shotshell residue

smarty · September 18, 2012, 07:31 AM

Can anybody out there tell me why i am getting residue (unburnt) powder
in the barrels after Ive shot my reloaded 12g cartridges?

eastbank · September 18, 2012, 09:23 AM

you will get alittle residue with any shell,what powder are you useing,what primer,wad and last what shot weight? i load a lot of 17.5grs red dot with claybuster wads a federal 209 primer and 1-1/8 oz #7.5 and its pretty clean. eastbank.

BigJimP · September 18, 2012, 11:21 AM

It's just part of the physics of powder burning ...and some burn cleaner than others ...some are faster burning than others...maybe its a combination of the primer and powder you're using ...extreme weather can also be an issue ( if its really cold especially because it can affect the ignition)...

Hodgdon Clays ...in a 12ga is one of the cleaner powders.....but powder debris left in the barrel is not a big deal...the next wad/shot charge down the barrel ...takes most of it out the muzzle.../ and most of us clean our guns after every range trip anyway...

Edward429451 · September 18, 2012, 01:45 PM

Sometimes it helps if you list the load, or at least the powder since the question is about powder residue...

Pistolgripshotty · September 20, 2012, 05:07 AM

What shotgun are you shooting?

smarty · September 20, 2012, 12:28 PM

Thanks for all the responses. The shotgun I'm using is a Beretta 687 sporting.

340 Weatherby · September 23, 2012, 12:26 AM

My Son whines about cleaning his 687 also. I told him to give it back to me.
John Moses Browning makes a lot smoother finished Barrel in my observation. But they are not chrome lined like the Beretta's either.

drail · September 24, 2012, 09:21 AM

What you may be seeing is plastic fouling from the wad. They pretty much all do that.

BigJimP · September 24, 2012, 11:20 AM

What shotgun you're shooting has little, if anything, to do with it ...except maybe barrel length ....but most any modern shotshell...completely burns its powder well within the first 15" of barrel length or so...based on what I've read.

Some powders just seem to leave a lot of unburnt powder behind...like Hodgdon Universal in a 20ga ...standard 7/8 oz load at 1200 fps ( I load about 15.5gr ) in that load...but Universal is a little slower than some and for that volume of powder its a little dirtier than most....but in a 28ga - Hodgdon Universal is relatively clean...and I load 13.8gr...in that recipe...behind 3/4oz at 1200 fps...( not a huge difference - but in the 28ga, it seems to burn more completely )....

olddrum1 · October 3, 2012, 06:36 PM

No, not without knowing what your reload is. Its kind of a guessing game. Give us a clue.

September 18, 2012, 07:31 AM	#1
smarty Junior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: Manchester England Posts: 6	shotshell residue Can anybody out there tell me why i am getting residue (unburnt) powder in the barrels after Ive shot my reloaded 12g cartridges?

September 20, 2012, 05:07 AM	#5
Pistolgripshotty Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Somewhere out there Posts: 184	What shotgun are you shooting? __________________ *12 Gauge Fury!*

September 24, 2012, 11:20 AM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	What shotgun you're shooting has little, if anything, to do with it ...except maybe barrel length ....but most any modern shotshell...completely burns its powder well within the first 15" of barrel length or so...based on what I've read. Some powders just seem to leave a lot of unburnt powder behind...like Hodgdon Universal in a 20ga ...standard 7/8 oz load at 1200 fps ( I load about 15.5gr ) in that load...but Universal is a little slower than some and for that volume of powder its a little dirtier than most....but in a 28ga - Hodgdon Universal is relatively clean...and I load 13.8gr...in that recipe...behind 3/4oz at 1200 fps...( not a huge difference - but in the 28ga, it seems to burn more completely ).... Last edited by BigJimP; September 24, 2012 at 11:27 AM.

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September 18, 2012, 09:23 AM	#2
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,450	you will get alittle residue with any shell,what powder are you useing,what primer,wad and last what shot weight? i load a lot of 17.5grs red dot with claybuster wads a federal 209 primer and 1-1/8 oz #7.5 and its pretty clean. eastbank.

September 18, 2012, 11:21 AM	#3
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	It's just part of the physics of powder burning ...and some burn cleaner than others ...some are faster burning than others...maybe its a combination of the primer and powder you're using ...extreme weather can also be an issue ( if its really cold especially because it can affect the ignition)... Hodgdon Clays ...in a 12ga is one of the cleaner powders.....but powder debris left in the barrel is not a big deal...the next wad/shot charge down the barrel ...takes most of it out the muzzle.../ and most of us clean our guns after every range trip anyway...

September 18, 2012, 01:45 PM	#4
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Sometimes it helps if you list the load, or at least the powder since the question is about powder residue...

September 20, 2012, 12:28 PM	#6
smarty Junior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: Manchester England Posts: 6	Thanks for all the responses. The shotgun I'm using is a Beretta 687 sporting.

September 23, 2012, 12:26 AM	#7
340 Weatherby Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2012 Posts: 139	My Son whines about cleaning his 687 also. I told him to give it back to me. John Moses Browning makes a lot smoother finished Barrel in my observation. But they are not chrome lined like the Beretta's either.

September 24, 2012, 09:21 AM	#8
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	What you may be seeing is plastic fouling from the wad. They pretty much all do that.

October 3, 2012, 06:36 PM	#10
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	No, not without knowing what your reload is. Its kind of a guessing game. Give us a clue.