I've been shooting some milsurp ammo that produces quite a fireball at the muzzle. My moderate handloads with H4350 and H380 don't belch fire at all which is fine with me but I'm wondering why the milsurp does. Would it be a faster burning or slower burning powder causing this?

Thunderbolt,
I have read many people see exactly what you see. They get a kick out of it. A good question though.

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I would think that the producer didn't have actcess to flash retartent powder or didn't use them. Or maybe didn't use them on purpose knowing the sale wasn't a mil contract.

I agree with p dog shooter about the flash retardant. I used 55.0 grains of IMR4350 there was no flash, but when I used 49.0(max) grains of H335(with 125grn FMJ bullets) it's belching fireball 2 ft in diameter.

One of the outfits that sell milsurp sells a new Chinese powder that he says gives an impressive muzzle flash. It was a rifle powder, but I don't remember the number.

Haven't used it in quite awhile, but BLC2 used to create quite a flash in my 22" .308 barrel when approaching max loads. It was impressive at dusk.

All part of the socialist statagy.
The soldiers are expendable, and the flash draws fire from the expensive equiptment.