Accurate #2 Powder

ledavatar · September 17, 2006, 05:12 PM

I loaded some 9mm rounds of varying power using Accurate #2 and shot them in my Glock 19, but I noticed after a few rounds that it left little bits of sand colored powder residue lying around in the chamber. Is that normal? It doesn't look like it's good for the gun.

**Mal H** · September 17, 2006, 11:17 PM

When you get sandy residue left in the case/chamber/barrel, it's almost always unburned powder. Some causes are loose or no crimp, too low a powder charge for the caliber/bullet weight, or a weak primer (rare).

AA #2 is a good burning fast powder and usually burns well in the 9mm. Check to see if any of the above factors might be at fault.

Please give us some details of your loads: powder weight, bullet, primer, etc.

**Mike Irwin** · September 18, 2006, 08:59 AM

No matter what powder you use, you're virtually guaranteed of getting some unburned powder residue.

Ausserordeutlich · September 18, 2006, 09:49 AM

I use AA#5 for 9mm and .45ACP reloading. I get a little soot, but not one grain of unburned powder.

meinbruder · September 19, 2006, 11:27 PM

I would like to echo that. .45acp loads are 8grs of AA#5 and 6grs of AA#2 behind a 240gr hard cast SWC from Oregon Trail with a CCI magnum primer. Standard taper crimp from Speer dies. 9mm, .38spl, .357mag, .44spl, and .44mag have all been loaded with the same powder and all showed the same problems, the revolvers got a solid roll crimp. Lots of smoke, okay the lube on the slug is burning, but lots of powder unburned in the guns and all over the bench in front of the shooting position on the line. I finally decided the powder was the problem and have switch over to WW231. Guess what? No unburned powder and a lot less smoke.

AA might meter like salt in a progressive loader but I don’t plan to use it again.
YMMV
Mike

ledavatar · September 20, 2006, 03:42 PM

Now that I think about it, it's probably the weak loads doing this. I was experimenting with various loads that would be on the verge of cycling/not cycling the slide on a stock Glock 19. I will try some medium powdered loads (4.0gr Acc #2 on 115gr TMJ) by themselves and see how it does.

September 17, 2006, 05:12 PM	#1
ledavatar Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2006 Posts: 147	Accurate #2 Powder I loaded some 9mm rounds of varying power using Accurate #2 and shot them in my Glock 19, but I noticed after a few rounds that it left little bits of sand colored powder residue lying around in the chamber. Is that normal? It doesn't look like it's good for the gun.

September 18, 2006, 08:59 AM	#3
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	No matter what powder you use, you're virtually guaranteed of getting some unburned powder residue. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 17, 2006, 11:17 PM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	When you get sandy residue left in the case/chamber/barrel, it's almost always unburned powder. Some causes are loose or no crimp, too low a powder charge for the caliber/bullet weight, or a weak primer (rare). AA #2 is a good burning fast powder and usually burns well in the 9mm. Check to see if any of the above factors might be at fault. Please give us some details of your loads: powder weight, bullet, primer, etc.

September 18, 2006, 09:49 AM	#4
Ausserordeutlich Junior member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 996	I use AA#5 for 9mm and .45ACP reloading. I get a little soot, but not one grain of unburned powder.

September 19, 2006, 11:27 PM	#5
meinbruder Junior Member Join Date: September 19, 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon. Posts: 3	RE--Accurate #2 Powder I would like to echo that. .45acp loads are 8grs of AA#5 and 6grs of AA#2 behind a 240gr hard cast SWC from Oregon Trail with a CCI magnum primer. Standard taper crimp from Speer dies. 9mm, .38spl, .357mag, .44spl, and .44mag have all been loaded with the same powder and all showed the same problems, the revolvers got a solid roll crimp. Lots of smoke, okay the lube on the slug is burning, but lots of powder unburned in the guns and all over the bench in front of the shooting position on the line. I finally decided the powder was the problem and have switch over to WW231. Guess what? No unburned powder and a lot less smoke. AA might meter like salt in a progressive loader but I don’t plan to use it again. YMMV Mike

September 20, 2006, 03:42 PM	#6
ledavatar Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2006 Posts: 147	Now that I think about it, it's probably the weak loads doing this. I was experimenting with various loads that would be on the verge of cycling/not cycling the slide on a stock Glock 19. I will try some medium powdered loads (4.0gr Acc #2 on 115gr TMJ) by themselves and see how it does.