Sooty Ladder

[Zaydok Allen]

Hey, yesterday I was shooting some 45 acp I loaded with unique. 230 GR FMJ's over 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4 grains. they were shot from a SA XDs-45. The odd thing was the 6.4 grain load seemed to soot up the cases worse than the 6.2 grain loads.

I checked the diameter at the case mouth and it was in spec, and I've had no problems with bullet creep. So I believe I have an adequate crimp.

The same load ladder seemed to act the way I'd expect from my HK45, with the warmer load leaving the cases a bit cleaner.

They all worked properly, I'm just curious if anyone has any ideas why this would happen. They didn't seem terribly accurate though so I wonder if something else is going on.

 

[ATLDave]

Same brass/headstamp?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

No, it was a mix. The 6.2 loads were all Winchester, the 6.3 were Feds, and the 6.4 was CBC. All were once shot cases.

 

[ATLDave]

So another way to phrase your question would be that Winchester and Federal cases came out clean while CBC brasses with a very similar load came out sooty?

 

[243winxb]

Each brand of brass may produce a different bullet pull. It can be from 45 to over 100 pounds between brands.

I would guess, the higher the pull, the cleaner?

 

[Slamfire]

Did you also change primers? Different lots of primers have different flame characteristics.

I am not worried about soot, I am more concerned whether the round feeds, ejects, and the bullet hit the target. I also clean my firearms after I shoot them, so "cleanliness" is not an issue.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

So another way to phrase your question would be that Winchester and Federal cases came out clean while CBC brasses with a very similar load came out sooty?

I guess so. I've had light loads soot up the cases, as you would expect. It just surprised me when the warmer loads were more sooty. If it's just a matter of different brass that's cool. Just wondering.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Each brand of brass may produce a different bullet pull. It can be from 45 to over 100 pounds between brands.

I would guess, the higher the pull, the cleaner?

Didn't realize it could vary quite that much. Thanks.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Did you also change primers? Different lots of primers have different flame characteristics.

I am not worried about soot, I am more concerned whether the round feeds, ejects, and the bullet hit the target. I also clean my firearms after I shoot them, so "cleanliness" is not an issue.

Nope, same primers and same Hornady bullets. The only thing that changed was the charge weight and brass from load to load.

It sounds like the only way to know for sure is to load a ladder using all the same components.

I guess it's not that important really. Like you said, what matters is they all functioned as they should. I believe the accuracy issues were me. Hadn't shot that gun in months.

 

[243winxb]

The difference in brass hardness may have an effect? Softer brass expands more on firing. A better seal of the chamber. Dirt is pushed out the barrel?