4895 in .358 Win?

[JDL]

I have been using 4895 in my .358 pushing 35-200FN since 1986, first Hodgdon and now surplus. Settled on 40.5 grains in my bolt rifle but, found 37 grains to be the load in my BLR T/D. When shooting my BLR, I see a lot of unburned kernels left in the bore and some is being deposited in the action. Now for the question: Do you think it's possible for the partially burned zombies to get into the gear system of the BLR and cause it to jump a tooth and create a costly headache? Thanks for your response.

[NSB]

It looks to me like you’re way too light in your powder charge by weight. I suspect you’re not getting a good burn with that charge. Have you run any of those loads across a chronograph? I’m not one to usually shoot max loads, I usually end up somewhere near the middle. I don’t think you’re even close to that. I don’t think you’ll have a problem with the gun, your “zombies” will stay in the barrel till the next shot pushes them out

[sharps4590]

^^^ Yes.

The BLR is like a rack and pinion, isn't it? I don't see how it could jump the track.

[1hole]

It looks to me like you’re way too light in your powder charge by weight. I suspect you’re not getting a good burn with that charge.

Me too. The only times I've found unburned powder left in a barrel was when the charge was to light OR the powder burn rate was too slow.

One thing you can be sure of is the lands may be stripped off a too hot cast boolit reload but they won't be skipped over just one notch. (And stripped boolits will literally lead plate a barrel.)

[JDL]

Over the chronograph 8 averaged 1794 fps, which is about all I want where I hunt, as my maximum range is less than 75 yards. My M.70 with it's longer barrel runs them at 1858 fps.

[JDL]

The whole thing may be a nonissue. Several years ago, my caliper was lying on the bench and I spilled some very fine grain ball powder on it. I thought I got all of it off but, when using next it skipped badly, so I had it recalibrated. The gears on the BLR are much larger and ball powder is much harder than the zombies.

[Kosh75287]

Since the BLR feeds from a box magazine, I'm guessing you may not crimp the bullets. Ordinarily, there'd be no reason to. But I wonder if applying a slight roll crimp to the case mouth might improve burning enough to reduce the un-burned grains you observe. I don't know enough about the .358 Win. to know if the dies are made so that a crimp may be applied, but if yes, it's the first place I'D start.
I understand the hesitation to alter a load that already works well, but if applying crimp cannot be accomplished, perhaps an increase in powder charge by a few tenths of a grain might improve the burn, without changing much else. A 0.4 gr. increase in charge would amount to slightly over 1% change, from which I'd EXPECT very little change in its suitability for your BLR. However, that ~1% bump might elevate pressures just enough to more fully combust the propellant.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

The older steel receiver BLR's seem to handle dirt and grit much better than the aluminum receivers. I don't think the powder grains will physically hurt the rifle, but they might interfere with smooth operation, maybe causing a jam. A spray can of some lubricant should wash the gunk out. Don't run the aluminum receiver models dry, they can just 'lock up' even when worked without any cartridges in them. I don't consider my BLR's real field or backcountry rifles, poor triggers and need to be wet with lube, leave them for stand hunters that ride to their stands in ATV's. I've got five of them, kept hoping for better but each newer one was worse than the last. They are nice and shiny to show off at the range, like carry a couple mirrors in the woods. Sent a jamming .325 BLR back to Browning because it would not run dry, even empty, I guess they sprayed with lube and called it good, degreased it and it locked up again, spraying with lube freed it. I don't trust them to hunt in Wyoming, the wind blows the grit - the aluminum BLR doesn't work.