Smoke Trail ???
 

I was at the range today with a buddy and he was shooting off my led sled and shooting well for the most part decent groups at 50 yd’s.

Then close to his 3 or 4th shoot a smoke trail came out of the gun and nearly went all the way to the target, the gun sounded slightly different. He gave me this weird look and I started laughing… anyway I told him to clean the gun out well (which we have been doing between each shot before this happened)

He shot again and it sounded fine no smoke trail but his accuracy started to deteriorate from nice groups to wider patterns (but still on the paper)

Anyone know what could have happened here? I suspect that not all of the charge ignited but not really sure. He was using a White Arms 50 cal M/L with a CCI 209, 2 pellets of either pyrodex or 777, and not sure what type of sabot and lead he had in at the time but we eventually found the sabot and what we think was the undamaged hollow point.

It was comical in the least… it looked like a tracer round coming out of there.(that much smoke but no glowing red)

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

I would suspect he might have forgot to load a projectile. And what you saw was the old flaming pellet trick. When they are not compressed, they will blow out of the barrel on fire. And while they travel down range, they actually keep burning leaving a cool smoke trail.

This is of course just a guess of what might have happened. Was there a hole in the target from a projectile hitting it that time?

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

I don’t think there was a hole, I am pretty sure he did place a projectile in the barrel though. He was tapping the pellets with the ram rod just before, you know throwing it down the barrel (what pellets don’t need) I eventually told him that ;) thanks

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

I watched a person dry hole his rifle twice in a row. Both times heswore he had powder in the rifle. Any distraction can make you overlook one process and believe me, I say this from experience.

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

Have to agree 100% with both statements.

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

L. Clement

I had the same experiance once with an old Traditions sidehammer... you are not suppose to shoot pellets from the side hammer... but I had a bunch of clean shot pellets and I wanted to try em... Cleanshot pellets were terrible did not know it at the time... Any pulled the trigger got a so-so bang and a fiiiiiiizt and smoke trail towards the target... the bullet hit way low on the target but i think I got one pellet to go off and the other one just burned all the way out the barrel and towards the target...

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

That happened to me last week when I shot my FL, I loaded it with 100g of Goex and all the Goex didn't burn. Dropped the load to 80g and things were fine after that. I am guessing the following:

1) you put 3 pellets in it and the 3rd didn't burn
2) there was some moisture on oneof the pellets and it didn't burn in the barrel
3)one of the things Cayugad or SL said

My suggestion is to lower the charge. Chap Gleason

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

At the range once about 10 or so years ago I amazed a few friends with my Zuave when I packed some Criscoin the hollow of the mini bullet & fired it.
Made a pretty neat smoke trail twords the target too.

But on a serious note more than likely it will be one of the suggested scenerios that Cayugad or SL mentioned....

RE: Smoke Trail ???
 

Thanks for all of the information; I will forward that on so we know what to watch for from this point.

Yeah, sounds like not all of the powder ignited it could have been all of those possibilities previously mentioned.

Thanks again.