Finding unburnt powder, .45LC

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Peakbagger46

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I have been finding flakes of unburnt unique powder when shooting my blackhawk. The load is 250g LRNFP in starline brass over 9.5g unique, and I am crimping it tight. Is the unburnt powder something to be concerned about? Other than that, the load works very well and is accurate, I'm just wondering if I'm loosing a lot of velocity because of it.
 
Don't worry about it.

I have used W231, Unique, 2400, AA#5, Blue Dot (a terrible choice) in the 45 LC. I have also used Bullseye but it has been a long time.

I shot some titegroup, my recollection was that it too left residue.

Anyway all of these powders leave unburnt residue. While I have not used every powder on the market, of the ones I have used, they all leave unburnt or partially burnt residue.

I dump my cases direct from the cylinder into a plastic container. When I scoop them out, there is always a quarter teaspoon, maybe more, of powder residue that fell out of the cases and on the bottom of the can.

What is of more importance are the velocity SD and ES's. When you have a powder, like Blue Dot, that leave Extreme Spreads in terms of hundreds of feet per second, then the powder is not appropriate for the cartridge.

Like Blue Dot in the 45LC

5 1/2" USFA Rodeo

250 LRN (.452") 11.5 grs Blue Dot R-P cases, WLP
11-Sep-05 T = 85 °F

Ave Vel = 845
Std Dev = 48
ES = 183.6
High = 933.3
Low = 749.7
N = 18
 
Unique isn`t the cleanest burning, a bit a debris is common. If you really want powder residue try 2400....
 
Probably what you are finding is not unburned powder.

They are probably "skeletons" of the burned powder flakes.

Nothing unusual with Unique and other flake powders, and nothing to get excited about.

rc
 
If you are using a case lube you may be contaminating some of your powder and will see entire flakes that are not consumed. Normally in my experience you will see residue but not complete unburned flakes when using Unique unless you are running at very low pressures which your load is not.
 
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