BCRules

I have been shooting 240gr semiwadcutters with 10gr of unique out of my 44mag for 15 or more years. Always been dirty, always been smokey. I always thought it was the unique. But I have tried HP-38, and bullseye out of 38special. And still get the smoke and dirt.

Some tell me its the lube on the cast. Not the powder. I never shoot slow powders due to leading, but is it the lube?

Centaur 1

It's the lube, that smoke is the lube being flung from the bullet. Your bullet is probably spinning at around 80,000 rpm's, that's like 8 times faster than a dremmel tool on high speed. If you've ever tried to polish something with the felt wheels with polishing compound, you know how that dremmel will fling the polish from centrufical force. Now speed it up 8 times faster.

BCRules

Thanks, I was considering trying HS-6 with my cast bullets.

I have like 4lbs of Unique left. Takes forever to go thru 8lbs of it. My practice load for jacketed loads is HS-6. And its very clean. I went to a range that didn't like all the dirt and smoke.

Centaur 1

Some ranges really are a pain in the butt. If it's outdoors who cares, and if it's indoors it shouldn't matter as long as they have proper ventilation. If the ventilation isn't adequate to handle the smoke from the lube, then they should be more concerned about lead exposure from primers.

BCRules

It was a range near ft. Meade, md. They catered to agents, and had a sign for "no reloads". So, when they saw my usual smoke, they were sure they were reloads.

No biggie, a few more ranges near work. Just figured I would try that one out.

Briman

Yep, its the lube- it smokes a lot, it splatters, it gets all over, but it doesn't hurt anything. In fact, if your lube is working correctly, you should have a star shaped lube splatter on the muzzle.

SecondChance

I use 2400 and don't have problems with handcast. I use Lee Alox lube and don't seem to have smoke as you speak of, that I notice.