Tired of crud in my gun!

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chris in va

New member
Fire 100 factory FMJ, my gun looks fine. Put the same LRN with Universal, PB, 231 or Unique through it and I have to break out the picks and scrape off the buildup around the bolt face. The feed ramp looks like a skunk's back.

Any powders out there that burn cleaner?
 
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Stressfire

New member
IMO, Unique is a bit on the dirty side.

I've been using Bullseye for 9mm - burns fast and fairly easy cleanup

What caliber are you loading and what bullets are you using?
 
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floydster

New member
I could never get away from the crude buildup shooting cast bullets no matter what gun or powder I use--I think it's just a part of shooting cast.
 
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jimbob86

Moderator
Power Pistol burns cleaner than any of those you mentioned that I have used .... never used PB ..... and I have NEVER had a dirtier bore than when I shot 50 LRN bullets (factory) after shooting jacketed. I swore off lead. Plated are not that much more expensive.
 
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Strafer Gott

New member
+1 Moxie's got it. It's the generous shot of lube in the ring that make shooting cast a viable proposition. Those alox coated rounds might be less messy. I've only tried .38 HBWC lubed that way. The problem with Unique is it doesn't burn clean in light charges. So light target loads are positively smokey. When I load 148gr DEWC with a charge of unique at 5 grains and up, the gun runs much cleaner. These rounds need to upset a little, so the load works out.
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
If ALL of those powders gave you incredibly nasty buildup in your firearm(s), I would suspect one or more of the following:

1. It's the bullet (and/or its lube), not the powder.
2. You're running insanely light loads, and need to step it up a bit.
3. The lubricant you're using for the firearm(s) is collecting far too much crap, and should be changed.

You shouldn't have to scrape your pistols clean, after running lead bullets.
 
D

dahermit

New member
The culprit is the lube on the cast bullets. Not very hard to get out with Hoppes.
Click to expand...
Not only does the bullet lube on the cast bullets leave waxy carbon deposits (which hurt nothing), it makes for noticeable (compared to jacketed bullets), smoke when firing. You can have clean (jacketed bullets) or you can have dirty (cast bullets), but low-cost.
 
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mmb713

New member
Switch to plated bullets if the crud is bugging you. In my experience Universal is far cleaner than anything loaded in factory ammo. If factory ammo isn't fouling your gun like your reloads its the lead bullets/lube, not the powder. Universal and plated bullets in my guns = clean shooting.
 
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chris in va

New member
9mm, Lee 125 RN, JPW/mineral spirits tumble lubed.

So all that black crap in my gun is from the lube? I may try Power pistol just for the heck of it.
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
If you're tumble-lubing with JPW, I would say the lube is definitely a big contributor. The additional carbon residue just happens to stick to it very easily.
 
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joneb

New member
Well you have had some good responses here. To light of a load produces powder residue, and some powders smoke the lube worst than others. And some bullet lubes are just a mess regardless the charge.
As far as powder goes VV n330 and WSF are very clean but the bullet lube maybe the deciding factor here.
 
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warningshot

New member
If w231 or Bullseye is too dirty a powder in any loading for a .38 special, 9mm or .45acp, then I'd recommend a career move into air guns.
 
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unclekuster

New member
Unique ?

LMAO, I started out loading my 45 with Unique, Have since heard this powder referred to as "Flammable Dirt", and I would agree. since switched to Clay's, much cleaner, Enjoy you shoot !
 
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PA-Joe

New member
As noted it is the lead bullets and lube. Switch to a plated lead bullet. These are much cheaper then jacketed bullets.
 
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jepp2

New member
As noted it is the lead bullets and lube. Switch to a plated lead bullet. These are much cheaper then jacketed bullets.
Click to expand...

Plated or jacketed will result in a cleaner handgun.

I find I can buy 115 gr. Jacketed for less than any plated bullets. YMMV
 
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