Unburnt powder in .45-70 CB loads fired

[badge176]

Racing to find a decent load (outta my NEF HandiRifle- for deer season) with the Lyman PB HP and Accurate Arms 5774. Load is lower end of spectrum- can't recall off the top; but barrel ends up with complete recognizable grains of powder in barrel... I'm thinking I can increase the crimp (LEE FCDie) and add a filler? COW or toilet paper square? Used to load IMR3031 under SJHP Sierra HP and I don't recall unburnt grains...

Decent groups and Beauty of a 'lube star' at muzzle with not a touch of leading... Should I even care?!

[Dan Cash]

If it works, don't fix it. Unburned propellant grains are not always a bad thing.

[btroj]

Don't look downthe barrel and it will never bother you again

[jed]

Every time I use 5744 in any cast bullet load I get unburned grains. Doesn't effect accuracy.

[badge176]

Thank you to all who have responded; it has lifted the fog of "unburned powder paranoia" from my shooting pleasure.

[softpoint]

I use a lot of 5744 in various 45/70 loads, and sometimes I think you could reload another cartridge out of a 20 round box with the unburned granules. Barrel looks like it is full of mouse droppings. And dump some out of the fired cases, too.. I have no Idea why it performs as well as it does, but it is a good powder for lots of cast bullet applications.:coffeecom

[Doc Highwall]

As the others have said, don't worry about it.

Look for accuracy at the velocity you want and if there is no leading issues or first round fliers you have your go to load.

[TJF1]

I use 4759 with rd 350 rf in our 45/70 5 of them
have had good luck and no leading in any of
the rifles
terry

[softpoint]

I use 4759 with rd 350 rf in our 45/70 5 of them
have had good luck and no leading in any of
the rifles
terry
4759 is much like 5744, both leave some kernels in the bore. Both are good powders, though .4759 probably leaves less .

[XTR]

This makes me think maybe I'll revisit my 3031 experiments. I quit trying it because of all of the unburned powder I saw.

[cephas53]

Yep, also find an accumulation of it in my barrel. But dang it works so well. Increasing crimp may help a bit but at the lower loads there'll still be some there. Running 20 some grains behind the Lee 405 gr at around 1300 fps.

[smokeywolf]

5744 is notorious for leaving unburned granules behind. It's also well known for good and predictable accuracy. The granules left in your barrel are innocuous, a poorly placed shot is not. Although I use more 3031, I also favor 4198 and 5744.

smokeywolf

[TAMU74]

I load 300gr, 350gr, and 405gr, all with 5744 and on the advice of my mentor in all things reloading I switched over to magnium primers and I have noticed a marked reduction in unburned powder regardless of the bullet weight or amount of powder.

[Dthunter]

Sounds like good advice is being given already. The only thing I may add is that if you are shooting a single shot rifle, you may be able to seat the bullet slightly into the lands to boost ignition pressures. This can give a cleaner burn at times. And almost always increases the accuracy and standard deviation of a load.

I hope this info was helpful in some way.

[Ragnarok]

I've noticed that quite a few 'factory' loads in big-bore chamberings leave un-digested powder in the bore. Sometimes it seems to be peculier to one specific production lot of ammo...and the next batch is clean.

'Ultramax' .45-70 cowboy loads are a dirty load...leaving a bunch of loose powder up and down the bore.

[GH1]

I have the same problem with my Handi so I wrote Accurate and here was the response I received:



Unburned powder granules are the result of incomplete combustion usually caused by low pressures. It is not uncommon with 5744, and does not decrease performance. You can increase the powder charge if you want to up the pressure. You will want to check with H&R and see what max pressure they rate their firearms at.



Best Regards
Scott Ziebarth

Ramshot.Accurate.Powders
WesternPowdersInc.Miles City.Montana.

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITES BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.westernpowders.com

www.ramshot.com
www.accuratepowder.com

www.montanaxtreme.com
www.blackhorn209.com

I hope that helps.
GH1

[Ragnarok]

The thing I don't like about unburned powder is that sometimes it leaves dents in the brass if a round gets fired with loose powder-chunks floating around in the chamber....

[Jim]

Try a light load of 7383. That'll put dents in ya' brass big as the ones in the tailgate of my truck.

[nhrifle]

I used to load my 45 govt with 5744 and I got the same results as everyone above with the unburned powder, but I found a way to fix it.

540 grain, paper patched bullet seated over a lube cookie which is seated on a card wad which is seated on 68 grains of CTG Goex black powder. No more unburned powder in the barrel and way more fun to shoot!

[d garfield]

I shoot the 45-70 and use 4759, I use 25grns. and up but I crimp all of my cases and have very little un burnt powder.

[DLCTEX]

+1 0n 4759. I load it behind Lee 350fb, RD 460-340, and RD 460-420 o 1600 fps and have little unburned powder.