Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Cleaner powder?

I am reloading for my son's Model 742 Remington. It is chambered in 30-06. I am familiar with all of the inherint shortcomings of this rifle, but it is the one he wants to shoot. One of the major problems is that the brass comes out of the rifle so dirty, even after cleaning the rifle after every 15-20 rounds. I have been using imr 4320. I was wondering if there was a cleaner powder that might help out this problem. Thanx Harold

IMR 4064 & IMR 4895 are considered perfect for the M1 Garand for burning rate (consuming the powder and giving the right port pressure). They should be the most efficient - I would give it a try in a M742 and see how it burns - should do as well in your Remington as it does in the Garand.

Another consideration assuming you can get some, is to try the Vihtavouri powders that are in the same burn range as the IMRs 4064 and 4895. The N100 series are extremely clean burning and very consistent.

N135 is nearly identical in burn rate as IMR 4895 (slightly slower) and is slightly faster than IMR 4320. N135 falls in-between those two.

N135 might just be ticket for you to burn cleaner in that rifle.

Semi-autos have always seemed to allow soot/gas to move back in the chamber and cause the brass and chamber to be a mess. My opinion is it is just the nature of the beast. I don`t think you`ll see too much improvement with another powder as far as dirt.

Auto loaders open the action while powder is still burning. Not a lot can be done to keep it clean other than using 4895.

Thank you all for responding. I have some imr4064 and 4895. Can't hurt anything to try them. That failing, I will have to go find some n135. Thanx again Harold

Are you loading light or reduced loads?

richard

No, I have been running around 2750-2850 with a 165 Nosler Partition. In my reloading books that is towards the upper end. Thanx Harold

You might try a faster powder, if you have one.

richard