Mixed powders

[scott289]

I am by no means an expert on reloading, so I have a question. A guy at work pulled a mixed batch of .243 projectiles of various weights, and powder from loaded brass.

He didn’t measure or separate the charges, the powders were emptied in the same container. Visually different powders. He is going to reload the brass with those mixed powders.

I advised him not to, due to different burn rates, and of unknown brands. He said as long as he stayed in the middle of the charge weight he would be okay.

I personally would not do this, but he swears he’s done it before. This is something I have never seen done before. I will not be around when he shoots them.

If it can be done, I can’t see the velocities or consistency being anything but sporadic at best. I understand powder is scarce, but damn! Has anyone seen or heard this before?

 

[NovaHunter]

Holy cow. Definitely never take reloading advice from this person, or shoot any of his ammo. Ever....

If you do go shooting with him have safety glasses on, stand ten feet back, and video record the whole range session to post on this thread later....

Edit to add: if you do go to the range with him, bring a medkit.

 

[308pirate]

I am by no means an expert on reloading, so I have a question. A guy at work pulled a mixed batch of .243 projectiles of various weights, and powder from loaded brass.

He didn’t measure or separate the charges, the powders were emptied in the same container. Visually different powders. He is going to reload the brass with those mixed powders.

I advised him not to, due to different burn rates, and of unknown brands. He said as long as he stayed in the middle of the charge weight he would be okay.

I personally would not do this, but he swears he’s done it before. This is something I have never seen done before. I will not be around when he shoots them.

If it can be done, I can’t see the velocities or consistency being anything but sporadic at best. I understand powder is scarce, but damn! Has anyone seen or heard this before?

Find out when and where he's going to shoot these "reloads" so you can be as far the hell away as possible.

 

[scott289]

He’s a known it all, and I will not be around when he shoots. I will pray for him though. I am super cautious reloading. I still dip and weigh each charge by hand.

 

[Ridgeback80]

WOW JUST WOW! I'm no reloading expert, but being meticulous and safe in my reloading room is of the utmost importance! But hell what do I know. Post pics and video if possible! Lol

Edit: I sit here thinking of all the incredible stupid things that one could do and this is up there on the old list! There is no way to possibly know what kind of powder you would be dealing with. What if it's all pistol powder, burn rate fast or slow is the very least of his worries! Do your very best to talk him out of using it to reload!!!!! If he wont listen, WALK AWAY.

 

[Zuzudaddy]

Wow! That guy is a MORON!!! He’s going to really hurt himself or someone else. I would advise him not to go down that road and if he insists don’t go with him to the range.

 

[wpeach1912]

Sounds like he is wanting to turn his rifle into a pipe bomb

 

[Downtown]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

. He said as long as he stayed in the middle of the charge weight he would be okay.

he swears he’s done it before.

People have also survived rattlesnake bikes, lion attacks, even massive fires following auto crashes (ref Niki Lauda) but just because is no reason to kiss a rattlesnake, slap a mad, hungry, wounded lion or pour gasoline over oneself and light a match.

 

[Steel head]

 

[hafejd30]

He’s is a fucking idiot!!

Find new friends

 

[scott289]

Hopefully he will come to his senses, and not do this.

 

[Ridgeback80]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

What does this mean? It makes no sense! Did you pull projectiles, and dump unknown powder from your 2 lots of 4350 .243 loaded ammo?

 

[TxWelder35]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

I’ve done it. Not a big deal. Just mix em good.

 

[rocketscience]

At least go to the range and video the shit show, so we can all laugh at him.

 

[scott289]

Your buddy is a fucking idiot!!

Find new friends

Co worker, I actually try to avoid him. Still, I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.

 

[db2000]

What does this mean? It makes no sense! Did you pull projectiles, and dump unknown powder from your 2 lots of 4350 .243 loaded ammo?

I believe he means dumping the rest of a can that’s almost empty into a new can of the same powder just different lot number.

 

[Mike Casselton]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

That's an entirely different issue.
I've always mixed powder lots and have never had a problem.

 

[hafejd30]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

Many people do this. There is a big difference between using your head and mixing 3 lbs of mixed lot H4350 into one consistent batch

Vs

Mixing unknown amounts of whatthefuckever with red dot and sending your head through your ass

That said I do know a guy who grabbed the cheapest powder he could find and loaded 30-378 and 50 cal ammo by filling the case and leveling it off with a butter knife. So the stupid can survive...

 

[hafejd30]

Co worker, I actually try to avoid him. Still, I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.

Is he a move up? That would make a difference

 

[scott289]

No, he’s a part time guy, retired, then came back. I am pretty much a loner, field mechanic. I only come to the shop for refitting, or meetings.

 

[Downtown]

Thanks, I had assumed it wouldn't be a issue. Sorry for the hijack, back to the regularly scheduled program.

 

[kriller134]

Tell him sprinkle a little bit of pistol powder in there too to spice it up.

 

[scott289]

No problem. Downtown.

 

[hafejd30]

No, he’s a part time guy, retired, then came back. I am pretty much a loner, field mechanic. I only come to the shop for refitting, or meetings.

What he’s doing will most likely just lead to inconsistency. But it can be much worse. Do whatever you can to help him. After that Darwin will sort them out

 

[scott289]

Tell him sprinkle a little bit of pistol powder in there too to spice it up.

He’s probably done it, if you ask him. He’s that kind of personality.

 

[Ridgeback80]

As stated above totally different circumstances, I mix lot numbers more often than not depending on the intended number of cartridges to be loaded! @Downtown no disrespect intended I just didn't understand what you meant.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Everyone knows 50% fast powder and 50% slow powder = medium powder.

 

[Yote Klr]

Tell him he'll get a better burn rate if he puts all his different powder in the blender for a minute.

 

[357Max]

 

[NovaHunter]

Many people do this. There is a big difference between using your head and mixing 3 lbs of mixed lot H4350 into one consistent batch

Vs

Mixing unknown amounts of whatthefuckever with red dot and sending your head through your ass

That said I do know a guy who grabbed the cheapest powder he could find and loaded 30-378 and 50 cal ammo by filling the case and leveling it off with a butter knife. So the stupid can survive...

And, the results?

 

[hafejd30]

And, the results?

He said it shot great at 50 yards...
He also said he shot a deer in his field at what he figures is 1/2 mile. I ranged it for him at 425 yards

He brought the 30-378 back to the local gun shop he purchased it from because the bolt was locking shut. They helped him out and realized his loads were about 10 grains over suggested Max

 

[308pirate]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

I do only with the little leftover at the bottom of a bottle.

I do not combine whole jugs into one.

 

[NovaHunter]

He said it shot great at 50 yards...
He also said he shot a deer in his field at what he figures is 1/2 mile. I ranged it for him at 425 yards

He brought the 30-378 back to the local gun shop he purchased it from because the bolt was locking shut. They helped him out and realized his loads were about 10 grains over suggested Max

The stories one hear's working in a gunshop....

 

[hafejd30]

The stories one hear's working in a gunshop....

I can only imagine. I was working in a sawmill at the time. The guy shot crop damage for a farm his brother owned. We ended up shooting for them for several years on their farm as well

I would have thought this was a joke but my cousin was there when they were shooting and gave me the same info on what they did

He fried the primer pockets in 1 reload

His 50 cal was a Barrett M99 I believe. Not sure what the weatherby was

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

This is somewhat of a thread hijack, but how many mix identical powders of different lots? I've two lots of 4350, neither enough to last a season.

Obviously this is a very different proposition to what the OP is alluding to.....

I asked this question on another reloading forum and the consensus was it was pretty common for folks to mix identical powders, from memory the manufacturer quotes up to 10% between lots so thats something to keep in mind....

My situation was that I had multiple lots of Varget and and have not completed any load development so my plan is to mix the various lots of Varget / blend it so whatever load I develop will be consistent over the entire batch of powder.

One of the folks over there used to work for a powder company and strongly recommended putting the powder back into 1LB containers so that only one was in use at the time, meaning the rest are sealed and not exposed to moisture in the air etc.

Food for thought.

 

[deepsix++]

I am by no means an expert on reloading, so I have a question. A guy at work pulled a mixed batch of .243 projectiles of various weights, and powder from loaded brass.

He didn’t measure or separate the charges, the powders were emptied in the same container. Visually different powders. He is going to reload the brass with those mixed powders.

I advised him not to, due to different burn rates, and of unknown brands. He said as long as he stayed in the middle of the charge weight he would be okay.

I personally would not do this, but he swears he’s done it before. This is something I have never seen done before. I will not be around when he shoots them.

If it can be done, I can’t see the velocities or consistency being anything but sporadic at best. I understand powder is scarce, but damn! Has anyone seen or heard this before?

so what your friend is doing is dangerous for sure , don't shoot with him ever

now there is an actual way to mix separate powders together and do it safely . bench rest shooters actually blend powders together in very precise ways to achieve a very High level of consistency in the burn rate of the charge . ELR shooters also will do something called a duplex load by loading several different powders with different burn rates in layers . they do this because the case's they use are so big that if they didn't a simple primer burn wouldn't consistently ignite all the powder in the case . I believe the world record holder for tightest group with a 50bmg at 1000 yards used a duplex load . your friend though is not doing any of these things and is cruising for some serious hurt

 

[sheepdog697]

Thats a hard pass for me....

 

[SteelGuy]

During the development of the .454 Casull and the Freedom Arms 83 Dick Casull loaded triplex loads of Bullseye, Unique and 2400...he estimated that chamber pressures were in excess of 80,000 PSI. Perhaps your friend heard of this and thinks that if it worked for Dick...

 

[6mmRemM600]

He's working on a Darwin Award...

Generally, one does not mix powders from different lots. One certainly does not mix different powders into one batch and then reload with them. With all of the different bullet weights, different powders and different charges this is a disaster in the making.

 

[Buzzbait]

Belief in evolution is optional, participation is not.

 

[RTH1800]

This is a stupid stunt. That being said the powders likely have similar burn rates and nothing untoward will occur.

 

[MPD142]

Tell him he'll get a better burn rate if he puts all his different powder in the blender for a minute.

Would that help it meter better similar to a ball powder?

 

[338dude]

I am by no means an expert on reloading, so I have a question. A guy at work pulled a mixed batch of .243 projectiles of various weights, and powder from loaded brass.

He didn’t measure or separate the charges, the powders were emptied in the same container. Visually different powders. He is going to reload the brass with those mixed powders.

I advised him not to, due to different burn rates, and of unknown brands. He said as long as he stayed in the middle of the charge weight he would be okay.

I personally would not do this, but he swears he’s done it before. This is something I have never seen done before. I will not be around when he shoots them.

If it can be done, I can’t see the velocities or consistency being anything but sporadic at best. I understand powder is scarce, but damn! Has anyone seen or heard this before?

The powder would make great fertilizer and that would be my suggested use reloading with it could be a mistake!!

 

[Ghosting]

I'm kind of curious. Ask him to bring in a target showing his grouping and SD's.

 

[hafejd30]

He’ll load it up and break some national record

Then we’ll all be buying blenders for our reloading rooms...

 

[lariat]

Would that help it meter better similar to a ball powder?

It would make it burn cleaner. You know, like FFFFG.....

 

[Loner]

Won’t find this in a reloading manual. If you do it’s telling you not to do it!!

 

[Gunnn]

I am by no means an expert on reloading, so I have a question. A guy at work pulled a mixed batch of .243 projectiles of various weights, and powder from loaded brass.

He didn’t measure or separate the charges, the powders were emptied in the same container. Visually different powders. He is going to reload the brass with those mixed powders.

I advised him not to, due to different burn rates, and of unknown brands. He said as long as he stayed in the middle of the charge weight he would be okay.

I personally would not do this, but he swears he’s done it before. This is something I have never seen done before. I will not be around when he shoots them.

If it can be done, I can’t see the velocities or consistency being anything but sporadic at best. I understand powder is scarce, but damn! Has anyone seen or heard this before?

This guys bread ain't plum done and if he keeps this up it never will

 

[lariat]

This guys bread ain't plum done and if he keeps this up it never will

I’ve seen fools like this live to an incredibly old age and piss everyone off in the process.