.357 Magnum and Alliant 2400, dirty and smoky...

[milktree]

Based on a bunch of sources:

Zero brand 158 gr JHP
range brass
13.8 gr. Alliant 2400
1.575" OAL
tight enough crimp

I loaded up 100 of these, half with CCI 500 SP primers, half with CCI 550 SP magnum primers

I got about 1,050 fps out of a 4" Security six, about 1,100 fps out of a 6" 686+, right in line with the published data.

But they're smoky and leave shmutz everywhere.

I'm pretty sure the crimp is plenty strong, 'cuz when I disassembled one with an inertial de-bulleter I had to hit hard enough to slightly separate the lead core from the jacket.

The max load is 14.8 gr according to Speer and Alliant. Am I likely to see cleaner/more complete burning as I move up from 13.8 to 14.8? (I've seen max loads for 2400 as high as 15.5 elsewhere on the 'net)

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Yes, my experience is that it tends to do that at the lower ends of the pressure range. I was having a horrible time with 44 mags and 44 specials for the same issue until I bumped up the powder.

Really noticed it when I shot at my club last winter, over 3" of fresh white snow.............. The whole area was covered with black granules of what looked like unburned powder.

 

[EC1]

Based on a bunch of sources:

Zero brand 158 gr JHP
range brass
13.8 gr. Alliant 2400
1.575" OAL
tight enough crimp

I loaded up 100 of these, half with CCI 500 SP primers, half with CCI 550 SP magnum primers

I got about 1,050 fps out of a 4" Security six, about 1,100 fps out of a 6" 686+, right in line with the published data.

But they're smoky and leave shmutz everywhere.

I'm pretty sure the crimp is plenty strong, 'cuz when I disassembled one with an inertial de-bulleter I had to hit hard enough to slightly separate the lead core from the jacket.

The max load is 14.8 gr according to Speer and Alliant. Am I likely to see cleaner/more complete burning as I move up from 13.8 to 14.8? (I've seen max loads for 2400 as high as 15.5 elsewhere on the 'net)

I stopped using 2400 (It was Hercules then) when I saw clear residue shaped like the 2400 grains, switched to Unique, never looked back.

 

[Patriot]

I use Accurate #9 for my .357 & .44. It seems to be much cleaner than 2400.