Soot streaked cases. Normal for Unique or more crimp needed?

[Ziptar]

This week end I ran through my first 50 reloads of 45 Colt. They were 7.3 grains of Unique (Lee Red 052 Dipper) with 250 grain RNFP cast.

They shot well but, on each half of the outside of the case is got a pretty wide soot streak.

Is this normal for Unique or should I be trying for a tighter crimp?

http://www.ziptar.com/reloading/sooty_45_colt.jpg

[btroj]

Well, in other chambers I might say yes but 45 Colt firearms are notorious for huge chambers. Until you get to pretty decent pressures you are going to have to live with the blow back sooting of the cases. A quick trip thru the tumbler cleans it off so I just ignore it.
My Ruger and Marlin both are very good at doing exactly what you show. not a problem at all in my opinion.

[chuebner]

Hey,

Those are my 45LC cases!!!

Perfectly normal for Unique.

charlie

[timkelley]

I have a bunch just like them. Don't worry they will clean.:-):-)

[Heavy lead]

Unique will do this unless you get a little pressure, which you don't have with that load, which maybe a good thing if the .45 is a Colt or clone.

[Ziptar]

Thanks! At least I can rest easy. I was worried I was doing it wrong.

I did shoot them in a Marlin, and it does have a big ol' chamber but, factory ammo didn't have such big streaks.

The cases in question just got a bath in Lemishine, when they are dry they'll get tumbled.

I'm going to try the next batch with next larger dipper 9.2 grains, I imagine I'll see less soot. Powder measure is coming this week too.

[lbaize3]

Some Cowboy Action shooters anneal the case mouths of their 45 colt brass. This makes the brass softer and it will expand to seal the chamber. I just put up with the burnt powder. However, you can use Universal Clays near the max for the Colt or reproduction single actions and the cases will be much cleaner.

[Rocky Raab]

It's not the powder but the pressure - and it is almost endemic with the 45 Colt at standard load levels. There simply isn't enough pressure there to seal the brass to the chamber tightly enough to prevent some gas blowby. "Generously cut" chambers don't help any, but it is mainly a matter of low peak pressure.

Ignore it - every other 45 Colt shooter does!

[429421Cowboy]

I upped my .44 magnum loads from 9.0 to 9.5 grains of Unique and greatly cut down on the blowback. I believe that the reason alot of people damn Unique is because they don't quite get it up to the pressure it needs to seal the cases. Fine more for me! That has to be just a sweet shooting load in any .45 though.

[Slainte]

My .45 Colt cases loaded with 6.3 gr W 231 behind a 255 gr boolit look similar.
Clean 'em in the tumbler.

44-40 with 6.3 gr W 231 behind a 215 gr boolit are clean & shiny

[Kraschenbirn]

I get the same thing with 9.5 gr of Herco and 210 RNFPs in my .44 Mag 1894 Marlin. Nice, comfortable, accurate load but totally grungy cases. Shooting the same load in my OM Vaquero gets the same thing, just not as bad. Nothing I can't live with and cases come squeaky clean in tumbler. I wouldn't worry about it.

Bill

[popper]

You said Marlin, so I assume rifle. I use Unique in light loads for 30-30, with the same problem. I've heard of NOT eliminating the flare (no crimp) to reduce this problem. It works and I think increases accuracy. You must check neck tension and chamber fit, not a problem with the 30-30 long neck.

[smkummer]

Your soot should go away with the 9.2 grain dipper. Somewhere around 8 grains unique/250 grain bullet is about minimum to do away with soot. Remember to weigh the charge as if memory serves, it is putting out less. I use to use those dippers also but have since gone to the Lee pro 1000 for 45 Colt as I am shooting alot in that caliber. The disks do not throw the amount of stated unique and are thowing a lighter charge. Another trick I was doing was to only neck size the cases, but that only worked if they were fired in the same gun.

[Bula]

My 45colts soot cases on anything less than 8.5g of Unique. I've been meaning to try some W231 for the lower end stuff....