Revolver Problems

[sniperdog]

I am new to the round gun and have shot semi-autos for 30 years but am having major problems with the round gun. I have a 4" 625 and am shooting Montana Gold 200 grain JFP with VV N320 powder. After about 12 rounds I have so much unburned powder in the chambers and under the star that the cylinder will not close. It got so bad today I was using a brush during a stage to clean under the star so that I could close the cylinder. I use this same load in my single stack and is runs clean with no powder buildup, is it the wrong powder for a revolver or is it something else. Any ideas or help will be greatly appreciated.

[jhgtyre]

I had the same problem w/ HS6. I tried more powder, less powder, more crimp, less crimp, well you get the idea and none of it helped. Finally I switched to Trail Boss and the problem went away completely. I have also tried WST with excellent results.

-Larry

[rwmagnus]

Clays is another powder that is super clean and works very well in 45ACP.

[sniperdog]

Thanks I will try those powders and see what happens

[Jaxshooter]

Clays is excellent in the 45 revolver and it is inexpensive also.

[HighVelocity]

I also use Clays in my 625.

[Taildraggerdave]

+4 on the Clays....

On the reloading forum here you can find lots of recommendations for Clays in 45ACP.

The popular number seems to be 4.0 grains of Clays pushing your favorite 230gr round nose.

I put 50 rounds today through my 625 after the main match and it pretty much cleans up with a pull through bore snake.

Edited May 24, 2008 by Taildraggerdave

[revchuck]

Just about everyone shooting .45 ACP revolvers uses 230 grain RNs, either lead, jacketed or plated. The heavier bullet seems to help the powder burn more completely.

I don't know - as in, I have no idea - whether Clays will be able to make the PF using published data with a 200 grain jacketed bullet. You'd have to try it out in your gun. It appears that most shooters have to slightly exceed the book max (4 grains) to make major with jacketed 230s.

Another clean powder to try is Solo 1000. I'm getting 745-750 fps with 4.7 grains from my 4.5" M&P with 230 grain RNLs; book max is 5.2 grains, so jacketed 230s might make major within book data. When I chronoed my 4.7 grain load in my 4" M22-4, though, it only went 718 fps. I haven't tried S1000 with 200 grain bullets.

[inkedshooter]

Before I sold my 625 a friend of mine handed my some of his reloads to try out. He loaded them with Bullseye, can't remember grain charge but no extra powder and didnt beat up the palm as much.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Titegroup, Clays, and American Select have worked well for me. Looking at a burn chart, http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html N320 isn't that far off. I would try a little more crimp.

[Tom E]

I use 4.7 grains of WST under Precision Bullets 200 gr RNF, 1.200" oal. Very clean. My steel load with 4.0 grains leaves unburned powder.

[cliffwalsh]

I don't know - as in, I have no idea - whether Clays will be able to make the PF using published data with a 200 grain jacketed bullet. You'd have to try it out in your gun. It appears that most shooters have to slightly exceed the book max (4 grains) to make major with jacketed 230s.

+1 Clays is very snappy at major with a 200gr bullet. The best thing to do is get some 230's and use about 4 grains of clays. very soft and accurate.

You can also seat your revo loads deeper to get better pressure in the case.

[Bubber]

Sniperdog, We have seen that problem occur at a local match but it was very cold. when it wormed up VVN320 worked all right.

[pinger]

You always want to have a strong crimp on your 45's. It helps with consistent ignition, and those boogers start backing out if you don't crimp them well enough. Also, you'll have to find a clean powder. Clays and Vihtavouri work well. I have also used American Select recently, and that was very clean in my 625. I use a lot of Bullseye. It's pretty dirty, but i have LOTS of it to get rid of!!

I haven't used WST, but i do know that Win. 231 starts getting very dirty when you load it lighter. Regular power loads aren't so bad, but steel loads leave a lot of gunk in the cylinder.

As for the 625, I also have two. A 4" and a 5". THey are loads of fun, and i love them both.

[dajarrel]

Personally, I'm surprised that you are having incomplete combustion on VV320. It has always been a very consistant, clean powder for me...but kinda pricy. Because of that, I shoot titegroup in my revolver loads. If loaded to major power factors, it burns hot and although it leaves a grey, ashy film on the crown of the barrel, it burns all of it.

I think, as RGS said above, you should try a little more crimp.

Cleaning under the star on every stage is a pain

fwiw

sj

[JohnRodriguez]

if you are wanting to stay with vitavouri, then use VVn310. It burns very clean. The only other powder I have any experience with it titgroup and I think that it burns too hot for a revo, especially if you reload using the bordershift method.

[David Sinko]

I am shocked that you would have a problem with N320. That powder has been so clean burning and low flash for me that I no longer "waste" it on match loads. Then again, I'm using it with 230 to 255 gr. bullets at near maximum charge weights for well over 200 PF.

Now that I think about it, there was a time I used it with 200 gr. plated bullets at about 127 PF and I did not have any problems. I think you need to check the fit of the bullet in the case, and remember that the resizing die and expander plug could cause improper bullet pull too.

Dave Sinko

[sniperdog]

WOW, thanks for all the good info. I think I will try a tighter crimp as I am using the same load in the 625 that I am using in my single stack .45. By the time the match was over I had clenaed so much under the star that most all of the other shooters were lined up for me to clean their guns. They said I had a lot of experience.

[ShortEd]

I use 5.1 gr N320 with a 230 gr Montana Gold Round Nose and get a 165 PF. It burns clean and I have not had any problems with it except; when I opened a "new" 4lb. bottle of what I thought was N320 and loaded a couple hundred rounds, I could tell I wasn't getting my normal velocity and cylinder and barrel were full of unburnt powder. I figured the bottle was labeled wrong, and this must be N340 or N330, so I opened another bottle of N320 and everything was back to normal. Expensive power to have the wrong label on it........ So I guess we can't always believe what we read.