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Excess smoke from reloads

Dano12345

Hi all,

I reload 40 S&W on a Dillon Square Deal B. When in a indoor gun range attending shooting training usually once a month, (weekly when just me practicing) the instructor and many students comment about the amount of gun smoke my rounds create.
I use either Unique or Titegroup powder and keep the velocity under 1000 fps (900-950) due to the lead bullets and the lower speed keeps the lead build up in the barrel to a minimum.
Has anyone else experienced excess smoke and have any recommendations?
Appreciate any advise you may have.
Dano
 
Thank you Ringostar and beemanjohn, I suspected as much and purchased some plated bullets. I have not loaded them yet, but will switch immediately.
Dano
 
Definitely the cast bullet lube.

From our local indoor range, which will be a continuing trend across the country.

Why Lead Free?
The reason that we have made a switch to lead free ammo only is because we don't want the range to get closed down again. We would like to be a big part of the firearms community for generations and decades to come! We choose Inceptor Sport Utility Ammo for our range ammunition. It's of course lead free and frangible! even for our pistol calibers!

Inceptor Sport Utility Ammo Benefits
Naturally being Lead Free opens up a whole can of candy worms for benefits. Of course its better for the environment, Preserving America's beauty for future generations is what we're all about. It's also healthier for everyone involved ( the shooters, the employees, the RSO, and the guests watching in the store) Its possible with NON +P ammo for lower recoil, The lighter weight projectiles stabilize within a shorter distance and produce great group sizes with proper technique. The projectile is a Copper and Polymer bonded bullet and upon impact it dissipates into a very fine dust which is what makes it possible for us to offer rifle calibers to our members! Another great thing about Inceptor is that after impact there is nothing to ricochet back towards the shooter, It also causes less damage to the range equipment and won't clog the traps like ball ammunition.
Click to expand...

https://www.inceptorammo.com/
 
AJC said:
In this situation just powder coat your bullets if you're making them yourself
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How much does powder coat change the diameter of the bullet?
Curious, because one thing I do understand is film build thickness.
 
Actually, you have two (2) culprits. First, shooting cast bullets will cause large smoke cloud from mostly the wax coating being vaporized and probably also some lead vaporization. Second, your reloads with Unique, dirtiest powder for pistols, will also create a significant smoke cloud and fireball. Titegroup is a very clean burning powder and the better one to use. Save your lungs and improve your shooting experience by try some coated lead bullets (no vaporizing lead or smoke cloud) and stop using Unique powder.

Bayou Bullets - I have been shooting IDPA with these for a while. Great price and full range of calibers with selection of bullet weights and profiles for each caliber. They run great through my BSquare.
https://www.bayoubullets.net/categories/hi-tek-supercoat-bullets/40-s-w-10mm.html
 
Combo plain/uncoated lead bullets and lube. Go to the plated bullets, you will notice a decline in smoke residue.
 
AJC said:
I don't believe that powder coated bullets release the lead contaminants that uncoated bullets do
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Agreed. The coated bullets (Moly) do not release vaporized lead. It is surprising how well the coating remains on the bullet.

If you decide to reload with a jacketed bullet you will want the copper jacket to either:
(1) Plated bullets (entire surface is coated)
(2) FMJ (covers the entire bullet) or
(3) Partial Jacket usually leave some area of the bullet exposed lead. You want the jacket to wrap from the bottom/base of the bullet going forward, which leaves the exposed lead area at the nose of the bullet ... looks like a false hollow point (Montana Gold bullets are a good example of this). You don't want the jacket to wrap from the nose backwards, because the exposed lead will be the base of the bullet directly in contact with the fire.
 
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As has been mentioned, a big part of it will get better with jacketed bullets but that powder is also part of it, IMHO.
I use to shoot that game indoors and we turned out the lights one night and had a night shoot, indoors. It was an eye opener for me, in more ways than one. I was shooting a fireball about 2 ft long and a foot around! It blinded you and I couldn't see to shoot. My favorite powder became N320. couldn't believe the difference in smoke and how clean it burned, but more importantly...what was a 2+ft long ball of fire became like cigarette ashes. It was amazing!
Since that night, I only shoot low flash ammo in my carry guns. I can't imagine being in my house at night, shots be fired...and be both blinded and deafened in the most stressful situation any of us is ever likely to be in, in our life.
 
gunsandgunsmithing said:
As has been mentioned, a big part of it will get better with jacketed bullets but that powder is also part of it, IMHO.
I use to shoot that game indoors and we turned out the lights one night and had a night shoot, indoors. It was an eye opener for me, in more ways than one. I was shooting a fireball about 2 ft long and a foot around! It blinded you and I couldn't see to shoot. My favorite powder became N320. couldn't believe the difference in smoke and how clean it burned, but more importantly...what was a 2+ft long ball of fire became like cigarette ashes. It was amazing!
Since that night, I only shoot low flash ammo in my carry guns. I can't imagine being in my house at night, shots be fired...and be both blinded and deafened in the most stressful situation any of us is ever likely to be in, in our life.
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So many concealed carry individuals have probably never practiced in the dark/low light conditions. It's similar to being flash blinded by a tactical light. Game changer for sure.

I've wanted a .22 TCM ever since I first shot one, great shooting 1911 platform..... but that fireball! If a low flash powder like N320 etc. is effective on taming the TCM I'd probably reconsider one.
 
1911nut said:
I saw a reduction in smoke when I went to VV N310 in my 45 wad gun- Oregon trail 200 g SWC cast lead
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@1911nut what are your load specs with N310? I have 5K of those bullets sitting on the shelf because two days after I ordered them years ago, the indoor range I was shooting league events at went FMJ only. :( I'm only shooting outdoors now so I might as well use them up.
 
The tightgroup you have is clean an low flash compared to a lot of other powders and cheap with good stock on the shelves. I shoot a lot of Powder coated 115grrn with 3.9 or 4.0 grains of TG out of a glock 17 with storm lake barrel. Nice and clean accurate to at least 15 yards my most common range and very cost effective to load. I also shoot a lot of rmr bullets because they are way more cost effective than the major brands. I spend the big money for long range rifle bullets.
 
Sieg said:
@1911nut what are your load specs with N310? I have 5K of those bullets sitting on the shelf because two days after I ordered them years ago, the indoor range I was shooting league events at went FMJ only. :( I'm only shooting outdoors now so I might as well use them up.
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Sieg,

3.8g VV N310. It’s a well proven bullseye load, 50&25 yds. Most accurate load I found for cast bullets in my wad gun.
Those Oregon Trail bullets lead the barrel Much less than any other cast bullet I’ve tried, but you’ll still get some lead smears. I’ve shot > 5,000 of them, good bullet.
 
That's why I use Plated bullets. I don't like the lead smoke. Makes me feel like I'm in the wild wild west when I shoot a firearm and a ton of smoke comes out.
 
I was shooting homemade cast bullets loaded with Bullseye in my 38 today at an outdoor range and noticed more smoke from my loads than from my shooting partners. I thought it was from the Bullseye.
 
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