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Sooty cases...

McDAccountantMcDAccountant Member Posts: 466 ✭✭
edited November 2011 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Worked up a 30-06 load for this hunting season using H4895, 130gr. Barnes TTSX, and Winchester brass. I made two sets for testing...one with WLR primers (what I've always used in my 8 months of reloading) and the other with Federal 210 primers (this is the first time I've used Federal).

Went and did a little shooting this morning. The loads with the WLR primers were extremely sooty after firing, the ones with the Federal 210 primers were very clean.

I also noticed that the ones with the Federal 210 primers grouped somewhat better than the ones with the WLR primer. The 210s grouped around an 1" at 100 yards while the WLR groups were typically almost twice that size (1.75"-2").

My questions are: 1) will a difference in primer make that much difference in how "clean" the round fires?; 2) will a difference in primer make that much of a difference in grouping?

BTW, I was quite pleased with the grouping of the Federal 210 primer and the TTSX bullet...may tweak how much its seated off the lands to see if there's any improvement but I think I've found my deer load for this season.
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The joys of reloading! I think the answer to both your questions is yes. So is the soot on the inside or outside of your case? Part of difference could be in storage conditions before you got them. I try and buy at least 1k or 5k at a time to get the same lot. Some loads seem to shoot well in lots of different rifles. The best loads are usually unique to each rifle. My one failure to load ammo better than the factory stuff occured with a 700 Varmint Special in 223 Rem. I tried every primer, most powders and bullets along with 3 different dies on 2 or three presses. The rifle always shot better with their ammo so I gave it to a friend who didn't mind buying factory ammo. Keep good notes.
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    Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,202 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Soot below the shoulder of a fired case usually means one thing: a very low-pressure load. If this was loaded with the book Start charge (as I assume) then your sooty problem should go away as you work the load up. You can safely ignore it.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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    navc130navc130 Member Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, different primers can cause the conditions you describe. A "slower" primer (shorter flame, lower temperature) will inite the powder slower = longer pressure increase = longer time for the case to expand and seal the chamber = gas flowing back around the case (soot) before the case fully expands and seals the chamber. The difference in the pressure rise will affect the initial burn rate of the powder which probably affects the harmonics (vibrations) of the barrel causing different accuracy relative to another reload using different components.
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    McDAccountantMcDAccountant Member Posts: 466 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you for the info gentlemen!!!

    #1- charliemeyer007, soot was all over the outside of the case.

    #2- Rocky, not a start load but a lower pressure load, for sure.

    #3- navc130, excellent explanation of what is happening.

    This is what I love about this board, you learn something new everyday and I'm all about learning as much as I can when it comes to reloading.
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    Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,202 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Keep learning; you'll get there. I've only been reloading for 54 years, and I still am!
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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    NavybatNavybat Member Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Man, I've been loading for all of 8 months, and my learning curve has been almost straight vertical! I'm VERY pleased with my results, but I'm learning so much every time I go to the range with new ammo...
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    McDAccountantMcDAccountant Member Posts: 466 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Navybat
    Man, I've been loading for all of 8 months, and my learning curve has been almost straight vertical! I'm VERY pleased with my results, but I'm learning so much every time I go to the range with new ammo...


    Agreed! And I've noticed, the more I learn (here and other places), the better my loads become, and the better the results are at the range...

    I'm really excited about the upcoming deer season...can't wait to get my first deer with ammo I've loaded...
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    NavybatNavybat Member Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by McDAccountant
    quote:Originally posted by Navybat
    Man, I've been loading for all of 8 months, and my learning curve has been almost straight vertical! I'm VERY pleased with my results, but I'm learning so much every time I go to the range with new ammo...


    Agreed! And I've noticed, the more I learn (here and other places), the better my loads become, and the better the results are at the range...

    I'm really excited about the upcoming deer season...can't wait to get my first deer with ammo I've loaded...


    And the better the results at the range, the more I want to shoot!
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