Is This Excessive? - Dirty Powder or Not?

[Load Master]

Is this an excessive amount of dirt for shooting 100 rounds? The reason for this question, I've been told by a lot of folks that Unique is a "Dirty Powder". Yeah, it made my gun dirty, but is it any different from other powders? If I shoot a 100 rounds of TiteGroup I'm hard press to see any difference. So, if you are to pick a pistol powder for shear means of keep your gun clean, which powder would that be?

 

[ReloaderFred]

That looks pretty normal for 100 rounds of most anything. People complain about "dirty", but you're going to clean the gun anyway...........

Some of the newer powders are a little "cleaner", but most powders burn the "cleanest" when loaded near the maximum load, which produces a better burn and leaves less residue. The type of bullet also has a bearing on how much is left behind. Cast bullets tend to leave more "stuff", mainly due to the bullet lube.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[ATLDave]

100 rounds? I doubt that's enough to tell much difference between loads that are at the 10th and 90th percentile of cleanliness. The difference after 1,000 rounds might be a lot more telling.

I think Unique is a little bit dirty, but it gets a bad rap based on the fact that 1) older formulations of it were dirtier than current formulations, and 2) people often use it as a universal-does-everything powder, which frequently means loading it well below max, which will cause almost any powder to burn dirtier.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That looks a little dirtier than when I shoot but it's hard to tell from a picture. It does look like you have some unburnt powder in there which I don't get.

In reality unless you are using the gun in competition and the fouling could cause a stoppage I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[mdi]

"Dirty powder" seems to be the new "buzz words" in reloading forums. Any powder will leave residue, some more than others. The important part is the charge, many powders leave a bit more residue if not loaded up to their optimum level Unique with light loads will leave more than a mid to upper level load. BTDT.

I don't dress up in my Sunday best to go shootin' and I can always wash my hands before I leave the range (even "my" outdoor "range"). The most rounds I've ever fired between cleanings, even though I clean my guns each session, has been approx. 600 rounds in my 1911. Different loads w/different powders at different levels though most, 75%, light target loads with Unique and Universal. Gun was sooty, but never stuttered, fed, fired and ejected each and every time. I'm not into "lookin' good" at the range, so a bit of soot is not a problem for me...

BTW; your gun looks normal after 100 rounds...

 

[ljnowell]

Nice to see you posting over here and on the Lee facebook page!

If you are happy with the results, why worry about it?

 

[Boombotz401]

Looks a bit sooty to me if that's 9mm, nothing that would bother me though.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SSN Vet]

I don't think Unique is especially "dirty", but by comparison, I would say that W-231/HP-38 does burn cleaner.

 

[9mmepiphany]

WST and Clays would both burn cleaner.

In my guns, I'd expect that level of soot after maybe 500 rounds

 

[ljnowell]

WST and Clays would both burn cleaner.

In my guns, I'd expect that level of soot after maybe 500 rounds

WST is very clean burning. I use it for my bullseye loads in 45ACP. I only clean my match guns every couple thousand rounds so something like unique won't work for me. That and unique isn't very good for light target loads, there are many better choices.

 

[Mad Chemist]

OP, what is the load?

Unique cleans up quite a bit at the middle and high ranges. It can get very sooty and dirty at low charges.

 

[98Redline]

Unique cleans up quite a bit at the middle and high ranges. It can get very sooty and dirty at low charges.

This!

While Unique has a pretty wide operating range it gets really sooty at the bottom end. If you don't mind it, then blast away.

If the sootyness bothers you, pick a faster powder for the lower end loads.


As a general rule most powders burn best at the top end of their range.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Much ado about nothing. It's a normal by product of shooting. Clean it or put it back together and shoot it.

As they say: Just a "tempest in a teacup." Nothing to worry about.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[DivideByZero]

It looks fine. Shoot another 1-2 thousand rounds through it and get back to us.

 

[gwpercle]

No , it's not. In fact it looks good. Possibly the old Unique formulation and especially at low to mid range applications left a bit of residue, but the new powder is just fine. Still needs to be used in the right burn range, I tried low velocity target loads in 38 special back when Unique was all I used and it just doesn't work there, not enough pressure.

Broke down and bought 700X , Bullseye and Red Dot for target loads and still use unique in it's correct applications , mid range 357 mag. , 41 mag. , 9 mm luger and 45 acp
does just fine there , with no "dirty" residue.
If that pistol in you OP photo shot 100 rounds loaded with Unique , just keep on using it because there is no powder I know of that will leave less residue.

Gary

 

[Walkalong]

There are definitely cleaner options than Unique, especially at very light load levels. Not knocking Unique, that's just the way it is.

 

[RussellC]

Shot a lot of Unique. Shot a lot of BE 86, which seems to be way clean. I dont mind Unique, one of my favs, just not as clean as BE 86, Titegroup, or 231 for that matter. For me, BE 86 seems the cleanest.

Russellc

 

[Archie]

Is this an excessive amount of dirt for shooting 100 rounds?

No.

The reason for this question, I've been told by a lot of folks that Unique is a "Dirty Powder". Yeah, it made my gun dirty, but is it any different from other powders?

I've been told by a lot of folks the Egyptian pyramids were built by aliens. Go figure. No; Unique is not particularly 'dirtier' than anything else, UNLESS you use it like Bullseye or some other fast power and load it light. Every powder works best in the 'upper' ranges of the pressure for that powder. Unique is not at it's best when used for very light loads.

If I shoot a 100 rounds of TiteGroup I'm hard press to see any difference.

Probably not. TiteGroup is a pretty fast powder, which burns cleanly at light levels - compared to Unique in the same loadings.

So, if you are to pick a pistol powder for shear means of keep your gun clean, which powder would that be?

That's a hard question to answer for me. I pick a pistol powder for the intersection of appropriate velocity (power) and accuracy. "Cleanliness" is NOT my prime concern.

Also, consider this: ArchAngel suggested the left over soot and remains might cause a malfunction at some point. However, firing 100 rounds or more in a defense situation is fairly unlikely. (One should have brought a rifle or light machine gun. Or air support.) Even in some of the 'competitions', one should be able to do a "quick rinse" sort of cleaning between stages, IF practice shows malfunctions might occur at some round count.

However, in the spirit of the thread, faster burning powders seem to burn cleanest, usually. I'd go with Bullseye or Clays for medium to 'standard' velocity rounds in most handgun rounds, for 'cleanliness'.

 

[Sport45]

It looks fine. Shoot another 1-2 thousand rounds through it and get back to us.

I'd say it looks good for another 1000 rounds or so too.

My guns aren't hospital-clean before shooting. I don't worry much about how clean they are after. But then I don't have any guns that exhibit function problems with my annual cleaning ritual.

 

[Load Master]

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. Good info for sure. I feel better about Unique after use and input from you all. I'll have to try some Clays if I can find it in my area. I also want to try some night time shots to see what the flame report looks like with the different powders.