Smokey 9MM reloads question

[JayW]

I reload 9MM. I cast my own boolits for these reloads as well. They go bang when I pull the trigger and they hit what I am aiming at. I'll go to the range and shoot 200 - 300 round and think about the cost cause... they are reloads. However, I do notice once in a while that I'll fire off a round and it produces smoke. More than I would expect to see in any case.

When I am at the range by myself no big deal. But, a week or so ago I went to a steel plate competition. I shot a few times, did great, but a few other competitors started asking me about the smoke my firearm was producing. I had no answer. Not sure why this is happening.

So I am asking why do reloads produce smoke when I am using what I thought was a smokeless powder?

I am using Unique powder (4.5 grns). Is that it? Also, I use 125 grn cast TC boolits. Sometimes there might be excess boolit lube (Lyman Alox Bullet Lube). Not much but if I am pumping out 500 in a session I tend to miss some on the bottom etc... Can that be causing this smoke?

 

[mac1911]

I can not give you "reasons " but when I load 9mm cast bullets the "purchased" bullets with blue lube don't smoke nearly as much as my home cast bullets with lee liquid alox. I use the same powder charge but the bullets and lube are different.
Accuracy is very good with either and leading is at a minimum.
For 45s I get more smoke with the powder puff minimum loads. Enough so most will comment on the extra smoke.

 

[JayW]

I can not give you "reasons " but when I load 9mm cast bullets the "purchased" bullets with blue lube don't smoke nearly as much as my home cast bullets with lee liquid alox. I use the same powder charge but the bullets and lube are different.
Accuracy is very good with either and leading is at a minimum.
For 45s I get more smoke with the powder puff minimum loads. Enough so most will comment on the extra smoke.

Thanks. Figured I'd throw it out here.

Some folks have mentioned that "Unique is a dirty powder." I have never used anything else and do not know the difference for pistol. When I run out of the 2 pounds that I still have I will try something else.

Then not many folks that reload cast in my area. So I have never gotten any feedback on smoke. Here I am not sure if I might be sloppy with the lube process or using something that simply causes more smoke than normal.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

I hear alox smokes a lot. I have not used it straight I use 45-45-10 sold from white label lubes.
They say it smokes less. Either way cast will smoke from the lube, no matter what lube.
There are some good threads on cast boolits forum and a whole sub forum on lubes. I think that would be the best place to figure out a less smoky lube.

 

[swampy]

Could be your bullets aren't sealing tight in the barrel allowing hot gasses to boil/burn the lube in the grooves. How hard is the lead you're using to cast your bullets? Are they sized for your barrel?

 

[EddieCoyle]

Lead is always smokier because of the lube. Some lubes smoke more than others, but they're all worse than jacketed.

Could be your bullets aren't sealing tight in the barrel allowing hot gasses to boil/burn the lube in the grooves. How hard is the lead you're using to cast your bullets? Are they sized for your barrel?

If this was the case, he'd have severe leading.

 

[JayW]

Lead is always smokier because of the lube. Some lubes smoke more than others, but they're all worse than jacketed.



If this was the case, he'd have severe leading.

For pistol I use reclaimed range lead. I add tin (pewter) to the lead and use a 10 to 1 alloy. I water drop my boolits. Using a Lee Hardness tester I see around 14 - 15 BHN. I size my boolits to 357. I see some leading after about 300 rounds. Not much. A brush and bronze wool wrapped around a brush clean it right up.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Busa]

Your shooting lead and using unique. It is normal.