Explain this Powder

I have wondered about naming conventions for powders.
The IMR system you describe is a bit wonky...
 
If a test batch is 800-2000lbs, do you know roughly how many lbs are made on a regular production batch size?
Did they mention how long a batch takes to make usually?

thanks
 
I would rather have a Man of knowledge as you said hobbleing around with a weath of information than someone else who thinks they know everything and they know nothing hanging around . it's called respect . I hobble around sometimes also . you take care Ganderite.
 
SND said:
If a test batch is 800-2000lbs, do you know roughly how many lbs are made on a regular production batch size?
Did they mention how long a batch takes to make usually?

thanks
Click to expand...

A batch is usually 2,000 to 4,000 pounds. It takes two days. Some stages involve tumbling the powder, which takes time. The speed of the powder is fine tuned with moisture content. This is why powder speeds up as it dries out over time.

When some one says "This lot is much slower than the last one" what they really mean is "This lot is the correct speed, but my old lot dried out and got faster."

I buy pistol powders in 8 pound jugs, but decant it into 1 lb cans, to minimize dying of the 7 lbs I am not using.
 
Great read, and some good quessing involved...I wasn't sure where this thread was headed and I actually learned something.
When you say dry out is that water content or some solvent/chemical used in processing?
 
I still have a bit of IMR4896 left :) Got mine from a target shooter.

I use it for .223 Rem with 75g projectiles. Meters great.

Thanks Ganderite. I'd buy the book too.

When I exhaust the IMR4896 for that application I'll switch to N-140.
Already worked up a load in N-140 too.
 
When some one says "This lot is much slower than the last one" what they really mean is "This lot is the correct speed, but my old lot dried out and got faster."
Click to expand...

Did it get faster, or by drying out and getting lighter is the charge slightly larger in volume for the same weight? Would a charge measured in volume be affected to the same extent?
 
Skinny 1950 said:
Great read, and some good quessing involved...I wasn't sure where this thread was headed and I actually learned something.
When you say dry out is that water content or some solvent/chemical used in processing?
Click to expand...

One step of production removes the solvent. One of the last steps adjusts the water content. When I say "dry out" I mean the water content drops while in your powder thrower.
 
Dogleg said:
Did it get faster, or by drying out and getting lighter is the charge slightly larger in volume for the same weight? Would a charge measured in volume be affected to the same extent?
Click to expand...

I don't know. I was surprised to see them use water to bring the powder to the correct speed. Obviously water will dry out if and when a powder is not in a sealed container. This is why I decant 8 pounders to sealed one pound cans.
 
Well - Water has an extremely high heat of vaporization (~1100 Btu/lb).This property makes it ideal for applications such as power generation (vis Rankine cycle), and problematic for others such as burning firewood. Using it to temper the heating value of gun powders makes sense.
 
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