Are cowboy action loads really that dirty?

aterry33 · #1 05-13-2010, 09:50 AM

I saw a really great deal on Winchester 45LC Cowboy Action loads locally, but I've heard some serious complaints about how dirty these loads are.

Anyone have experience with this? They offered a good deal on American Eagle 225GR 45LC loads sometime soon when they come in so I could wait on those.

This is for target shooting obviously.

OKFC05 · #2 05-13-2010, 10:13 AM

Depends mostly on your point of view.

In general, low velocity loads with lubricated lead bullets produce some smoke and soot.
If you're a cowboy action shooter who has shot blackpowder loads, then the smokeless powder loads are wonderful.

If all you've ever shot are FMJ like the American Eagle, then they are horrible, messy loads.

You pays your money and you makes your choices.

Alk8944 · #3 05-13-2010, 09:05 PM

It always fascinates me when people ask about "dirty" ammunition. They all will get your gun dirty and you are going to clean it anyway, it is just a matter of degree. Metal fouling from jacketed bullets is a lot harder to remove than leading. What is the concern about ammunition being "dirty", I just don't understand why this is an issue to so many.

I guess I have just been shooting and cleaning too long, since the Speer 1/2 jacket SWCs were the only jacketed revolver bullets available, and that was just the way it was.

Harrison · #4 05-13-2010, 09:26 PM

All ammo that uses a lubricated lead bullet is dirtier than a FMJ load. Its the lubricant that makes it dirty, compared to a non-lubricated jacketed load.

Don't worry about it. Like the man said, you should clean it at the end of a shooting session anyway.

The only time powder fouling and/or lubricant fouling makes a difference is when shooting black powder. BP has the potential of gumming things up in a couple of dozen rounds. If your pistol cannot go a couple of hundred rounds without cleaning when using smokeless powder, you need to get it checked out by a gunsmith.

flop-shank · #5 05-13-2010, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alk8944

What is the concern about ammunition being "dirty", I just don't understand why this is an issue to so many.

Because many of them are not military vets like us. Their idea of keeping a gun clean is just trying to get it less dirty. Most people who were never in the armed forces (and many that were) have disgustingly filthy weapons. They never had to spend nine hours cleaning a single M-16, so cleaning a revolver for an hour must seem like the end of the world to them.

That's fine. It's their choice, their weapon and their butt on the line.

aterry33 · #6 05-19-2010, 09:15 AM

I clean my revolvers after every shoot and I don't have problems with "dirty" guns. I've just heard stories that cowboy action ammunition uses powders that are designed to produce more of a smoke effect, and this causes a lot of gunk buildup.

I don't think it would bother me, I was just curious.

moxie · #7 05-19-2010, 10:13 AM

Oh, the horror!

H Richard · #8 05-19-2010, 12:13 PM

I shoot mostly all lead loads, and the guns get dirty. Then you clean your guns every time you shoot them. Big deal. I also clean my guns every time I shot them if I am using jacketed factory loads.

buckeyeshooter1 · #9 05-19-2010, 12:59 PM

I would say it depends on the powder used in the load. Trail Boss and Bullseye are very dirty powders as far as residue and soot. Unique is better and something like winchester 296 better still. The problem is that the powders that are suitable for low velocity loads are dirty ones.

moxie · #10 05-19-2010, 03:40 PM

Flop-shank,
I'm a vet too, and spent a number of years carrying an M-16, but never spent 9 hours cleaning a gun. No way. Was someone making a particular point with you in particular?

Ben Cartwright SASS · #11 05-19-2010, 04:00 PM

I never spent 9 hours cleaning a gun, in boot camp (Navy) we had 1903's that we had to clean with a pencil erasor, took 2 hours!
They made us do ground arms when we messed up, that is tougher than cleaning for 9 hours, you held the mussle of the 1903 and had to keep the entire piece 3 inches off the ground the full length of it, when the DI wasn't looking you would try to rest it on your toe.
It would make your arm sing out big time.

Try it sometime, how long can you last?

flop-shank · #12 05-19-2010, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moxie

Flop-shank,
I'm a vet too, and spent a number of years carrying an M-16, but never spent 9 hours cleaning a gun. No way. Was someone making a particular point with you in particular?

No. As far as I can remember just an armorer who was fussy and the rifle was as FUBAR dirty as an M-16 gets. Mud, soot, baked and caked on carbon and no opportunity to clean it later. I think the guy wanted it pristine and would accept nothing less. I doubt it would take me so long today, but in those days I didn't have as many tricks in my book.

I didn't have all the best cleaning supplies on hand either. Oh well, builds character. LOL

okie john · #13 05-19-2010, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moxie

Flop-shank,
I'm a vet too, and spent a number of years carrying an M-16, but never spent 9 hours cleaning a gun. No way. Was someone making a particular point with you in particular?

I landed on a sandy Drop Zone at Ft. Bragg one night with an exposed M-16 that I hadn't taped up properly. It sure seemed like it took 9 hours to get the sand out of it.

Okie John