Getting some powder in the face while shooting reloads

[chickenfried]

Shot 300 rounds of my reloads today. Sometimes I'd feel flakes of powder hitting my face. I'm using a minimum load for the .45 acp 7.8 grains of AA#5 with a 230 grain fmj 1.265 OAL crimp .471. Besides the powder blow by(correct term?) reloads have been reliable. What should I change?

[f4tweet]

I have had the same results with AA-5 whether using reduced loads or max with 45. The loads have been accurate but dirty. There were also a lot of powder particles in the barrel. I do not know why this powder is produced. I was given 3/4 of a pound, and would never use it again. My .02

[Beelzy]

Nothing, that is quite normal.

[Hans Gruber]

I'm pretty sure that this happens a lot with minimal loads in low volume cartridges (case less filled with powder). Essentially not enough pressure is building and the powder in unevenly distributed in the case at the time of firing. You end up not burning all of the powder or it's otherwise uneven.

You can try moving up your load a bit into the midrange to see if it still happens, or try a "fluffier" powder. Unique is quite fluffy I've found

[Jonathan Doe]

I loaded 4.8 grains of 231 and had no problems.

[cassius]

change your powder to a grain. Had similar trouble with both 700x and Unique, wound up with 296 and 231. That or reduce your charge. Or grin and bear it.

[Adonlude]

From what I have read if you use too light a load there won't be enough pressure to expand the brass against the inside of the barrel to create a seal. Bad seal = gas escaping backwards.