Help with W231

[The Cod Father]

I have been using Win 231 for a while as it is a good load for my IPSC gun . It seems to like 4.9 gr with a 230 gr LSWC Lyman cast

On Staurday past I was at the line as usual and touched off my first 2 shots and suddenly I was in a cloud and thought I was using BP ( well not quite that bad) as everything went a bit hazy. This went on all morning ,all my loads were really smoky . This has never happened before with this powder, it is usually very clean and clear

Can anyone shed light on what is going on with this powder ,it is a couple years old as I bought a couple at the same time but I and about 1/3 the way through it the other canisters were just fine and Sat was the first time I have seen this .

Thanks

TCF

[C A Plater]

Might not be the powder. Did you change bullet lubes? I've noticed some can make some really impressive smoke clouds.

[Shepherd2]

I wonder if heat and humidity have anything to do with it. I was testing some .38spl loads Saturday and when I was done I switched to some SWCs loaded with 231. They produced a surprising amount of smoke for 231 I thought. The lube was Lyman's Orange Magic which they advertise as low smoke. The temperature was in the low 90s and humidity was up there.

I was working an IDPA match a couple years ago on a hot day. Around here heat and humidity go hand in hand. One of the shooters just about disappeared in a cloud of smoke. I asked what powder he was using and he said Win. 231. I asked if he was using cast boolets but he said he was using copper plated so there wasn't any lube to contribute to the smoke.

[Scrounger]

Check powder weight if you have any of the rounds left, A very light load of 231 might cause that phenomenon. Bad primers also a possibility.

[felix]

It very well could be that everyone who has that same lot will have this trouble sooner (too much smoke) or later. Go ahead and use it up as a preference to permit shelf space for a newer lot of either the same number or a different one within the same speed range. ... felix

[Scrounger]

Another thought on this subject: It was a pretty hot day, right? Possibly the ammo got too hot and the lube melted, ran down and contaminated the powder and/or primer.

[David R]

When I get done shooting my 45 colt revolver with 231, my gun and hands are REALLY dirty. I switched powders because of it. Doesn't seem as bad in the 38.