Bullseye ?

[Sara Noh]

Lots of folks blame the powder for dirty loads, it has been my experience that the bullet lube can be the cause. The hard lube that most commercial casters use can be very smoky, try bullets from a different source. I never had as much smoke or residue on my guns when I cast my own and lubed with Alox. +1 on the HP-38/Win. 231, though the nod for accuracy goes to HP-38 in my experience.

 

[31 Pump]

Originally posted by parisite:
I've switched from Bullseye to using Clays in all my 38 shooting with my model 52 as well as the revolvers. You can't beat the cleanliness as well as the accuracy.

I am new to reloading pistol bullets and plan on using Clays for my 38 special and 45 colt rounds because That is what I use for my shotshells. I am concerned about the small volume of powder in these cases. It appears that 2.5 to 3 grains of Clays leaves a lot of empty space in the case. Is this a problem?

Thanks

Glenn

 

[Drail]

When shooting light loads keep a couple of rags handy. When I was an NRA instructor I always had a rag stuck in my back pocket. Even if it's dirty it's still a whole bunch of fun.

 

[John R]

Originally posted by gbrady:
bullseye is one of the dirtest powders you can use. WE switched to winchester 231 .

I've found just the opposite, 231 is very dirty
But Bullseye runs a close second IMHO.

 

[MrPhil]

Skip, I clean my guns and Bullseye is still a very dirty powder. It's not just the gun that needs cleaning. And this is with plated bullets. Clays is dirty too, just not that dirty. I was running 3.2 grains BE pushing a plated 158 gr SWC. MUCH dirtier than 3.2 grains Clays.

For 45ACP revolver loads I'm running 3.5 grains Clays and a 200 grain SWC.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Skip, I clean my guns and Bullseye is still a very dirty powder.

I was wondering how these two could be related in the order you list them! Cleaning a firearm can't keep a powder from being dirty, Phil.

I will not use Clays in an auto. Personal preference. It may be OK in a revolver and I know a bunch of folks that use it in them, I don't.

The point I was trying to make was this; If you shoot your firearms, believe it or not some folks on this forum never do, when the powder goes off it is going to make your firearm dirty, period. Clean them and it goes away. If you want to shoot a bunch, like in competition, you need to take cleaning equipment with you no matter what you use for loads, 'cause shooting them makes the dirty.

When an "explosion" happens and the only thing to keep it contained is a chunk of lead, there is going to be residue that needs to be cleaned up. You can't get away from that.

Trail Boss is specially formulated for lead bullets and leaves far less residue behind. The law of energy conservation though will tell you there is a trade off. It shows up in lack of velocity.

FWIW

 

[John R]

If you want clean in lighter 38 loads, try some AA-2.

 

[CherryRiver]

Vihta Vuori N320 and Berry's plated 158s: you'll have to look twice at the gun to tell you fired it.
4.8gr is book max, but I use 4.7, and it's a plenty perky load, about 860fps from a four-incher.
It's the cleanest thing with the lead Lee tumble lubes I make for practice, too.