leam Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Just shot my first USPSA match and one stage had 4 targets up close. No problem, just a speed thing. I'm shooting Clay's powder under a lead bullet and with no wind the targets quickly become obscured by the cloud! What's causing this? I used to think Bullseye powder was the only culprit but someone mentioned lead bullets. Leam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsb45acp Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Some powders just cause more smoke with lead or moly coated lead bullets. I don't know why but I'm sure a search in the reloading forum will answer your questions. I had used Precision 185 gr moly coated lead at one time and had good results with V V N320 (expensive if you can even find it now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann the Horrible Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Lead bullets are smokey, affordable but smokey. I find that the position of the sun sometimes makes it worse. In IPSC they are now considering allowing competitors to chrono different ammo to make it easier to compensate for afternoon shooting by using plated/FMJ bullets when it suits you in a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisStock Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Been there, done that. I find that it is FAR worse in the early morning, and I shoot lead almost exclusively. The high humidity as the dew burns off tends to exacerbate the problem so I usually shoot plated or jacketed the first stage or two. I don't think it's a huge deal at a level 1 and especially at my skill(less) level. At an area or sectional, I would have to pony up for more expensive bullets or suffer the blackpowder-like clouds. It's not you...as was mentioned earlier, do a search and you'll find a ton of info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 (edited) Very basic explanation (As I Understand) is that very fast powders that require very little powder volume (Clay's, Titegroup, Bullseye, etc) generate a lot of heat. That heat melts the bullet lube etc. on the lead bullet and creates the smoke. They tend to work great with jacketed bullets. The upside to these powders is their recoil impulse is very short so you get a nice "soft" load. Other forum members feel free to expand or correct me if necessary. edited for content Edited July 23, 2008 by baerburtchell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leam Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, at least it's not me; that's a relief! On the advice of other forum members I'm planning on getting some Brecision Bullets when the current stash is gone. That should resolve the smoke issue without the cost of jacketed bullets. Thanks! Leam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, at least it's not me; that's a relief! On the advice of other forum members I'm planning on getting some Brecision Bullets when the current stash is gone. That should resolve the smoke issue without the cost of jacketed bullets. Thanks! Leam Hard to beat Precision's Moly bullets. David Long is great to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, at least it's not me; that's a relief! On the advice of other forum members I'm planning on getting some Brecision Bullets when the current stash is gone. That should resolve the smoke issue without the cost of jacketed bullets. Thanks! Leam Leam - Not necessarily. Using hot powders (Bullseye, Titegroup, others) will cause smoke with coated bullets, though not quite as much. Single-base powders (Solo 1000 or 1250, the VV powders) burn cooler and tend to smoke less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I've had good luck with Winchester WST not smoking too bad with lead or moly's. Revchuck's info. is spot on from my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irq23 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 I've had good luck with Winchester WST not smoking too bad with lead or moly's. Revchuck's info. is spot on from my experience. +1 I really like WST as far as it not being smoky. I am also going to try SOLO 1000 soon. Powders like Titegroup and Clays burn too hot for lead, that is what is causing the smoke. WST is still a fast powder but its ignition temp is lower than Clays/ Titegroup. I am not a scientist, nor do I play one on TV, so YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Leam, if you need some VV for your reloading, Little Hardware in uptown Charlotte is the MOST stocked up store in town. Stick your head in there and they will take you to the back room where your eyes will bug out at all the stuff. They are also a Dillon dealer if you need stuff like that. Good luck with the shooting. If you are going to CTI this weekend look us up. I'm easy to spot. I have a pistol belt with all kinds of crap hung on it, and I have a shot gun and a black AR... should be easy enough to figure which one is me! I will have on a maroon "Tommy Gun" shirt in honor of Tommy, be pulling a red war wagon. I'm pretty tall and will be running around with this big guy covered with tats. If you see us give us a shout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 If you are going to CTI this weekend look us up.CTI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leam Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 Leam, if you need some VV for your reloading, Little Hardware in uptown Charlotte is the MOST stocked up store in town. Stick your head in there and they will take you to the back room where your eyes will bug out at all the stuff. They are also a Dillon dealer if you need stuff like that. Yeah, Bobby gets more of my paycheck than I can afford... This weekend is the 3rd of 3 Glock matches at Shooter's Express, and then I'm zipping up to Lexinton for a 1911 smithing lesson. My first build is re-working a Sistema that was being made the same time I was. While the fire control bits make some sense I'm not yet good enough to hone the things and keep the right angles. Still learning that bit. VV is starting to sound interesting. I know Evil Roy shoots 320 in his CAS stuff and the anti-clouding results may be the reason. I'll see what Bobby has soon as I get through the pound or so of Clays left in the jug. Leam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 High Lord Gomer, CTI is for Carolina Tactical Inv which is a three gun match up in Oxford NC. Packing as we speak but I am so far behind I need to just go to bed. Ever have one of those days when you have a ton of stuff to get done but it is all falling into place...untill the phone rings and you hear, "Honey I'm on the interstate and I have a flat tire." Oh well, it could be worse... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 High Lord Gomer, CTI is for Carolina Tactical Inv which is a three gun match up in Oxford NC.Dewey, the guy who told me about this site and is helping me learn to shoot, is going up there. Y'all have fun and be nice to the goober from Augusta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirveyr Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Well, at least it's not me; that's a relief! On the advice of other forum members I'm planning on getting some Precision Bullets when the current stash is gone. That should resolve the smoke issue without the cost of jacketed bullets. Thanks! Leam Leam - Not necessarily. Using hot powders (Bullseye, Titegroup, others) will cause smoke with coated bullets, though not quite as much. Single-base powders (Solo 1000 or 1250, the VV powders) burn cooler and tend to smoke less. I've just finished off the last box of 1000 rounds of 147 Precision Moly Coated Bullets with Tite Group and they smoked like crazy. Like others have said, stick with jacketed bullets when using a little bit of fast hot powders. My $0.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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