Powder Question

[wanderinwalker]

Just a quick question re: Winchester 748 ball powder. Has anybody here noticed it to be "dirty burning?" Or "dirty burning" at varying charge weights?

Curiousity has me, as my Service Rifle began acting up today (after 80-90 rounds), and I am about 99% positive it is powder fouling built up in the receiver/chamber. (Yes, it's an AR.)

Currently I load 24gr of 748 with a 69gr SMK for about 2560 fps. This velocity is about 250 fps off of the Federal Gold Medal I used for a control load, and I wonder if the reduced loading density might be contributory to the fouling.

Help, please! And thanks for all advice.

 

[Steve Smith]

Yes, ball powder can be quite dirty and can cause actions to fail. Ask the Vitnam vets.


Read this too: http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43847

 

[wanderinwalker]

Yes, I realize that it is dirty. But I overlooked one critical area: I hadn't lubed the durn thing very much before the last shoot as I was *gasp* in a hurry. Problem solved now with a little Riggs. Doh! But thanks, as always.

 

[Mike Irwin]

The problem with ball powder causing jams in Vietnam-era M16s was largely NOT related to the powder's composition, but to an additive (calcium carbonate) that was included just prior to packaging/loading.

Once the calcium carbonate levels were reduced (to under 1% of volume by weight) the jamming problems resulting from clogged gas systems largely went away.

 

[Steve Smith]

Ahh...thanks Mike.