is this normal?

[sparkyguy]

Took some reloads to the range today. I'm shooting out of my Springfield Loaded 1911 45acp at about 10yrds. Here's what I was shooting:

200gr RNFP lead bullets over 4.9gr W231
Results: smokey, smokey, smokey..*cough*cough*gag*cough*(spit)*cough(couldn't wait to get through the 50 I made up)
Accuracy: poor. to say bullets were all over the target would be an understatement. Light recoil, much less then factory CCI Blazer Brass I had shot before these.

200gr RNFP lead bullets over 5.3gr W231
Results: much less smoke(like almost none)
Accuracy: very good. Most landed in the 8/9/10 ring. Modest recoil, along factory ammo lines.

I guess this is what y'all call working up a load? My question is, is all that smoke normal? I had ppl glaring at me, and the indoor fans were running.

 

[rcmodel]

Most likely your light load was failing to bump up the lead bullets to fit the barrel and you were getting gas blow-by.

That in turn melts & burns the bullet lube, producing a lot of smoke, and possibly serious barrel leading from gas-cutting the sides of the bullets.

rcmodel

 

[RecoilRob]

Yep, too light will smoke badly. I always use 5.5 WW231 under the 200's. They shoot well.

 

[sparkyguy]

Thank you, gentlefolk.