I am loading 4.5grs. of 231 under a 125gr. Berry plated bullet. Problem is unburned powder. I read the post below and I wonder am I useing to much powder. At 25yrds.I can keep them in a 5 inch circle. Thats pretty good for an old f__t. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

You're fine. You're not at max. Actually, REDUCED charges tend to produce more barrel residue.

I shoot a lot of 231, and never worry about the loose residue in the barrel. It cleans right out.

I am left cold by the popular obsession as to which powder leaves the least visible residue, because a loose residue may clean right out, while a barely visible residue may stick like cement.

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Science plus Art

Wioth lead and plated bullets in the staright walled pistol cases my favorite powders are WST, American Select and Trail Boss. All three burn clean in my guns.

I use magnum primers for reduced pistol loads to get cleaner/more complete ignition. See if that helps.

In my expereince W-231 burns more cleanly at the higher pressures of 9mm, 38 Super and 40 S&W. I have never had it burn clean for me in the lower pressure cartridges such as 38 Special or 45 ACP. I use W-231 for reloading medium velocity 38 Supers for my S&W 686 and it burns very clean with presuures in the 25000 psi range.

I have found that most all powders burn cleaner at the upper end of loads, most powders will not burn clean at reduced loadings.

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John

This is a good assessment. I might point out one problem with loose residue though. If it gets under the ejector star during a reload, it can cause your revolver to lock up tighter than a drum!

AA#5 is one of those powders that can do just that. Been there got the t shirt!

You didn't mention what primers you were using? I had that issue with plated bullets and w231 and I was using 4.0 to 4.4 gr of powder but I was using CCI primers. I was also getting squibs and they were a rreal pain in the ***. I quit using the CCI primers and the problems went away. I also have used Winchester small pistol magnum primers and saw no difference in the way the powder burned. Accuracy was the same also.

Tried AA 5 today and got unburned powder flakes under the revolver ejector.
HS-6 did the same thing.
Will try HP-38 next trip.
Trying a bunch of powders that I got from an estate buy last year.

My standard .38 practice load is a 158gr LSWC with 4.0 gr of W231 and usually Winchester primers, but I'll use what I can get if they aren't available. I've never had an issue.

Turn those numbers around on the w231 and try it ... again.

I think you are way too low on the powder that you are using.