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The first 100 I shot did not look as bad as this batch. Same load, same bullets, same primers, same gun....

I loaded my 45s with 4.7 gr of titegroup and a 200gr jacketed bullet. The chart on hogdon says 4.8 to 5.4. Shooting from a XD45 4inch barrel. every 50 rounds I check the powder and make sure its still throwing the same amount. It has been right every time. This is a lee disk powder measure on a lee turret press.

about 1/3 of the case looks like its burnt. I can rub some of the burn off but the brass is still discolored. Am I doing something wrong? Any Advice?

When it is all sooty like that, it is usually because the powder load is too light. A too light load burns dirty. Also, under normal firing pressures a case expands to fill the firing chamber. If the pressure is too low, the case doesn't fully expand and you get combustion gases back on the outside of the case like that.

Increase your powder charge. Work up until you are getting clean cases (but still under maximum, of couse).

Jumping Frog wrote:When it is all sooty like that, it is usually because the powder load is too light. A too light load burns dirty. Also, under normal firing pressures a case expands to fill the firing chamber. If the pressure is too low, the case doesn't fully expand and you get combustion gases back on the outside of the case like that.

Increase your powder charge. Work up until you are getting clean cases (but still under maximum, of couse).

That's one more thing that I didn't know, thanks. I've apparently been practicing a false economy with too light loads.

I was hoping that someone had an answer for that! I was wondering, tho - does the number of times a case has been used have anything to do with it? As you shoot the same case multiple times, does the case wall get thinner? If so, would that lower the pressure even a little or prevent the case from expanding as well as a fresh case? I thought that might explain why he didn't get the same results on his first shoot. He didn't say whether he used the same brass or not

The soot will clean off in a case tumbler they will come out looking better than new.

O6nop wrote:I was hoping that someone had an answer for that! I was wondering, tho - does the number of times a case has been used have anything to do with it? As you shoot the same case multiple times, does the case wall get thinner? If so, would that lower the pressure even a little or prevent the case from expanding as well as a fresh case? I thought that might explain why he didn't get the same results on his first shoot. He didn't say whether he used the same brass or not

I don't know the answer to your questions but I do know that if you'll tumble them in corn cob media with a capful of auto polish for five hours, they'll hurt your eyes when you finally remember to turn off the tumbler.

I use range pickup cases for 45 acp. Some people try to down load to extreme and their cases look like I fished them out of a campfire pit (but tumbling with first walnut and then corn cob media cleans them right up). I have cases used to the point that I can barely make out the headstamp. As long as no cracks or dings after sizing, I use them.

Consistancy of case dimensions is much more critical for rifle ammo. Straight wall pistol (particularly 45 acp) is fairly forgiving of variation unless you are loading ammo for extreme accuracy work like bullseye or bianchi cup.

Not to minimize some of the responses about cleaning the brass, I think the OP is concerned more about the efficiency of his reloads. I agree that there is no problem removing the residue, but what can be done to not leave it in the first place? I'm going to give Jumping Frog's advice a try.

Actually, I see the same result using Titegroup in .45ACP or 9mm, but not in 44 mag. My solution? I no longer use Titegroup in .45ACP or 9mm. Its nothing to worry about but I prefer powders that don't do that, so I use green dot for .45ACP and power pistol for 9mm.

ghostrider wrote:Actually, I see the same result using Titegroup in .45ACP or 9mm, but not in 44 mag. My solution? I no longer use Titegroup in .45ACP or 9mm. Its nothing to worry about but I prefer powders that don't do that, so I use green dot for .45ACP and power pistol for 9mm.

Share your recipe for the .45 w/ Green Dot? I have a couple pounds and need to work some loads for 185gr moly bullets. tia

Thanks to everyone that posted. I am going to load a few with the next higher disk and see what happens. I am new to reloading and wanted to stay at the low end to be safe. Sounds like I am just under charging them. if its just dirt on the shells and I am not hurting my guns then I will not worry about it much. Its not worth killing my XD and soon to be 1911(s) to save a few bucks on ammo!

Share your recipe for the .45 w/ Green Dot?

sure, but I've just moved and everything is still in boxes.

tubular031 wrote:Thanks to everyone that posted. I am going to load a few with the next higher disk and see what happens. I am new to reloading and wanted to stay at the low end to be safe.

Definitely give that a try. I had the darndest time getting my AutoDisk to throw the correct starting load, so I went to the next higher setting which was 0.1 grain higher than Lyman's starting load, but works like a charm, and is consistent. I'll load my next batch a little higher, too, because my cases are a little sootier than I'd like. I'm using HP-38, but I don't have my book handy to look at my exact load.

ghostrider wrote:

Share your recipe for the .45 w/ Green Dot?

sure, but I've just moved and everything is still in boxes.

here's a little bit of something for everybody http://www.handloads.org/loaddata/default.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;