Powder for 44spl in short barrel

[mikefayetteville]

What is a good clean powder to use in a 2.5" barrel 44spl? I have used Bullseye, and a few Hodgdon brands but still get a good amount of unburnt powder. I know the powder does not have as much time to fully burn in the short barrel and I may have to live with it. Does the crimp have a lot to do with it?
Thanks for any info.

 

[Walkalong]

700x, w-231, aa #2.

 

[8emem]

I'll add WST to the list. Fast burning, measures well, and very clean. It's Winchester's replacement for 452AA. I have not found big variety of load data for WST so I use 452AA data.

 

[Walkalong]

Add Competition from Ramshot, which seems to be a cousin to WST. Both shoot well in .45 ACP.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

Would backing down the powder charge and going to a magnum primer help him?

 

[Walkalong]

Perhaps changing to a mag primer with the same charge, but I would just up the charge. Bullseye ignites easily, and I have found accuracy can suffer when using mag primers with easy to ignite powders in small cases. At least the times I have tried it.

 

[rcmodel]

but still get a good amount of unburnt powder.

Two things may be going on here.
Alliant flake powder often leave a few powder "skeletons" behind.
The powder in fact is burned, but the skeleton or ash of the flake is left behind.

Does the crimp have a lot to do with it?

A heavy crimp will help because it increases the pressure before the bullet is released from the case slightly. That gives more time for a complete burn.


Just so you know, barrel length has nothing at all to do with it.
All of the faster handgun powders burn all they are going too burn inside the case & chamber.
That is why no gas erosion ever occurs in a handgun barrel.

Slower Rifle powder does continue to burn a short ways in front of the rifles chamber.
That is why bore erosion occurs for a short distance in front of the chamber in a rifle.

rc

 

[joneb]

Mike, what bullets are you using ?