[jamesallen]

Hi.
After I shoot my 9mm gen2 Sub2000, I have been noticing that there are these little black flakes that seem to have landed all over everything. They are tiny but you can see at least the larger pieces in the attached picture on the white spaces, and they are also all over my soft case as well.
I was wondering, does anyone know what causes this, and if it is a problem I should be worried about? The gun, by the way, shoots with no problems or misfires or malfunctions whatsoever of any kind, and I'm using factory Blazer Brass.

 

[jamesallen]

All long shots but here goes...

With no scale to work with I have to ask. Can it be unburned flake powder?

Or were you shooting lead bullets previously? Could it be lead or coating coming off the bore?

I suppose it could be unburned powder? But then I wonder, how did so much of it escape like that? That doesn't happen with any other gun I have...
If by lead you mean non-jacketed bullets, no, I have never shot anything but jacketed factory ammo out of this Sub2000...

 

[jamesallen]

Are they plastic flakes or fabric. Without a bit more context, it could be from the inside of your rifle case?

I don't think so, because I have never noticed these flakes at any time except right after I shoot, and they're on top of the closed case at that point. And I have never seen them when not shooting, like when I take the sub2000 out of the case to clean it or to look at it and admire it, or whatever. I have only noticed it two times now, right after shooting..

 

[jamesallen]

A close up pic would help.

A long shot but do you have a rubber bumper in there? Bolt tube cover"

Yes, it is hard to get a good picture on a cellphone when the flakes are so tiny. Next week when I go back to the range, I'll see if I can get a better picture (if this happens again).
I have not made any modifications at all to this Sub2000 or added anything. So there is no bolt tube cover or charging handle cover or anything, except for an M-lok sling mount, and that's it...

 

[jamesallen]

Are the flakes imbeded in the target o just sticking to it? What about the environment? Are you indoors? How about the material lining your booth? You say the flakes are laying on case, how about the celing? Do you use the case as a support while shooting? Could the backstop material be getting erupted into the air by the bullets and floating around?

Yes, I am shooting indoors. I haven't noticed if the flakes are anywhere else but below where the gun sits while I shoot. I don't use the case as a support. I hold the Sub2000 by hand, and these flakes appear basically under where the gun is being held when I shoot.
I don't think it would be material from the backstop, since the backstop is 25 yards away, and especially considering that the range I go to brags on their website that they have a super high-tech custom designed ventilation system that blows all particles and matter downrange. If that is material from the backstop, then that ventilation system would definitely need some adjustment..

 

[jamesallen]

I strongly suspect unburned powder residue is what you are seeing. Shoot some other ammo types and observe again. I expect different ammo will produce different results.

And, IMO, Blazer Brass is a perfectly adequate ammo. Unburned powder is most likely just a result of blowback action in the Sub 2000. A heavier charging handle from MCARBO or the brass bolt extension offered by KelTec will add weight which should result in a more complete burn.

It is very likely your other 9mm's have fancier actions which will dump artifacts out the muzzle instead of the ejection port.

These are great ideas, thanks. I think I will first see what happens with different ammo. I bet it will have a different result...

 

[jamesallen]

I strongly doubt that it's the firearm itself. But to rest easy, clean the barrel and peer down it. My bet is that it will be shiny like a mirror with the rifling easily seen. If it was from the rifle itself where else could it come from but the bore? You'd also see other issues if the bore was coming apart or flaking in some way.

I still think it's powder. Who knows what they were using for powder when that stuff was loaded? Not so long ago everyone was seeing shortages and who knows what they used? Many years ago (50ish?) I saw similar flakes coming from my 9mm reloads out of a handgun but I can't definitely remember the precise circumstances. That was many years ago before I had the means to quantify anything and I flew by the seat of my pants. In my case they might have been compressed loads using PB powder (long out of production) when I was foolish enough to try to "magnumize" the 9mm.

I recently read data for the 300BLK where adding more powder resulted in lower velocities. Clearly the powder wasn't being ignited. My bet is that something put on the ground in front of the bench would see the exact same flakes as what you have.

Dred gave you a good idea. Get the heavy bolt weight from KT. It won't screw anything up at all even with light loads and should give more time for full combustion. I have one in mine and put thousands of butterfly fart loads through it and if anything would produce malfunctions with that heavy weight in place my competition loads would have done so. Nothing to lose except a few $ and everything to gain. To you the shooter you won't notice any significant difference in the operation of the rifle, maybe a hair less recoil.

The idea that it is powder makes a large amount of sense. The barrel is clean and shiny like you predicted. At first I thought it was some kind of lead flakes from something, but the idea that it is powder makes a lot more sense. I will try different ammo and see what that does...