Hello, all!

Not my first post but my first question for the group.

After shooting my Kimber 84 .222 Remington for about 20 years with 52gr. Hornady hpbt's and 23.4 of h322 of similar vintage I had the little cutie rebarrled.

Since I was about out of both bullets and powder I bought a new (last year)jug of H322 and some of those new-fangled plastic-tipped bullets (Hornady 50gr. V-Max.)

The barrel broke in without any extreme measures and really doesn't copper-foul at all after about 120 shots, and the accuracy of the V-Maxes is dandy - <1/2", 5 shots, 100yds.

The Problem is that after 20 or so shots the accuracy falls off - and the barrel is LOADED with powder fouling! I'm telling you, it's like cleaning a dirty shotgun, not a .22! After 3 wet patches of Shooter's Choice and a 5 minute soak the next patch comes out pushing a bunch of little black "needles" of powder fouling - and many more patches come out black. Brushing with SC seems to get the rest of it, and the Butch's on patches after drying out the SC brings out no copper, and I can't see any at the muzzle. The accuracy returns to normal.

I can't recall ever having fouling like this appear in the past, but this is my first experience with the new "Extreme" baby-s**t-colored powders from Hodgdon - even in other calibers I've been using old, dark-gray stock.

Can anyone shed any light?

I'm trying N133 next week.

Can't say for sure, but that sounds like incomplete burning, which usually comes from a reduced load which is not developing enough pressure to completely consume all the powder grains. But if you are using the same load you once used, and it is acurate, then it's a mystery. Of course, your new barrel may take a heavier charge, but I haven't used any of the "new" H322, so cannot say if it burns dirtier than the older stuff.

Have you chronoed the "new powder" loads to see if they are gving you the same velocity level as your old loads did?? Of course, a new barrel and new bullets combined could reult in much lower pressures, and consequent dirty burning.

Thanks for your reply; I should have made this more clear initially.

Never chrono'ed the old load, but have the new.

23.5 H322/50gr.V-Max/2.211 OAL(.010 off lands)
3250 FPS @ 10ft. 6X fired, primer pockets will go at least another 2X, maybe more.

Case heads of the same once-fired Winchester white-box brass show .0003 expansion at 23.9gr.

My SWAG - 23.5 gr load between 48-52K CUP.

Not likely a low pressure problem, but good point.

Have you changed primers ?. Powder isn't all of the equation . What is Extreme baby's ?. Colored powder ??. May be a new tracer element requirement ?. I don't know but can inquire .

Different primers are shall we say mixture unique , some work better than others as do brass and projectiles . Change up if it still persist powder would be logical problem .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Have not changed primers - Remington 7 1/2 BR.

"Extreme" is the Hodgdon trademark for their newly-temperature-compensated extruded powders, which miracle is accomplished as I understand it by the application of one or more coatings and perhaps other measures.

Baby s**t is a reference to the color of the new powders.

In a 223, I am running a load of 25 grains of H 322, behind any bullet weight, from 55 grains and under...

Accuracy is fantastic and I am not experiencing the problems that you mention.. and this is in about 8 different bolt action 223s...

I never used the 'old' H 322.. but me and the new H 322 aren't having any problems at all, with accuracy or bore fouling...

but this is in 223s,.. although I don't think that a 222 would be any different..

Thanks for the clarification ; I suspect it's some what like Varget powder then . ( Temp stabilized least wise . )

I see no good reason the powder wouldn't burn completely in the loads your describing . Just a suggestion here . Load another brand or # of powder , if possible close to the same charge recipe in terms of filling the case .

See if that other powder burns better , more completely . Don't sweat the accuracy just see if powder residue goes away .

That should tell you the story as far as coating residue left behind with that new H322 .

I suspect it's a " polymer base " stabilizing coating for heat and deterioration enhancement . Don't know for sure just a guess as I still use the old H322 and see no ill effects from it .
Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Seafire,

Thanks kindly for your reply. I can's see how a .222 would be different either. I'll continue to experiment.

I've always wanted to try N133 in this cartridge so I think a comparison of the fouling will be done at the range next time out.
I think Ill also pour a bore cast when I get the chance. Powder fouling might build up in the corners of the rifling if the bore of the new barrel is a bit oversize compared to the bullet, which would explain my collection of tiny black needles (I can't recall ever seeing those before.)

I shoot H4350 in a few rifles and have allways noticed that the powder fouling was much worse than with Viht etc.

As they're for deer and I don't shoot too much I don't really mind but it was noticeable.

If it is one of the powders that ADI makes for Hodgdon, then I would not be suprised at all about a lot of powder fouling. Some of the powders (AR2209, your H4350, and AR2213SC, your H4831) are notorious for fouling with reduced loads.
I have no experience with H322, but the colouring you describe is a feature of most ADI temperature stabilised powders.

Just a thought.

I doubt the pressure of the load is a problem, it is over Hodgdons listed max and should be high enough to ensure a good burn. I use quite a lot of "extreem" powders in my rifles H4831, H4350, Varget, ect and haven`t seen the problem you are experiancing, although I sometimes feel the fouling is a bit heavier then it should be. That`s speculation though, I can`t measure it to prove it, nor is it bad enough to really worry about IMO.

I have a remington that although the barrel looks good it fouls out completely at 10 rounds. Clean it and it regains it's accuracy. There may be roughness in the barrel that the naked eye cannot see. Just a suggestion.

Hardly any fouling at all with h322 when used in my 30-30. I tried it in my 25-35 just for that reason, but the SD's were too high.