First reloading attempt..unburnt powder?

[617fan]

I had a chance to fire my first reloads this morning. As I am still waiting on some additional components, I only loaded six and wanted to see if they went "BANG". They did, but it was more of a small "bang". There was still about a grain or so of unburnt powder in each casing. I am thinking I didn't crimp enough?

The .45 Colt load was 6.4 grains of Universal behind a 200 grain Lead Hornady target/hunting tip bullet and a Federal LP primer. The bullets dont have cannelure "rings" but a cross-hatch pattern. I seated them at the end of the cross-hatched pattern right before the diameter starts to taper.

So what did I do wrong to have unburnt powder? The loads chambered and fired but with distinctly less recoil and noise than the factory 250 grain slugs I shot along side them.

 

[OKFC05]

Hello, West KY! Tilghman HS class of 62 here.

Short answer: pussycat loads leave charcoal. Don't sweat it.

Only when you get near top pressure does smokeless powder get more efficient and burn more completely. And lead bullets are going to leave smoke and residue from the lube no matter how you hold your mouth or cuss at them. It's not the crimp.

Welcome to the wonderful world of handloading!

 

[617fan]

Hello, West KY! Tilghman HS class of 62 here.

Short answer: pussycat loads leave charcoal. Don't sweat it.

Only when you get near top pressure does smokeless powder get more efficient and burn more completely. And lead bullets are going to leave smoke and residue from the lube no matter how you hold your mouth or cuss at them. It's not the crimp.

Welcome to the wonderful world of handloading!

Thanks for the response..and yes "pussycat load" might be giving them credit. I think .22's out my 617 have more punch.

 

[TSQUARED]

A common characterictic of low pressure loads unless you use a faster burning powder such as Clays, American Slect or WST.

 

[Beans]

The .45 Colt load was 6.4 grains of Universal behind a 200 grain Lead Hornady target/hunting tip bullet and a Federal LP primer.
So what did I do wrong to have unburnt powder? The loads chambered and fired but with distinctly less recoil and noise than the factory 250 grain slugs I shot along side them.

200 Gr vs 250 Grs= less recoil
light powder charge vs Factory loads less recoil.

You did nothing wrong.

 

[pinkymingeo]

It's only wrong if the bullet indents vs penetrates paper targets. Guys on the firing line start laughing at you, your macho image suffers, and psychoanalysis bills mount. You want the gun to go bang!, not pop!

 

[617fan]

It's only wrong if the bullet indents vs penetrates paper targets. Guys on the firing line start laughing at you, your macho image suffers, and psychoanalysis bills mount. You want the gun to go bang!, not pop!

I will have you know that they penetrated a paper target, stick-on decal, and a full 1/4" of foam board backing. Thats real big-bore shootin' lol