Some geral reloading questions

stateguy · Apr 18, 2014

9mm Beretta shooting 124 gn cast lead bullets with 4.1 or 4.2 gn of W231 and tula primers.

At an indoor range yesterday and this combo would fill the range with smoke. Is one component most responsible for this and is there a way to prevent it? I've shot coated bullets with similar results. Have a box of 500 copper plated xtreme bullets that I plan to load soon. Will this change create less smoke (with same powder and primers)? Never shot indoors when I loaded with less powder (minimum was 3.9 gn I believe) but I don't remember the volume of smoke with smaller powder charge. Gun was probably a little dirty yesterday, but had a lot of smoke last time I shot and the gun was clean. Suggestions?

Thanks

340six · Apr 18, 2014

Bullet Lube! Main reason i started casting my own. Also WW231 is kinda dirty but has little smoke in lower range loads. Iy mostly leaves unburnt powder but does put a little smoke out.
I have never found plated to be as accurate as cast

dmiculek · Apr 18, 2014

stateguy said:
9mm Beretta shooting 124 gn cast lead bullets with 4.1 or 4.2 gn of W231 and tula primers.

At an indoor range yesterday and this combo would fill the range with smoke. Is one component most responsible for this and is there a way to prevent it? I've shot coated bullets with similar results. Have a box of 500 copper plated xtreme bullets that I plan to load soon. Will this change create less smoke (with same powder and primers)? Never shot indoors when I loaded with less powder (minimum was 3.9 gn I believe) but I don't remember the volume of smoke with smaller powder charge. Gun was probably a little dirty yesterday, but had a lot of smoke last time I shot and the gun was clean. Suggestions?

Thanks

Shameless plug www.bayoubullets.net

FTRrookie · Apr 18, 2014

+1 on Bayoubullets. They'll take care of most of your smoke problem and an added benefit of being very accurate.

stateguy · Apr 18, 2014

So everyone seems to think the bullets are part of (most of?) the problem. So, if I switch to copper plated bullets, that should help?

I'm stuck with the powder for now - trying not to spend money on a bunch of stuff.

I'm sure I will use your bullets at some point Mr. Miculek.

oppsImissed · Apr 18, 2014

In my short 3 years of relaoding I have found the lube on bullets to be the main cause of smoke. The Powder might be a 10% factor. And yes, Donnies bullets are the best I have found.

FishingFool · Apr 18, 2014

beware of copper plated stuff. I've had bad experiences with different mfr over the years as the plating varies in thicknesses and sometimes won't even chamber! All that goes away if you get some bayou bullets.

dmiculek · Apr 19, 2014

Lube is the main source of the smoke, followed by powder choice.

dsonyay · Apr 19, 2014

I shoot a lot of W231 in 45acp.
When I shoot lubed lead bullets, lots of smoke.
When I shoot bullets that are plated or moly coated-,very little smoke.

I really don't care about the smoke, but I shoot outdoors.

Ellis1958 · Apr 19, 2014

stateguy said:
9mm Beretta shooting 124 gn cast lead bullets with 4.1 or 4.2 gn of W231 and tula primers.

At an indoor range yesterday and this combo would fill the range with smoke.

Cast lead bullets are going to smoke. Nature of the beast. Doesn't matter the caliber. It's that ring of lube that's doing it.

Plated, jacketed, or coated bullets will lessen the smoke by a bunch. I gave plated a try years ago and gave up on them. Couldn't get them to group and you had to be real careful during the seating and crimping stages to not ding up the plating. For coated either Precision or Bayou Bullets gets away from the lube and hence the smoke. Price is just a few cents above cast lead. Not sure about Bayou Bullets but with Precision Bullets you can use the same load data as cast lead. Of course work up slowly yada yada but it will get you in the ballpark. Then there's jacketed but the price goes up a bunch.

Some geral reloading questions

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