Smoky loads

[F5guy]

Well it's been over 10 years since I reloaded but since MD is about to strip more rights I've been shooting more and broke out my RL 550 and made up some loads with the same and only recipe I've ever used. Nice soft shooting load for my Sigs 229&226. I made up 20 and shot them tonight and they are still dead on.
The question is this I'm seeing significantly more smoke from my loads than the factory loads and not sure if this was normal before. Powder and primers are old but stored properly. Here is my recipe which is the absolute lowest of the range on this particular recipe I got years ago.
Starline new brass-Proofmark cast bullets SWC 175gr -4.3 gr of Winchester 231 with Winchester WSP small primers. I don't mind the smoke just wonder if something could be wrong ? Going to up the charge a bit and see if that makes a difference. Any help is appreciated

Price on the primeR boxes I have is 12.50 if that gives you a clue how long it's been. Afraid to look how much they are now.

 

[SHR970]

The smoke is from the lube on the cast bullets you are using. Some lubes smoke more than others. It's a normal sight with some powder / lube combos smoking more or less than others.

 

[chris in va]

You think those loads are smoky, try using a tumble lubed LRN with liquid ALOX and JPW. It's so bad I can't use them at an indoor range.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Yep, it's the lube causing the smoke. It's worse in some light, and hardly noticable at all in other light.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[F5guy]

Thanks for the reminder. When I was doing this before I had hair and didn't need these reading glasses. Just glad I bought the stuff when I did and now the kids are growing up I have more time. Just ordered a few conversion kits from Dillon for 9mm and 45 and gonna order some bullets from Missouri, can't wait to try and find primers. I've got plenty of brass and powder though- for now. Wish us in Maryland luck the legislature is on the warpath and well be national news by Monday.

 

[Certaindeaf]

If you got em, smoke em.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Smoke is a combination of primer, powder and lube. Change any one of the three and your smoke changes. It's all a product of the chemical reaction. When I go to the range with bullets tumbled in Alox I tell them to turn on the exhaust fans, it's the biggest culprit.

 

[boommer]

If those bullets are that old that old crusty lube will smoke like heck. I was at the club one day and two guys I know came over and ask me why I was shooting black powder rounds out of a diamond back? Told them bullets that the bullets that were loaded in the rounds had been sitting around at least 10 years and they didn't smoke like back then. Powder the same just old crusty lube.

 

[joneb]

Try Bullseye.

 

[floydster]

One would think I am shooting black powder at times---thats why they call me Smokeyloads

Smokeyloads

 

[m2oore]

Just reloaded my first rounds lastnight and went to the indoor range to make sure I did not goof up anything. Was shooting a a 125gr 9mm LCN using Universal clays.

The bullets came pre-lubed so I did not really think about the smoke. I loaded 1 round at first just to see if they would go bang....it did...very excited. Did not notice any smoke. I loaded another 3 in the magazine and shot those and it worked well.

I really noticed the smoke after I loaded a full magazine of 10 rounds. After I was done shooting the 10 you can really see the smoke..lol. Thank god the indoor range was new and had very good ventilation. I'll be shooting these rounds mostly outdoors I am glad to read that the smoke is normal and most likely from the lube on the lead bullet.