New build running dirty

[brian y]

Well my latest build finally came together even though I am still waiting on the original 24" barrel I ordered back in February , I saw that Alexander Arms had a sale going on and I purchased their 24" barrel kit which came with a matching gas block and a WCI Brake both of which I have used on this build. It runs great and as of now I have taken it out to 800yds and so far so good. The only complaint I have is it runs dirty. I use factory ammo all Hornady and the brass looks like it was run through a suppressed barrel, I was thinking of installing an adjustable gas block to see if that would help, Any other suggestions?, Thanks Brian

[Kswhitetails]

Dirty brass means extra back pressure on extraction. You're running a 24" barrel, it's likely to be a dirty girl forever. An adjustable gas block isn't going to reduce your plug time, which is where your extra chamber pressure comes from. The BCG is opening before the gasses have vented at the muzzle.

Wet tumble is your friend B.

[brian y]

Dirty brass means extra back pressure on extraction. You're running a 24" barrel, it's likely to be a dirty girl forever. An adjustable gas block isn't going to reduce your plug time, which is where your extra chamber pressure comes from. The BCG is opening before the gasses have vented at the muzzle.

Wet tumble is your friend B.

Thanks for the answer it confirms what I thought, I do not reload I sell on and I do not like selling dirty brass, Looks like I will need to buy a tumbler.

[Kswhitetails]

Sell it dirty. You'd have to spend a lot of brass to compensate for the cost of the tumbler at two cents loss per dirty case.

[FRB6.5]

I know there is a video showing effective brass cleaning with just hot water, lemi-shine and Jet-Dry without tumbling. He just put all of it in a large mouth jug and shook it for a bit then rinsed and dried.
I don't recall the amount of chemicals used though. If I can find the video again will add it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZytQONYNvPc

It was Dawn and Lemi-Shine.

[6.5 Grendel Fever]

Here you go Brian,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZytQONYNvPc

As for selling your brass,sell as is pal
@ .25 ea. Great deal .

[Lemonaid]

Dirty brass means extra back pressure on extraction. You're running a 24" barrel, it's likely to be a dirty girl forever. An adjustable gas block isn't going to reduce your plug time, which is where your extra chamber pressure comes from. The BCG is opening before the gasses have vented at the muzzle.

Wet tumble is your friend B.

This is an interesting topic to me and would like to understand the mechanics of it more.
Is the extra carbon fouling on the cases the result of lower pressure and less complete combustion of the powder?
Dose this also mean that the more fowled the cases are, the more carbon will adhere to the bolt and bolt carrier?
Can using faster or slower powders change the amount of fowling? I formed an opinion about CFE 223 being a dirty powder that may be incorrect. It seamed to not foul as much the closer to a max load I got.

One more thing. I noticed in my RAP bolt action when ejecting brass and catching them in my right hand that the cases were barely warm.
Cases from my BCA AR are hot enough to burn if left in the hand for more than a fraction of a second.
It the thermal difference also due to the cases being "bathed" in the gasses from gas tube?

[A5BLASTER]

This is an interesting topic to me and would like to understand the mechanics of it more.
Is the extra carbon fouling on the cases the result of lower pressure and less complete combustion of the powder?
Dose this also mean that the more fowled the cases are, the more carbon will adhere to the bolt and bolt carrier?
Can using faster or slower powders change the amount of fowling? I formed an opinion about CFE 223 being a dirty powder that may be incorrect. It seamed to not foul as much the closer to a max load I got.

One more thing. I noticed in my RAP bolt action when ejecting brass and catching them in my right hand that the cases were barely warm.
Cases from my BCA AR are hot enough to burn if left in the hand for more than a fraction of a second.
It the thermal difference also due to the cases being "bathed" in the gasses from gas tube?

Hot brass from the ar and cold brass from the bolt is the results of operating principles from both actions.

The ar even with the gas dialed down as low as possible is still pulling the brass under some pressure. It's just how the system works.

The bolt doesn't use gas to work so no matter how fast you try to work the bolt all the gas pressure is off the brass before you can try and eject it.

Just how my mind sees it. Could be wrong could be spot on but it's what I belive.

[gwtx]

I noticed a big difference when switching from ArComp to CFE223,,,the CFE is MUCH dirtier running. Does that have something to do with it being a slower burning powder? I don't think you'll have much problem selling your brass, dirty or clean.

[grayfox]

CFE design is copper fouling eraser... but it tends to be a carbon-istic powder residue.
So looks "dirty". I don't think, in its case, that it is a result of incomplete combustion.
I've also noticed that CFE works best when loaded up close to max, however, max may not be an accurate node for your barrel.
Hornady factory loads also seem to leave a lot of carbon on the brass, at least IMO.