700x. so much more within my personal "comfort zone".

thanks for the input guys.

now I just need to find someone with a chrono and see if they legitimately make major....

[rdinga]

I used to use magnum primers in .38 special to help 231 burn a little cleaner. Yes it does burn cleaner as the loads get above midrange.

[yellowfin]

PB is a great powder for soft shooting loads that burns clean. Cheap and easy to find too.

[xd1977]

Agree with Mikethor...Seems like you are way light at 4.9gr. I run this powder in all my loads from 125gr 9mm, 185gr .45 and 230gr .45...all jhp. If you chrono these rounds, 100% sure you aren't close to making 165 pf. W231 / Hodgdon HP-38 is the same powder. Both run relatively clean if loaded properly. Bump it up between 5.6 and 6.0 gr. the 5.6 should put you @ 740 to 750 which is just over pf (717fps). I like to run mine at 5.8gr - 1.250 OAL with a nice taper crimp. Gives me a little over 800fps out of a Glock21SF with a pretty clean gun after firing.

Edited September 14, 2014 by xd1977