Are blackened cases a problem?

Fusion · March 8, 2012, 05:08 PM

I've been loading 9mm rounds with a 124 grain FMJ and 5.4 grains of Power Pistol and they shoot extremely accurately. However, after firing the outsides of the cases are really dirty. Is this a problem? I'm reading on here now that it's caused by too low of a pressure. Do I need to step up my charge, or am I ok like this?

JimPage · March 8, 2012, 05:22 PM

One reason cases are brass is because it expands with the exanding gases in the case behind the bullet. This serves to keep gas blow back away fron the shooter as well as to protect the chamber from wearing due to hot gasses finding their way around the case.

I don't know how much wear you chamber is getting. Keep an eye on it and if you see signs of wear (pitting or "lines" that don't belong there, I'd bump up the pressure a bit but not above the loads listed in the reloading manual.

A bit of bladkening at the front of the case is probably normal, but a small bit.

Fusion · March 8, 2012, 05:29 PM

Maybe I need to step it up a little and see what it does. I've just always thought the cases got extremely dirty, but they always shot very well and I don't see any pitting or lines in the chamber. Hornady's book gives a range of 4.3-5.7 grains with this powder so I'm not too far from the max charge there. However, I then noticed that the Speer manual gives a starting charge of 5.6 grains, so I'm not sure which is best to follow.

March 8, 2012, 05:08 PM	#1
Fusion Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2010 Posts: 377	Are blackened cases a problem? I've been loading 9mm rounds with a 124 grain FMJ and 5.4 grains of Power Pistol and they shoot extremely accurately. However, after firing the outsides of the cases are really dirty. Is this a problem? I'm reading on here now that it's caused by too low of a pressure. Do I need to step up my charge, or am I ok like this?

March 8, 2012, 05:22 PM	#2
JimPage Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2010 Location: Rome, NY Posts: 584	One reason cases are brass is because it expands with the exanding gases in the case behind the bullet. This serves to keep gas blow back away fron the shooter as well as to protect the chamber from wearing due to hot gasses finding their way around the case. I don't know how much wear you chamber is getting. Keep an eye on it and if you see signs of wear (pitting or "lines" that don't belong there, I'd bump up the pressure a bit but not above the loads listed in the reloading manual. A bit of bladkening at the front of the case is probably normal, but a small bit. __________________ Jim Page Cogito, ergo armatum sum

March 8, 2012, 05:29 PM	#3
Fusion Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2010 Posts: 377	Maybe I need to step it up a little and see what it does. I've just always thought the cases got extremely dirty, but they always shot very well and I don't see any pitting or lines in the chamber. Hornady's book gives a range of 4.3-5.7 grains with this powder so I'm not too far from the max charge there. However, I then noticed that the Speer manual gives a starting charge of 5.6 grains, so I'm not sure which is best to follow.