Which are among cleanest burning powders?

[Naphtali]

I have 480 Rugers and 475 Linebaughs. I am working on a .50-caliber revolver. Barrel lengths are 4.75 and 6.0 inches. I will be buying powder within the next 45 days, so this is a good time to find out which powders burn with least residue for these cartridges. I have two load groups about which to ask, modest plinker/practice loads and wrist breakers. Since all powders I identify will yield acceptable performance, I am only interested in clean burning.

For plinking and practice with 340-grain .476-inch LBT bullets @ less than 900 fps, my choices, I believe, are limited to: Alliant Blue Dot; Hodgdon's LONGSHOT, Titegroup, and Trail Boss.

For wrist breaking with 400- and 420-grain .476-inch (cast and jacketed) bullets @ best safe muzzle velocity, my choices, I believe, are limited to: Alliant 2400; Hodgdon LIL'GUN, H110, and H4227; Winchester 296; and IMR 4227.

I know zip about other powders that might be satisfactory.

Parenthetically, does clean burning also yield less muzzle flash? This is not an issue; I'm curious.

[felix]

The cleanest burning powders that are guaranteed cleanest by brand are those of the V-V brand from Finland. Other powders are just as clean, but that would depend on formulation from the different vendors. Why do you want clean above and beyond performance on a per load basis, especially when loads are used in a revolter? Muzzle flash depends on formulation only. The defunct Alcan powders of years ago were the best in that regard. ... felix

[missionary5155]

I have liked the Accurate Brand... I cannot say I have done a comparitive test to many powders but #5 and #7 sure burn clean in my 41 mag revolver loads. 40 S&W, 45 ACP also.
The rifle powders always performed well .

[44man]

For heavy loads, stay with two. 296 and H110.
For lighter loads, add HS-6 to your list.

[dubber123]

From your list, Titegroup for plinkers, and for max loads, H-110/296. Be aware that Trailboss leaves a residue on cases and in bores. I believe it to attract moisture much like BP.

[targetshootr]

Who's doing the work on the 50 cal? I use Universal from 38 to 454 as a clean version of Unique.

[Lloyd Smale]

in my opinion if your shooting cast bullets, looking for a powder that is clean burning is kind of silly. Nothing is going to keep your gun clean shooting cast. The lube makes much more of a mess then any powder does. Look for a powder that gives the best accuracy and pick up an extra bottle of cleaning solvent.

[sneared]

I've found Lil' Gun to be extremely clean burning in my 44 mag and 475 linebaugh. It appear to have a slightly faster burning rate than 296 or H110. In my linebaugh, it produces outstanding accuracy. With heavy bullets, it produces only slightly lower velocities than 296 and H110.

[ole 5 hole group]

For the 500JRH (440 HC) I found both H110 & IMR 4227 to be clean burning with velocities between 1,020fps and 1,462fps using rifle primers (Fed 210M & CCI-BR2).

[Lloyd Smale]

for loads around a 1000fps hs6 is hard to beat in the linebaughs. If you want less try some unique or if you want clean power pistol.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Who's doing the work on the 50 cal? I use Universal from 38 to 454 as a clean version of Unique.


these are repackaged ADI powders from Australia, they are amongst the cleanest burning powders I have ever used.

Remember 452AA? Boy that was a good powder, but you looked like Casey Jones after a couple hundred shots :D

[NoDakJak]

I have replaced Unique as the powder of choice in most of my pistol cartridges with PB. It has the same approximate burn rate but measures much better and is possibly the cleanest burning powder that I have ever used. Neil

[looseprojectile]

I have been casting Ranch Dog .432 265 GC boolits for myself and a couple of friends.
One of these guys has been loading them with twenty grains of H 110. He is getting outstanding accuracy in the .44 Magnum.
The surprising thing is when shot in a Ruger carbine, absoloutely NO residue NO fouling not a speck. Looks as though the bore has just been cleaned.
I size the boolits in the Lee .432 die to seat the check and apply a very thin coat of LLA. Got to admit, I do give the pile of boolits a shot or two of Oneshot case lube to ease sizing. Heat with a heat gun to accelerate the drying and when dry add a coat of paste wax. Heat em again. I do this in batches of a hundred and it takes longer to tell it than do it. I type slow though.
I have been shooting my castings for more than fifty years and this process is by far the bigest, singlemost improvment I have discovered, if you want clean.
Ranch Dog has got it right regarding boolit design.
The load might have to be adjusted for your gun for accuracy but you will get a clean bore and action, guaranteed.
Life is good