It came from some 175 SMK FGMM. It measured 43.3gn. It's shorter than Varget and a bit darker, like pencil graphite, instead of the greenish hue. Maybe XBR?
Can anyone ID this powder?
- Thread starter Iggy
- Start date
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...137#Post1970137
XBR is at the bottom of the post
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...137#Post1970137
XBR is at the bottom of the post
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
can't say for sure, but Re-15 is likely. Shorter grain, darker than Varget.
Also, if it is from factory loaded FGMM, they have access to powders that we do not. So it might be Re-15 "like" and have a completely different burn profile. Though if my memory is correct, I have read that Federal uses "non-canister grade" RE-15. I am not sure what that means other than they get different stuff.
Despite this I have also seen it posted that they use H4895.
There are plenty of posts here that talk about duplicating FGMM loads. The consensus seems to be use Re-15, 4895 or Varget, adjust to proper chrony FPS and set to FGMM OAL.
hope that helps,
madd0c
can't say for sure, but Re-15 is likely. Shorter grain, darker than Varget.
Also, if it is from factory loaded FGMM, they have access to powders that we do not. So it might be Re-15 "like" and have a completely different burn profile. Though if my memory is correct, I have read that Federal uses "non-canister grade" RE-15. I am not sure what that means other than they get different stuff.
Despite this I have also seen it posted that they use H4895.
There are plenty of posts here that talk about duplicating FGMM loads. The consensus seems to be use Re-15, 4895 or Varget, adjust to proper chrony FPS and set to FGMM OAL.
hope that helps,
madd0c
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
It's never a good idea to try and figure out what powder they use. But I can tell you it's NOT H4895, Varget, XBR, or one of the Hodgdon extreme powders. It could be IMR4895 or R-15. IMR 4895 is going to be longer than R-15, so it's hard to tell in the picture the length of the kernels. But FGMM uses several different varieties of powders. The best option is to work up a load in YOUR rifle that shoots well. I've never understood why someone wants to try and duplicate a factory load, when you can reload much better ammo.
It's never a good idea to try and figure out what powder they use. But I can tell you it's NOT H4895, Varget, XBR, or one of the Hodgdon extreme powders. It could be IMR4895 or R-15. IMR 4895 is going to be longer than R-15, so it's hard to tell in the picture the length of the kernels. But FGMM uses several different varieties of powders. The best option is to work up a load in YOUR rifle that shoots well. I've never understood why someone wants to try and duplicate a factory load, when you can reload much better ammo.
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
I was going to work up my own load, and for the past few rifles I have owned I have only shot hand loads. I was just curious about the "specs" on this ammo since so many people use it as a base line. I will be shooting the 20 rounds I bought to see what my rifle does, but more importantly, see what kind of velocities I am getting from this factory ammo.
I was going to work up my own load, and for the past few rifles I have owned I have only shot hand loads. I was just curious about the "specs" on this ammo since so many people use it as a base line. I will be shooting the 20 rounds I bought to see what my rifle does, but more importantly, see what kind of velocities I am getting from this factory ammo.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's never a good idea to try and figure out what powder they use. But I can tell you it's NOT H4895, Varget, XBR, or one of the Hodgdon extreme powders. It could be IMR4895 or R-15. IMR 4895 is going to be longer than R-15, so it's hard to tell in the picture the length of the kernels. But FGMM uses several different varieties of powders. The best option is to work up a load in YOUR rifle that shoots well. I've never understood why someone wants to try and duplicate a factory load, when you can reload much better ammo. </div></div>
I second this. It doesn't matter what powder the large manufacturers use. If you could get it, you'd have to buy it in 30-45lb kegs, and pay a $1,000 freight fee per shipment. The non-canister powders usually vary much more from lot to lot than what is available to most reloaders, requiring a workup for every new lot of powder.
If it were H4895 or XBR, 43.3 would be over max, by quite a bit. I would guess that Federal now uses Alliant powders, as they are both part of ATK. A non canister variant of RL15 makes the most sense, as that is what it looks like, and is the most appropriate powder made by their sister company. But, the charge weight should not be used as template for your own loads.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's never a good idea to try and figure out what powder they use. But I can tell you it's NOT H4895, Varget, XBR, or one of the Hodgdon extreme powders. It could be IMR4895 or R-15. IMR 4895 is going to be longer than R-15, so it's hard to tell in the picture the length of the kernels. But FGMM uses several different varieties of powders. The best option is to work up a load in YOUR rifle that shoots well. I've never understood why someone wants to try and duplicate a factory load, when you can reload much better ammo. </div></div>
I second this. It doesn't matter what powder the large manufacturers use. If you could get it, you'd have to buy it in 30-45lb kegs, and pay a $1,000 freight fee per shipment. The non-canister powders usually vary much more from lot to lot than what is available to most reloaders, requiring a workup for every new lot of powder.
If it were H4895 or XBR, 43.3 would be over max, by quite a bit. I would guess that Federal now uses Alliant powders, as they are both part of ATK. A non canister variant of RL15 makes the most sense, as that is what it looks like, and is the most appropriate powder made by their sister company. But, the charge weight should not be used as template for your own loads.
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
I know EXACTLY what it is!
It's flammable nitrocellulose with a graphite anti-static coating.
Last rumor, appearing verified, was that M118LR was going to a modified version of IMR 4064. Fed, running the LC plant, is not too proud to use a non-ATK powder. I'm sure the lighter than expected charge for velocity is more from the case neck sealant than burn rate variation.
As to why FC would use powders different from the M118LR contract--whatever they could get cheap! They have enough experience I'm sure they can duplicate their fine reliable performance in FGMM with a good half-dozen powders, with minimal effort.
I know EXACTLY what it is!
It's flammable nitrocellulose with a graphite anti-static coating.
Last rumor, appearing verified, was that M118LR was going to a modified version of IMR 4064. Fed, running the LC plant, is not too proud to use a non-ATK powder. I'm sure the lighter than expected charge for velocity is more from the case neck sealant than burn rate variation.
As to why FC would use powders different from the M118LR contract--whatever they could get cheap! They have enough experience I'm sure they can duplicate their fine reliable performance in FGMM with a good half-dozen powders, with minimal effort.
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
Throw it out, and dont look back. Start from scratch. I know it sucks, but trying to figure out a powder and the next thing you know, something bad just happened......
Throw it out, and dont look back. Start from scratch. I know it sucks, but trying to figure out a powder and the next thing you know, something bad just happened......
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Iggy.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was going to work up my own load, and for the past few rifles I have owned I have only shot hand loads. I was just curious about the "specs" on this ammo since so many people use it as a base line. I will be shooting the 20 rounds I bought to see what my rifle does, but more importantly, see what kind of velocities I am getting from this factory ammo.</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: furtaker_.223</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Throw it out, and dont look back. Start from scratch. I know it sucks, but trying to figure out a powder and the next thing you know, something bad just happened......</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hyoslvr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">might be aa3100? kinda looks like it. I would trow it out because there's really no way to tell for sure and you want to make a deadly mistake. </div></div>
I put the powder back into the case and reseated the bullets. I was simply curious as to how well this ammunition was made. out of the 10 rounds I pulled and inspected, there was a variance of .4 gns in the powder. A lot more than what I have tolerances for.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I am trying to spec out these rounds not duplicate them!</span>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Iggy.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was going to work up my own load, and for the past few rifles I have owned I have only shot hand loads. I was just curious about the "specs" on this ammo since so many people use it as a base line. I will be shooting the 20 rounds I bought to see what my rifle does, but more importantly, see what kind of velocities I am getting from this factory ammo.</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: furtaker_.223</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Throw it out, and dont look back. Start from scratch. I know it sucks, but trying to figure out a powder and the next thing you know, something bad just happened......</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hyoslvr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">might be aa3100? kinda looks like it. I would trow it out because there's really no way to tell for sure and you want to make a deadly mistake. </div></div>
I put the powder back into the case and reseated the bullets. I was simply curious as to how well this ammunition was made. out of the 10 rounds I pulled and inspected, there was a variance of .4 gns in the powder. A lot more than what I have tolerances for.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I am trying to spec out these rounds not duplicate them!</span>
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
Thanks for calling them out, Iggy. I was ready to issue my too-often repeated charge to read the friggin' post.
I was also going to rub it in that your question related to ONLY ONE round you had dismantled to *look at*, and I was positive that you were just going to re-charge and re-seat the bullet. No need to throw anything out.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Iggy.</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Iggy.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was going to work up my own load, and for the past few rifles I have owned I have only shot hand loads. I was just curious about the "specs" on this ammo since so many people use it as a base line. I will be shooting the 20 rounds I bought to see what my rifle does, but more importantly, see what kind of velocities I am getting from this factory ammo.</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: furtaker_.223</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Throw it out, and dont look back. Start from scratch. I know it sucks, but trying to figure out a powder and the next thing you know, something bad just happened......</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hyoslvr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">might be aa3100? kinda looks like it. I would trow it out because there's really no way to tell for sure and you want to make a deadly mistake. </div></div>
I put the powder back into the case and reseated the bullets. I was simply curious as to how well this ammunition was made. out of the 10 rounds I pulled and inspected, there was a variance of .4 gns in the powder. A lot more than what I have tolerances for.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I am trying to spec out these rounds not duplicate them!</span> </div></div>
Thanks for calling them out, Iggy. I was ready to issue my too-often repeated charge to read the friggin' post.
I was also going to rub it in that your question related to ONLY ONE round you had dismantled to *look at*, and I was positive that you were just going to re-charge and re-seat the bullet. No need to throw anything out.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Iggy.</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Iggy.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was going to work up my own load, and for the past few rifles I have owned I have only shot hand loads. I was just curious about the "specs" on this ammo since so many people use it as a base line. I will be shooting the 20 rounds I bought to see what my rifle does, but more importantly, see what kind of velocities I am getting from this factory ammo.</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: furtaker_.223</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Throw it out, and dont look back. Start from scratch. I know it sucks, but trying to figure out a powder and the next thing you know, something bad just happened......</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hyoslvr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">might be aa3100? kinda looks like it. I would trow it out because there's really no way to tell for sure and you want to make a deadly mistake. </div></div>
I put the powder back into the case and reseated the bullets. I was simply curious as to how well this ammunition was made. out of the 10 rounds I pulled and inspected, there was a variance of .4 gns in the powder. A lot more than what I have tolerances for.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I am trying to spec out these rounds not duplicate them!</span> </div></div>
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
No worries Grump!
They did not have any sealant, but I did notice the bullet jacket was pretty scratched up when I pulled some of the bullets out. It seemed as though either the case necks were really tight or there were not properly chamfered.
Other than that the variances in seating depths and powder charges did not leave me with a warm feeling.
No worries Grump!
They did not have any sealant, but I did notice the bullet jacket was pretty scratched up when I pulled some of the bullets out. It seemed as though either the case necks were really tight or there were not properly chamfered.
Other than that the variances in seating depths and powder charges did not leave me with a warm feeling.
Re: Can anyone ID this powder?
I pulled and dumped a FGMM 168gr. and that powder looked EXACTLY like IMR4064. Longer kernels than what I see in your pic. IIRC it was also 43gr. I have some RE-15 at home. When I get there I'll take a look at it and let you know how it compares.
I pulled and dumped a FGMM 168gr. and that powder looked EXACTLY like IMR4064. Longer kernels than what I see in your pic. IIRC it was also 43gr. I have some RE-15 at home. When I get there I'll take a look at it and let you know how it compares.
Similar threads
