Very dirty powder. Crimp problem.

AL45 · January 26, 2013, 07:03 PM

Shot some .45 Colt today using 255 swc's and Blue Dot. Crimped with a Lee Factory Crimp Die and used a moderate crimp. Primer was CCI 300. Shot 100 rounds and gun and hands were very dirty. Perhaps not enough Crimp?

243winxb · January 26, 2013, 07:38 PM

How much powder are you loading? Looks like 11.0 gr to start with a maximum of 12.9 gr. The powder needs pressure to burn correctly. Lighter loads would be dirty.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 26, 2013, 07:55 PM

Swithc to Trail Boss your problem will be solved. Note it will not get you super high velcoity. It will get you consistent velocities, and it is the cleanest handgun powder you will ever use.

Pathfinder45 · January 26, 2013, 11:12 PM

I've been reloading the 45 Colt since 1976. Some powders are cleaner burning than others. I won't use Blue Dot again in my 45 Colts. It probably will burn a lot cleaner at pressures more appropriate to a 44 magnum.

AL45 · January 26, 2013, 11:32 PM

I was using 14 grains of Blue Dot. Don't remember where I got the recipe, but I have used it before and don't remember it being that dirty. I have used Trail Boss with good results. The cleanest powder I have used so far was 22 grains of H110 with a 300 grain jacket soft point with a Winchester primer and a heavy crimp. Inside of brass was relatively clean. These loads were fired from a Ruger Blackhawk and may not be safe in other guns. Recoil was not uncomfortable with either load.

testuser · January 26, 2013, 11:59 PM

I tried Blue Dot in .45 Colt when I first started reloading. Pressures were so low that blowback was a significant problem, along with a lot of carbon from unburned powder. (I starting working with the .44 at the same time and found it much easier to work up moderate loads.)

Blue Dot needs higher pressures to burn consistently. Maybe that's the problem?

Pathfinder45 · January 27, 2013, 01:53 AM

14 grains was the same load I used. Now About H-110 and Win. 296: These two powders are the same and will give you the most you can get out of a Ruger-Only 45 Colt. I have used them but don't prefer them. They need to be loaded at very near maximum or problems are likely to occur. Always use a real magnum primer with those powders. I had hangfires with W-296 and Winchester primers while CCI-350 primers fired up the otherwise identical load just fine. I like Winchester Large Pistol primers but feel it's not the best as a magnum primer regardless of what the package says. I like IMR-4227 better than H-110 for heavy loads because the charge can be varied more than H-110 without affecting ignition,.... It's just more forgiving. Even better, though, I like AA-9 for heavy loads. It takes me as far as I want to go. I can shoot those hot H-110 loads better than my buddy does but after two cylinders full my hands sting. And if I keep at it I will establish a flinch that I don't need. Performance-wise, AA-9 Is in the same class as 2400. However, My experience with 2400 was limited to 240 grain XTP-Mag bullets that, though accurate, produced very notable muzzle flash from my Vaquero's 4-5/8" barrel. AA-9 burns cleaner and without the muzzle flash. In rifle length barrels you can expect to gain only about 100fps over a revolver with fast burning powders like Red Dot or Trail Boss. Unique will likely give around 175 fps gain; HS-7 closer to 200fps gain; AA-9 perhaps 250fps gain; while IMR-4227 and H-110/W-296 will give around 300fps gain in a rifle. For Magnum primers I like CCI and Federal. These days there are shortages so sometimes it's good to know what makes a good substitute if you can't get the prefered component. Like W-231/HP-38: I've burned at least a couple of pounds or so all in 45 Colt, and it's real good stuff, clean burning and all. But I don't buy it anymore because I prefer Titegroup on the faster side and Unique on the other side and somebody gave me several pounds of what looks like and loads like Bullseye plus some Green Dot... And I just don't need to buy W-231 anymore. But it's excellent in it's class.

January 26, 2013, 07:03 PM	#1
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 761	Very dirty powder. Crimp problem. Shot some .45 Colt today using 255 swc's and Blue Dot. Crimped with a Lee Factory Crimp Die and used a moderate crimp. Primer was CCI 300. Shot 100 rounds and gun and hands were very dirty. Perhaps not enough Crimp?

January 26, 2013, 07:55 PM	#3
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Swithc to Trail Boss your problem will be solved. Note it will not get you super high velcoity. It will get you consistent velocities, and it is the cleanest handgun powder you will ever use. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 26, 2013, 11:12 PM	#4
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	What's your recipe? I've been reloading the 45 Colt since 1976. Some powders are cleaner burning than others. I won't use Blue Dot again in my 45 Colts. It probably will burn a lot cleaner at pressures more appropriate to a 44 magnum.

January 27, 2013, 01:53 AM	#7
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Lose the Blue Dot..... 14 grains was the same load I used. Now About H-110 and Win. 296: These two powders are the same and will give you the most you can get out of a Ruger-Only 45 Colt. I have used them but don't prefer them. They need to be loaded at very near maximum or problems are likely to occur. Always use a real magnum primer with those powders. I had hangfires with W-296 and Winchester primers while CCI-350 primers fired up the otherwise identical load just fine. I like Winchester Large Pistol primers but feel it's not the best as a magnum primer regardless of what the package says. I like IMR-4227 better than H-110 for heavy loads because the charge can be varied more than H-110 without affecting ignition,.... It's just more forgiving. Even better, though, I like AA-9 for heavy loads. It takes me as far as I want to go. I can shoot those hot H-110 loads better than my buddy does but after two cylinders full my hands sting. And if I keep at it I will establish a flinch that I don't need. Performance-wise, AA-9 Is in the same class as 2400. However, My experience with 2400 was limited to 240 grain XTP-Mag bullets that, though accurate, produced very notable muzzle flash from my Vaquero's 4-5/8" barrel. AA-9 burns cleaner and without the muzzle flash. In rifle length barrels you can expect to gain only about 100fps over a revolver with fast burning powders like Red Dot or Trail Boss. Unique will likely give around 175 fps gain; HS-7 closer to 200fps gain; AA-9 perhaps 250fps gain; while IMR-4227 and H-110/W-296 will give around 300fps gain in a rifle. For Magnum primers I like CCI and Federal. These days there are shortages so sometimes it's good to know what makes a good substitute if you can't get the prefered component. Like W-231/HP-38: I've burned at least a couple of pounds or so all in 45 Colt, and it's real good stuff, clean burning and all. But I don't buy it anymore because I prefer Titegroup on the faster side and Unique on the other side and somebody gave me several pounds of what looks like and loads like Bullseye plus some Green Dot... And I just don't need to buy W-231 anymore. But it's excellent in it's class.

January 26, 2013, 07:38 PM	#2
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	How much powder are you loading? Looks like 11.0 gr to start with a maximum of 12.9 gr. The powder needs pressure to burn correctly. Lighter loads would be dirty.

January 26, 2013, 11:32 PM	#5
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 761	I was using 14 grains of Blue Dot. Don't remember where I got the recipe, but I have used it before and don't remember it being that dirty. I have used Trail Boss with good results. The cleanest powder I have used so far was 22 grains of H110 with a 300 grain jacket soft point with a Winchester primer and a heavy crimp. Inside of brass was relatively clean. These loads were fired from a Ruger Blackhawk and may not be safe in other guns. Recoil was not uncomfortable with either load.

January 26, 2013, 11:59 PM	#6
testuser Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2010 Posts: 495	I tried Blue Dot in .45 Colt when I first started reloading. Pressures were so low that blowback was a significant problem, along with a lot of carbon from unburned powder. (I starting working with the .44 at the same time and found it much easier to work up moderate loads.) Blue Dot needs higher pressures to burn consistently. Maybe that's the problem?