Dirty .38 spl

[megafatcat]

Tried my first cb loads in my 4" .38 spl. Both 700x and red dot gave out a cloud of smoke, very excessive. What should I switch to to clean up my act? 158gr swc.

[docone31]

I use Blue Dot with good results.

[Frosty Boolit]

I have used bullseye with a little smoke. Accurate #5 seems to be smoke free. Been using 5.3 grains with the #5 and 3.0 grains with the bullseye. Both loads with 158 grain swc with either bevel or flat base.

[cowboy]

Howdy-
Bullseye has always been really smokey and dirty to clean up after for me; tried American Select in .44 special recently- great accuracy, but smokey/ dirty for me>
I do NOT mean unburned powder!
Have used W 231/HP-38 with great results accuracy wise as well as being clean burning. Trail Boss was a pleasing surprise for .38 special ( was well used to using it in .45 Colt loads).
Just my experience!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

What kind of lube you using?

I have also had good times with TrailBoss 3.4 gr with 140 gr boolit . . . 5.5 gr Blue Dot works good in my sp101, but doesn't burn all the powder . . . 5.0 grains does worse accuracy wise, so I just waste some powder!

[jeff423]

If you are using cast bullets in light loads at low velocities you will get a lot of smoke. Although I've heard Trailboss is good for that because it fills more of the case. I've also heard that Vihtavuori powders are cleaner.
I shoot a lot of Bullseye in .38 spec target loads. (148 gr. WC and 2.7 gr of Bullseye) I sometimes wonder why they call it "smokeless" powder.

Jeff

[JMax]

I shoot 3.2 gr Clays/158 gr RN with low smoke and excellent accuracy.

[smith52]

I've had good luck with 3.5gr of Trail Boss. Before I started using TB, I had used Titegroup with good results, can not tell you the charge weight I used right off hand.

[44man]

Some powders do smoke more then others but Alox burns in the bore and makes a lot by itself, it also stinks. Try a better lube to see what happens.

[scrapcan]

44man gave my advice. I would also look at trying a different lube to see if you can reduce the smoke and accumulation of gooey sticky nasty mess.

[Calamity Jake]

What 44 says, change lubes!!!

[sargenv]

A LOT of competition revolver shooters (ICORE) like Accurate Solo 1000. Single based, a bit cooler than the double based Red dot and Bullseye powders and good accuracy. I think my load for my 627 was a 158 LRN with 3.8-4.1 gr of Solo 1000. Federal Small pistol primers and Federal Nickel plated 38 spl cases.

[MtGun44]

LBT blue is great, problem is mostly lube, secondarily powder. I get more smoke
with NRA 50-50 but never enough to care with either one.

Bill