Powder question--does this look normal

Armory » Reloading

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Powder question--does this look normal

Posted: 5/23/2011 3:42:43 PM EDT

I don't think so (or maybe I haven't paid attention). From an unopened 8lb white jug of surplus Re-15 I bought at Camp Perry on '07.

Posted: 5/23/2011 3:59:44 PM EDT

[#1]

It looks like it has WC844 mixed in or something.

Posted: 5/23/2011 4:01:09 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:

It looks like it has WC844 mixed in or something.

If I'm lucky. I'm seeing that in every slug that goes through the funnel.

Posted: 5/23/2011 6:42:12 PM EDT

[#3]

Not Normal.

Posted: 5/23/2011 6:53:25 PM EDT

[#4]

I would not use that powder. When it was salvaged, someone mixed two different lots by accident.

B

Posted: 5/23/2011 6:58:08 PM EDT

[#5]

Looks very odd to me, but I don't know squat about surplus powder. Can you contact the source?

Posted: 5/23/2011 7:02:18 PM EDT

[#6]

No ball powder mixed in.

Sorry, you have 2 kinds of powder in that jug.

Posted: 5/23/2011 7:09:58 PM EDT

[#7]

ETA: Slower to my camera than dryflash!

Posted: 5/23/2011 7:20:54 PM EDT

[#8]

When you say unopened, do you mean unopened by you or was the cap still sealed?

That is not normal. In fact it makes the short extruded powder in there suspect. It might not be RL-15 in addition to whatever ball powder is mixed in.

You said you bought it in '07 at camp Perry? If so you can't really take it back to anyone to try to do anything. I would dump it in the flower bed and not even try to use it. If you have loaded any rounds I would pull the bullets and dump the powder.

Jim

Posted: 5/24/2011 12:23:36 AM EDT

[#9]

i think i heard somewhere once that some military loads are a mix of two different powders to get the exact performance that they're looking for. The hugemongous commerical manufacturers that produce on contract for the US government might have some kind of setup that drops two different powders into a case at the same time or consistently blends the two powders.

Theoretically you may be able to work up a safe load with that stuff if you could keep the two powders mixed consistently but i cant think of a method that would work reliably.

that being said, i would bet your face skin, eyeballs, and fingers on the fact that theres no way that you are going to be able to throw that powder through a powder measure and into a case with any level of consistency where the ball powder doesnt settle down to the bottom of the hopper and leave the stick powder on top. You wont have any way to keep the mix consistent during the loading process.

i say messing with that stuff will give you a 70% chance of personal injury or damage to your firearm. I would toss it and buy new stuff. Powder is still cheaper than plastic surgery.

Posted: 5/24/2011 5:43:11 AM EDT

[#10]

mix of ball and stick powder is a bad sign.

For safety sake dont load it.

Pour into a pile. Insert lit match. Enjoy.

Posted: 5/24/2011 6:03:50 AM EDT

[#11]

wow!

Posted: 5/24/2011 6:06:24 AM EDT

[#12]

When I reload I always play it safe, and that pegs my something not being right meter. I'd fertilize some plants with it, and not worry about blowing off my fingers or face.

Posted: 5/24/2011 6:49:07 AM EDT

[#13]

I'll play the devil's advocate here. If you can remember the source @ Camp Perry I would try to contact them before doing anything. They may have become aware of the defect after the fact and may offer you a credit or refund.

The only hope you have of salavaging any of this powder would be to sieve 100% the ball powder from the mix. Having completely removed ALL of the ball powder you will have to start low and work up using a chronograph to establish working loads with what may not RE-15. Just because it looks like RE-15 doesn't guarantee that it is.

Did an individual sell this to you or one of the vendors on commercial row? Most vendors wouldn't touch this stuff! If you have a cancelled check you may be able to look them up.

Posted: 5/24/2011 1:38:57 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
i think i heard somewhere once that some military loads are a mix of two different powders to get the exact performance that they're looking for. The hugemongous commerical manufacturers that produce on contract for the US government might have some kind of setup that drops two different powders into a case at the same time or consistently blends the two powders.

Theoretically you may be able to work up a safe load with that stuff if you could keep the two powders mixed consistently but i cant think of a method that would work reliably.

that being said, i would bet your face skin, eyeballs, and fingers on the fact that theres no way that you are going to be able to throw that powder through a powder measure and into a case with any level of consistency where the ball powder doesnt settle down to the bottom of the hopper and leave the stick powder on top. You wont have any way to keep the mix consistent during the loading process.

i say messing with that stuff will give you a 70% chance of personal injury or damage to your firearm. I would toss it and buy new stuff. Powder is still cheaper than plastic surgery.

Only problem with this is that the ball powder(s?) would settle at the bottom and the stick powder(s?) would be left at the top. Basically what you started out with (mixed powders) would likely end up as only one powder. Sounds like a Kaboom waiting to happen.

Posted: 5/24/2011 3:03:50 PM EDT

[#15]

You are thinking of a duplex load. It isn't a mix of powders especially 2 very different powders like a stick and a ball. They have very different burn rates and should not be combined.

Here is a good reason to not do it.

Jim

Posted: 5/24/2011 3:18:47 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

You are thinking of a duplex load. It isn't a mix of powders especially 2 very different powders like a stick and a ball. They have very different burn rates and should not be combined.

Here is a good reason to not do it.

Jim

thanks for the link

Posted: 5/24/2011 3:20:42 PM EDT

[#17]

Unopened by me. It's surplus––>white jug and no seal.

I'll be spreading it on the lawn this weekend.

Quoted:

When you say unopened, do you mean unopened by you or was the cap still sealed?

That is not normal. In fact it makes the short extruded powder in there suspect. It might not be RL-15 in addition to whatever ball powder is mixed in.

You said you bought it in '07 at camp Perry? If so you can't really take it back to anyone to try to do anything. I would dump it in the flower bed and not even try to use it. If you have loaded any rounds I would pull the bullets and dump the powder.

Jim

Posted: 5/29/2011 4:29:42 PM EDT

[#18]

Of all the surplus .mil rounds I have pulled down, not one has had 2 different powders in it. Like you already said make it fertilizer

Posted: 5/29/2011 5:06:20 PM EDT

[#19]

Hell no. Throw that away.

Posted: 5/29/2011 5:11:01 PM EDT

[#20]

Yeah...I would not be using that.

Posted: 5/29/2011 9:51:06 PM EDT

[#21]

Pepperbelly,

Thanks for that link.

Aloha, Mark

Posted: 5/30/2011 6:39:02 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Not Normal.

Don't shoot it.

Posted: 5/30/2011 7:58:06 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Of all the surplus .mil rounds I have pulled down, not one has had 2 different powders in it. Like you already said make it fertilizer

This. I've NEVER seen that before. Throw it away.

Posted: 6/5/2011 12:59:31 AM EDT

[#24]

Congrats.........................................

You now have the perfect plant food for your lemon tree.
Had to do that with 1 kg of N120 which smelt off.

Posted: 6/5/2011 7:18:05 AM EDT

[#25]

Bummer...I would be a little "let down" after opening it... consider your self lucky you did notice it, I could have "blindly" poured it into the powder measure .... only noticeing after loading a few dozen...

I'd try to contact the seller, see if you could work out a deal. Was this bought during the "Powder Shortage" ?

Posted: 6/5/2011 7:25:55 AM EDT

[#26]

Make the strawberries grow like crazy or make a cool fireball.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Powder question--does this look normal

Armory » Reloading

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us