Guys, I have been using Hodgson powders in my 44mag and 300UM for some time. Simply because they have alot of load data easily obtainable and IMR doesn't for the 300UM. But I notice I have alot of black residue come out of my barrel compared to factory loads when cleaning with the Hodgson powder. I am thinking about changing over to IMR. Do you guys see any difference with the different powders as far as burning cleaner. Its kinda a bad time to do it since I have been working on loads with H1000 for some time.

Black residue is likely carbon fouling and is the easiest kind of fouling to clean out. If you like the load results you're getting, I'd stick with what works and just clean a bit more often.

Go to a little faster burning powder, that expands the case faster and stops the blowback..I would try RL-22.

Also, uping the charge can stop this..The problem with very slow powders such as H414, H1000 RL22 4831 is in some barrels the book max loads are not max and you need to have the skills in reloading to deal with this..

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I think it depends on which Hodgdon powder you are talking about. The newer formulations (such as Varget and Benchmark) are really clean. Older ball powders, such as 335 and 332....... Well, they keep the powder solvent guys in business.

If you like clean burning, I think Big Boy (now Magnum) from Ramshot would be to your liking. I have started burning their TAC in my PPC, and I clean about one fourth as much as with 335. Magnum burn rate is supposed to be about RL25. See http://ramshot.com/. for loading data on the 300 UM. HTH,Dutch.

I have had the worse luck with H1000 in my 7STW, velocities suck when I run the chronoy, nowhere near published