Powder for Night Matches / Indoor Low Light No Light

[Philip Dedmon]

Ok lets hear from all you night time indoor low light no light shooters.

 

Have you found a powder that has less smoke for 9mm loads at minor PF?

 

Have you found a Factory 9mm load that has less smoke?

[Rnlinebacker]

Silhouette is formulated for a low flash signature. Give it a try

[1911in9mm]

Vihtavuori N320, one of the better low flash powders at minor.  Also Sport Pistol. 

[shred]

There's two parts at play for night matches-- flash and smoke.  Smoke can be a problem with a light when trying to shoot rapidly as in a match situation (especially in poorly-ventilated ranges or when there's minimal wind).  Some flame-retardants make smoke worse.

 

Jacketed bullets with no exposed lead at the base are pretty much mandatory, then make sure there isn't any case lube in the case, then look for a powder that burns completely and doesn't have a lot of fillers.

 

The old way to test this was lay out a teaspoon of the candidates on a sheet of foil and light them, while comparing the smoke and residue levels.  Not perfect but it narrowed down the candidates.  Best done outdoors 

 

 

 

[jcc7x7]

When I could buy whatever I wanted in powders!!!!

I used WSF for 9mm indoor matches, low light/Flash light stages.

Almost no flash as I remember don't remember about smoke with coated bullets

[Philip Dedmon]

Don't mine the flash just want low smoke.

 

BTW, using 124 gr. JHP PD bullet 

[AHI]

Truly depends on the humidity. With a JHP most of the time Sport pistol gives . Very little smoke. In high humidity it smokes quite a bit.

Last night match I shot . It was 31 deg and very lightly snowing. I used E3. Don't remember it smoking very much.

[Bobkoh]

Autocomp, works well with plated bullets

 

 

 

[Philip Dedmon]

1 hour ago, Bobkoh said:

Autocomp, works well with plated bullets

 

 

 

Thanks but I'm using Precision Delta bullets and they are jacketed.

[radny97]

Winchester Super Handicap has very little smoke. 

[zzt]

Alliant e3 produces very, very little smoke when used with plated or JHPs.

[Boomstick303]

1 hour ago, zzt said:

Alliant e3 produces very, very little smoke

 

Just our of curiosity how dirty/clean is e3? 

[zzt]

2 hours ago, Boomstick303 said:

 

Just our of curiosity how dirty/clean is e3? 

 

If you are shooting it in a pistol is is very clean, even with mouse farts.  Shoot a match and the gun looks like it doesn't need cleaning.

 

My PCC barrel has a large chamber.  I  have to keep the pressures up, because the bolt starts opening as soon as the round is fired.  I need enough pressure to seal the case to the chamber walls.  My 124gr 90 PF mouse fart loads don't do that. As a result the gun is filthy after one match. 

[Farmer]

On really light non sealing loads you’ll get some soot  but I’ve never seen any unburnt flakes. My bbl looks like I just cleaned it after shooting a mixture of coated and jacketed.