Lots of Smoke With Reloads

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Cactus

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Hi All,

I was testing some reloads yesterday 155gr cast WW tumble lubed wlth Lee Allox and gas checked over 15 grains of 2400 for my SKS and 17 grains for my .303 Brit.

Everything was great but I did notice that the rounds produced a lot of smoke when fired. Anoter guy at the range asked me if I was shooting Black Powder LOL.

The barrels were not leaded at all and the rounds were acurate so I am wondering...

Is the Lee Allox causing the smoke? and if so, is it possible to over lube a bullet? Since these bullets were from my first batch cast, they did have a heavy coat of lube on them.

Will a lighter coat lead my barrels? I cast more yesterday and gave them a light coat, but thought I would ask before I made up the rounds.

Thanks,
Cactus
 
I don't know about that specific lube, but when I started reloading I was getting lots of smoke as well. After some CGN advice I cut down on the amount of case lube I was useing (an leaving in the case) and it went away.

Could be the lube.
 
It's possible it is your lube, or how much you use. It is also possible it is your type of powder or how much of it you use not burning completely. Cast Boolits forum has a lot of info on ways to use Lee Alox by cutting it with mineral spirits to thin it out. Some people claim they're getting better results using it this way. I have just been using it as is, but sparingly.
 
I cracked up reading about the black powder comment. HAHAH... Can't help you here.

I needed 3 light coats of Alox for my 9mm casts and it shoots out nice puff of smoke indoors but hard to tell outdoors. Pretty much zero leading as far as I'm concerned. 1 coat (maybe too thin, i don't know but barrel leaded up so bad, it formed thin tooth picks, hanging inside barrel) The grooves are still shiny after 200rds. If i'm using wrong term, it's the valley part. And a little gritty on the lands but most are still shiney too.

EDIT: I got the it reversed what is dirty. The groves just slighty dirty but still very shiney and throught barrel. Lands pretty much clean.



Cactus said:
Hi All,

I was testing some reloads yesterday 155gr cast WW tumble lubed wlth Lee Allox and gas checked over 15 grains of 2400 for my SKS and 17 grains for my .303 Brit.

Everything was great but I did notice that the rounds produced a lot of smoke when fired. Anoter guy at the range asked me if I was shooting Black Powder LOL.

The barrels were not leaded at all and the rounds were acurate so I am wondering...

Is the Lee Allox causing the smoke? and if so, is it possible to over lube a bullet? Since these bullets were from my first batch cast, they did have a heavy coat of lube on them.

Will a lighter coat lead my barrels? I cast more yesterday and gave them a light coat, but thought I would ask before I made up the rounds.

Thanks,
Cactus
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys,

I didn't see it as an issue, just more of a question of reducing the amount or thinning the lube. I cracked up as well with the black powder comment as well and wanted to share it LOL.

The case lube is a good comment, I wiped down the cases but may not have removed the lube from the case mouths...

What the hell, if nothing else it kept the bugs away!

Cactus
 
Cactus said:
Thanks guys,

I didn't see it as an issue, just more of a question of reducing the amount or thinning the lube. I cracked up as well with the black powder comment as well and wanted to share it LOL.

The case lube is a good comment, I wiped down the cases but may not have removed the lube from the case mouths...

What the hell, if nothing else it kept the bugs away!

Cactus
Click to expand...

Your right, you have no issue, so just keep shooting.
There should be no lube, whatsoever, left on the case when it is fired. On high pressure loads this is a real hazard, because the case will not grip the chamber walls, thus placing much more strain rearward, on the bolt face.
The lubricant on the cast bullets always creates smoke. I used to use a mixture of beef tallow and beeswax and it had a rather nice aroma.
 
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