What causes smoke from reloads?

[WEATHERBY460]

Just reloaded some H1000 at 76 grains behind a Berger 200.20x in a Nosler once fired case. I had some smoke after the shot leaving the barrel. It was a cross between white and blue smoke.

I did use some automotive degreaser when I cleaned the cases with a little on a rag. Could that have caused it?

Any idea what I have going on?

 

[FearNoWind]

Can't speak to the automotive degreaser (except that I'd never use it in my rifles) but you can get a lot of smoke when there's more powder in the load than can be burned before the bullet leaves the muzzle.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

Smokeless is not smokeless ! Oil in bore from cleaning, too much of a slow powder for barrel length...on and on ..

 

[243winxb]

Slow powders at starting/midrange loads may not burn the powder correctly. Use a magnum primer. Have good neck tension, with the bullets shank in full contact with the neck area. In big magnum, the neck has to expand on firing to seal. If it doesnt, pressure*, smoke, and soot may do this. Case shoulder cave in - The Firing Line Forums

Sorry about the bold print. Dont know why.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have seen this many times upon opening the bolt to eject a case, a small puff of smoke exits the muzzle, means absolutely nothing.
Just as smoke is present in shotgun barrels after firing.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[SansSouci]

Just reloaded some H1000 at 76 grains behind a Berger 200.20x in a Nosler once fired case. I had some smoke after the shot leaving the barrel. It was a cross between white and blue smoke.

I did use some automotive degreaser when I cleaned the cases with a little on a rag. Could that have caused it?

Any idea what I have going on?

Don't quote me here because I'm going off of knowledge I've learned in the 80's. Hopefully, there's a professional firefighter here who can get it right if I get it wrong. Smoke is the product of incomplete combustion.

Especially with hand loads (more so with handguns), at least for me, there is always a tiny amount of smoke leaving my rifles' barrels. It doesn't bother me.