Too much smoke

[Jersey Doug]

I'm having a problem at my local indoor range (ventilation could be a lot better) with clouds of smoke, so much so feels like a coating on my throat by time I leave. Last session was shooting 2.5 titewad behind a 158 wadcutter grouped well after the smoke cleared and could see the target again. My Model 14 (8 3/8) will group to my satisfaction with most of the commonly used powders, hoping someone here can guide me to a clean burning set-up. thanks

 

[oneounceload]

Smoke is more likely the lube from the bullets as opposed to the powder

 

[Wise_A]

Sounds like that range sucks. I'd limit my time there if possible.

In the meantime, try out coated bullets. No smoke, slight smell.

 

[Nightowl]

If you are shooting standard lubed lead bullets, switch to the HyTec coated ones. That should help the smoke a lot. If the ventilation is really that bad, you might want to check your lead levels and if they are high, find another place to shoot.
If you lead levels are too high, try taking a 1000 mg of vitamin C a day.

 

[Jersey Doug]

It's a four lane range meant primarily for gun buyers to test their purchase. I noticed others shooting factory ammo with hardly any smoke but my reloads a obvious large big black cloud every time. Part of the answer is as recommended and want to get my long barreled scoped S&W's shooting distance outdoors. Do best with a model 16 that's punched to .327 want to try at 100 yards.

 

[Eddietruett]

I agree with Nightowl. Go to HyTek Coated. I've had great success with Missouri, SNS Casting and Summers Enterprises. There are several more top notch companies offering the Coated Lead. Price is not that much more than regular lead and it almost totally eliminates the smoke. My go to powder is Universal Clays which is as clean burning as anything I've ever tried, but also had great results with HS-6, Power Pistol, If you want to go to the magnum side, the HyTek Coated can stand the magnum velocities as well

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Be careful not to breath in too much of that lead smoke.

I would switch to Hi-Tek coated bullets if the smoke is that bad. The lube is probably the main cause. (like said above) Titewad is not a great choice for handgun ammo. It is better suited for shotgun shells. At one time Hodgdon had a warning posted not to use it in handgun ammo.

 

[Jersey Doug]

A plain lead bullet produces lead in the smoke from the shot but coated or jacketed doesn't, is that right ?
Usually use Bullseye (for years) tried Titegroup then had and tried the Titewad each seemed progressively smokier, but all grouped well. Much I have reloaded and using is lead, some are coated, will send for the type suggested. Because the air gets to the brink of coughing,, thinking of heading to the end shooting stall (no one sees there) and use a respirator, using eye and ear protection already.

 

[noshow]

I switched from Bullseye to Clays and NRA beeswax to Carnuba Red and the difference was day n nite in my 45ACP

 

[chief38]

After a trip to the Dr's office about 3 years ago when he told me my lead Level was way too high, I started frequenting the outdoor Range much more and the two indoor Rages I belong too way less. My levels now are well under the maximum and on the more rare occasion I do go to the indoor Range I shoot FMJ bullets from an Auto and reserve the Revolvers for outdoor use as I do not reload Copper for revolver loads.

While most of the smoke is probably wax lube burning off, I STILL avoid breathing it in as I'm sure it does contain a certain amount lead too.

 

[stansdds]

The smoke is likely to be mostly vaporized bullet lubricant and a little lead. I would recommend using powder coated lead bullets. Jacketed or plated bullets will also greatly reduce the smoke, but powder coated lead are the least expensive and should still provide excellent accuracy.

 

[alwslate]

Titewad is a great powder for light .38 spl loads but your load of 2.5 grs
is probably too light for clean burning. Bump the charge up to 2.9 or
3.0 grs and you will probably greatly reduce the smoke. 3.0 grs under
a 158 gr cast RN bullet chronos about 760 fps out of my 4" 10-5 and
is very clean burning.

 

[Hawker Man]

I have been told or I read somewhere that if you can condition ,heat, cool, the air at an indoor range the ventilation is not adequate and that range is not where you want to breathe.

 

[rsrocket1]

awlslate is right. That's a really light load. Unfortunately 38 special is a low pressure round and there's a pretty small window from "enough pressure to burn cleanly" and too much for the spec.

The other replies are also correct. You could eliminate a lot of non-powder related smoke by eliminating the lubed bullets. Try a dozen plated bullets (cheapest you can find) with the same powder charge. Also try a dozen lubed lead bullets with a bigger charge, then try some plated bullets with the higher charge. See if there is an improvement in the air quality and base your next loads on what works best.

I say plated because it's usually easier/cheaper to buy 50-100 plated or even jacketed bullets than buying PC bullets (which usually sell in batches of 250-500). With properly applied and sized powder coated bullets, you can get the same performance (lack of smoke and no leading) that you can with plated bullets.

Thirdly, you should get out of that range. Even with no smoke from your shooting, the lead styphnate from primers will get all over your clothing, skin and into your lungs which will eventually elevate the lead levels in your blood.

 

[fredj338]

Stop shooting conventional lubed lead & then stop shooting indoors. I can think of a faster way to get lead poisoning.

 

[DWalt]

Most of the lead released on a range comes from the primers and also from the impact of lead bullets on the bullet trap (at least from the steel traps used on many indoor ranges). A well-designed range ventilation system will prevent most of that airborne lead at the firing line. About 15 years ago I wrote the first USAF small arms range design guide. Prior to that, no range design guidance existed, and most bases designed their own ranges, many not being very well done. I think this is the latest version (2011) if anyone is interested: https://www.wbdg.org/FFC/AF/AFETL/etl_11_18.pdf

 

[gwpercle]

Smoke is more likely the lube from the bullets as opposed to the powder

More correctly the smoke is from the lead bullet's lubricant.
Waxy beeswax lubes can be smoky....some more than others .
Cast lead SWC's have large lube grooves holding a lot of smoke inducing lube.
2.5 grains of Titegroup is not a lot of powder and Titegroup is not known as a smokey one.
Try some of the new "powder coated" bullets....no lube to smoke , they are touted as one way to solve the smoke problem.
If you cast you own getting into powder coating doesn't involve a lot of money. Coating takes place in a plastic container and the bullets are baked in a small toaster oven.
Gary

 

[rsrocket1]

2.5 grains of Titegroup is not a lot of powder and Titegroup is not known as a smokey one.

Yes Titegroup is very smokey right up to it's peak pressure, but the OP was using Titewad which is pretty close to Clays in terms of speed and clean burning at decent pressures. I use Titewad in shotgun loads and it's pretty clean so long as you are above 9,000 psi.

 

[Jersey Doug]

Photo's of bullets using in my smoky .32 S&W Model 16, did notice when ordering them was a next grade up coated by this company think you're referring to. My M-14 I'm using lead Hornady 158 HBWC.
Because of how little info could find on Titewad (and the precautions) agree quite possibly have gone way too light of a charge. Has considerably less recoil than my favorite 2.7 of Bullseye. In both calipers of minimal powder used getting more of a puff than a bang and then the smoke.
With the perfection level striving shooting scoped there's long duration's between shots so usually better part of an hour to go through 50 then done for that week so not as much of bad air exposure in that respect as normal shooting quantity's.
From this point need to, and will work more accurately to log my reload info and act on recommendations have received here.

 

[F75gunslinger]

If it was me I would try to find a different place to shoot with better ventilation.