Less smoky powder for 9mm with lead bullets?

[Pro2AInPA]

I'm currently loading 4.2gr of W231 under 124gr lead bullets. The load is accurate and reliable, but it's SMOKY.

Any suggestions for a powder that might smoke a bit less?

[robertbank]

I'm currently loading 4.2gr of W231 under 124gr lead bullets. The load is accurate and reliable, but it's SMOKY.

Any suggestions for a powder that might smoke a bit less?

The smoke you are getting is from the lube burning off. I doubt you will reduce it much by changing powders.

231 is my go to powder right now in the 9MM and works great.

Take Care

Bob

Edited December 31, 2009 by robertbank

[hockeyfighter25]

I run solo 1000 with lead bullets and xlox tumble lube and the smoke doesn't bother me much. Powders do seem to effect the amount of smoke with lead bullets, tightgroup created alot of smoke with lead bullets when i tried it out.

[Steve J]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

[G-ManBart]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

Yep, lead with an exposed base won't smoke as much, but it's going to smoke a little bit.

For he OP, your best bet is probably to switch to molys....pretty much the same everything, just less smoke. R,

[Pro2AInPA]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

Yep, lead with an exposed base won't smoke as much, but it's going to smoke a little bit.

For he OP, your best bet is probably to switch to molys....pretty much the same everything, just less smoke. R,

Are the Precision Bullets the ones you'd recommend if I wanted to give moly a try?

[G-ManBart]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

Yep, lead with an exposed base won't smoke as much, but it's going to smoke a little bit.

For he OP, your best bet is probably to switch to molys....pretty much the same everything, just less smoke. R,

Are the Precision Bullets the ones you'd recommend if I wanted to give moly a try?

I don't load molys so I'm not sure whether Precision or Black Bullets Int', or some other brand is the best. I've noticed a lot of folks seem to use them...I'm sure someone will chime in on that. R,

[Steve J]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

Yep, lead with an exposed base won't smoke as much, but it's going to smoke a little bit.

For he OP, your best bet is probably to switch to molys....pretty much the same everything, just less smoke. R,

Are the Precision Bullets the ones you'd recommend if I wanted to give moly a try?

I don't load molys so I'm not sure whether Precision or Black Bullets Int', or some other brand is the best. I've noticed a lot of folks seem to use them...I'm sure someone will chime in on that. R,

I know a guy who loads Precision moly coated bullets in 9mm. He lives with thick black smoke. Fast hot burning powders burn right through the moly coating, or perhaps the moly itself contributes to the smoke. I don't know for sure, but I do know that he always had thick black smoke, whereas the 45 lead shooters with lots of lube had thick white smoke.

[Pro2AInPA]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

Yep, lead with an exposed base won't smoke as much, but it's going to smoke a little bit.

For he OP, your best bet is probably to switch to molys....pretty much the same everything, just less smoke. R,

Are the Precision Bullets the ones you'd recommend if I wanted to give moly a try?

I don't load molys so I'm not sure whether Precision or Black Bullets Int', or some other brand is the best. I've noticed a lot of folks seem to use them...I'm sure someone will chime in on that. R,

I know a guy who loads Precision moly coated bullets in 9mm. He lives with thick black smoke. Fast hot burning powders burn right through the moly coating, or perhaps the moly itself contributes to the smoke. I don't know for sure, but I do know that he always had thick black smoke, whereas the 45 lead shooters with lots of lube had thick white smoke.

That's no good. I'd rather keep dealing with the white smoke from the lead bullets.

[MoNsTeR]

Lead is going to smoke. The difference in the amount of smoke between jacketed with exposed lead base and fully jacket/plated bullets is remarkable and there in no lube involved there. There may be combinations of lube and powder that will smoke less, but it will still be significant indoors, at night, on a still winter's morning.

Yep, lead with an exposed base won't smoke as much, but it's going to smoke a little bit.

For he OP, your best bet is probably to switch to molys....pretty much the same everything, just less smoke. R,

Are the Precision Bullets the ones you'd recommend if I wanted to give moly a try?

I would recommend Black Bullet International. Precisions are too expensive to even be considered a lead bullet, might as well shoot jacketed.

They do smoke a bit but there is a world of difference versus traditional lubed cast bullets.

[wide45]

I'm currently loading 4.2gr of W231 under 124gr lead bullets. The load is accurate and reliable, but it's SMOKY.

Any suggestions for a powder that might smoke a bit less?

Powder choice definitely makes a difference in the amount of smoke generated with lead bullets. W231 is moderate in larger calibers. It is not the worst offender, but it is not the best. My first choice for lead is WST, but I don't load lead in 9mm, and Hodgdon does not publish loads for it in 9mm, so I can't recommend it.

Edited December 31, 2009 by wide45

[SA Friday]

BBI's or Precisions. BBI's are cheaper. Precisions are cleaner to reload with and I seem to get a tad more accuracy with them (this is gun dependent).

Lube/powder combo's are what you should play with to figure out the least amount of smoke. You can't get rid of it all, but you can cut it down. Moly's will smoke a bit too, but I find them to smoke less than lead with the right powders.

Lots of threads on this stuff in the reloading section already. Dig around in there with a search.

[Sarge]

I load and shoot precision moly's with solo1000. They load great on my 550 and are not overly dirty to handle. As another poster said, there is no getting away from at least some smoke.