What do you make of these?

[Willie Miss 45]

13 of the 15 45 colt loads I shot out of my 1894 have a dot on their side just below the bullet base. Any thoughts based on experience?

[Sedalia Dave]

Is the dot just discoloration or is there also deformation of the brass?

 

Did someone drill a hole in the barrel in that area of the chamber for a scope mount?

[El Sobrante Kid]

Has this ever happened before with this rifle, or is this something new?

[watab kid]

i was also thinking a drilled hole for a sight mount .......

[El Sobrante Kid]

Serious question; if it is a tapped hole for a scope or sight, why would soot only deposit at that location and not appear anywhere near the case mouth? There should not be an alternative direct path from the front of the chamber to a possible mounting hole, at least I don't think there should be.

[Willie Miss 45]

3 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Is the dot just discoloration or is there also deformation of the brass?

 

Did someone drill a hole in the barrel in that area of the chamber for a scope mount?

Idk. I didn’t see anything obvious. I tossed them in my recycle jar. I will have a look

[Willie Miss 45]

3 hours ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

Has this ever happened before with this rifle, or is this something new?

Never before. It is a different load than I typically shoot

[Willie Miss 45]

2 hours ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

Serious question; if it is a tapped hole for a scope or sight, why would soot only deposit at that location and not appear anywhere near the case mouth? There should not be an alternative direct path from the front of the chamber to a possible mounting hole, at least I don't think there should be.

No drilling has been done

[watab kid]

interesting , i have no clue beyond that - seems a concentration of escaped gases , but there are a ;lot of things one can read into a photo without being correct 

[Willie Miss 45]

3 hours ago, watab kid said:

interesting , i have no clue beyond that - seems a concentration of escaped gases , but there are a ;lot of things one can read into a photo without being correct 

I think you’re close. These 45 colts were loaded with 3.5 grains of Trail Boss under a 200 grain bullet. That’s a full 2 grains below minimum.  I was trying to tame the rifle a bit for my grandson and as it turned out he was able to shoot 5 grains just fine. That’s the load I have shot for many years. 
The 3.5s shot accurately and consistently with no recoil but after a dozen or so (there were 15) the rifle started having feeding issues. I did notice while playing back the video that the rifle was smoking like a black powder gun.
Not something I will ever repeat. 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Trail Boss was notorious for being inconsistent if loaded low.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Up the charge....

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

I'd clean the rifle's chamber even though you may be going back to the 5.0 grain load.  Since the "spot" shows in somewhat  the same area, there may be fouling that has hardened in that part of the chamber!  Combustion gas probably has blown-by the case and left deposits of fouling or unburned powder.  Scrub the chamber area with a new .45 cal bronze brush and good bore cleaner.  good luck, GJ

 

PS - very few people have success with Trail Boss below the published minimum charge!

Edited July 7 by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

I'd clean the rifle's chamber even though you may be going back to the 5.0 grain load.  Since the "spot" shows in somewhat  the same area, there may be fouling that has hardened in that part of the chamber!  Combustion gas probably has blown-by the case and left deposits of fouling or unburned powder.  Scrub the chamber area with a new .45 cal bronze brush and good bore cleaner.  good luck, GJ

 

PS - very few people have success with Trail Boss below the published minimum charge!

Never load below published minimum charge! 

[Eyesa Horg]

7 hours ago, Willie Miss 45 said:

Idk. I didn’t see anything obvious. I tossed them in my recycle jar. I will have a look

Why toss em? 

[Willie Miss 45]

Just now, Eyesa Horg said:

Why toss em? 

The brass is missing off of them and the spot feels rough. I have tons of brass and don’t want to risk scratching my sizer die

[Griff]

2 minutes ago, Willie Miss 45 said:

The brass is missing off of them and the spot feels rough. I have tons of brass and don’t want to risk scratching my sizer die

Clean the brass and inspect with a magnifying glass.  If you feel roughness it might just be a hard fouling deposit, OR, you may see a tiny hole when you inspect them very closely.  

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Nah.  Not worth the effort nor time.  If you have a pile of 45 Colt brass just dump 'em inna recycle.  If they have been fired more than once, they are well amortized.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

That brass can be used after cleaning.

Use a .50 cal brass brush to clean the chamber.

[watab kid]

17 hours ago, Willie Miss 45 said:

I think you’re close. These 45 colts were loaded with 3.5 grains of Trail Boss under a 200 grain bullet. That’s a full 2 grains below minimum.  I was trying to tame the rifle a bit for my grandson and as it turned out he was able to shoot 5 grains just fine. That’s the load I have shot for many years. 
The 3.5s shot accurately and consistently with no recoil but after a dozen or so (there were 15) the rifle started having feeding issues. I did notice while playing back the video that the rifle was smoking like a black powder gun.
Not something I will ever repeat. 

ive got a bunch to pull down myself , about half have no powder - 5 squibbs last match ,