Old powder looking for info marked CR-17 Canadian

[turbo_bird]

So a friend of mine has about 15 lbs of old powder, and asked me to try to find out what it is. Here's a couple pictures he sent me, maybe someone in here will remember something about it.

I'll try to get more information from him, like maybe who he got it from and what cartridges they may have reloaded for. Thanks in advance for any help.
Kristian

 

[nowarningshot]

Paging ganderite.

 

[Ganderite]

Is that the 303 surplus powder that was like 3031?

 

[kjohn]

Is that the 303 surplus powder that was like 3031?

I have a whole bunch of Ammomart 44. I was told it was very similar to 3031, but was bad for muzzle flash.

Could the OP take a pic of the powder with a .22 shell or similar, to give an idea of the size?

 

[iron cat]

Xelex Industries was a previous name for Ammomart , I may have some data but won't be home until Monday .
You could try emaing Andrew at Higginsons Powder.
Cat

 

[turbo_bird]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'll ask my buddy to take another picture of it with something for scale. I have no idea what it would have been originally used for. It was in the garage when he bought the house, so no real history on what the original purchaser was doing with it either.
Kristian

 

[Ashcroft]

Years ago (1970’s) a friend acquired a large quantity of this surplus powder from Ammomart along with instructions to use as a direct replacement for 3031. He loaded it, it shot fine, accurate, no problems. Well, almost no problems. He would get an occasional hangfire. He thought he had this glitch solved by changing to magnum primers but after a hangfire cost him his first mountain goat he gave up on it. Fertilizer.

 

[turbo_bird]

I've never used 3031, so I don't know how it would compare size wise. Here's another picture he sent me today. I've sent an email to Higginson with the pictures I've posted here to see what they say.

Kristian

 

[rokoro]

Xelex later became Ammomart. They sold a variety of surplus powders . As mentioned one powder was labeled # 44 powder and was similar to IMR 3031. It is actually a little slower than 3031 . There was also a powder labeled # 33 which was close to IMR 4198. There was also a powder labeled CR17 and I believe it had a faster burn rate than IMR 4198. It made a good powder for reduced plinking loads. I cant find the load data I used for CR17 but I believe they recommended reducing starting loads of 4198 by a certain percentage. Be careful this is fast burning powder and would only be recommended for small capacity cases with lighter bullets

 

[rokoro]

Have not found load data for the CR 17 powder but will keep looking. I think it was a powder used by the military to load 5.56 (223) before the military switched to a ball powder

 

[bearhunter]

I have a whole bunch of Ammomart 44. I was told it was very similar to 3031, but was bad for muzzle flash.

Could the OP take a pic of the powder with a .22 shell or similar, to give an idea of the size?

Kjohn, check the insided of those #44 cans for rust. Several lots of that powder went bad out of the 6 different lots Tom brought in.

I have appx 6 pounds of that powder left, which is OK, but lost over 20 pounds of it from other lots.

It will go bang but it will cause extreme rust in your bore.

 

[turbo_bird]

Xelex later became Ammomart. They sold a variety of surplus powders . As mentioned one powder was labeled # 44 powder and was similar to IMR 3031. It is actually a little slower than 3031 . There was also a powder labeled # 33 which was close to IMR 4198. There was also a powder labeled CR17 and I believe it had a faster burn rate than IMR 4198. It made a good powder for reduced plinking loads. I cant find the load data I used for CR17 but I believe they recommended reducing starting loads of 4198 by a certain percentage. Be careful this is fast burning powder and would only be recommended for small capacity cases with lighter bullets

Thanks, that helps a fair bit. I looked through some reloading data for 4198 today while I had my buddy on the phone, and he mentioned that he had found some 444 Marlin ammo in the house when he bought it, so maybe that's what the guy was using it in. If I had a 44 magnum I'd maybe try some in there, but it's probably much too slow for that unless it's out of a rifle length barrel. Maybe even 357 in a rifle or carbine would be usable. My buddy doesn't have any experience with reloading though, so probably not the best beginner project to learn with, if he were to buy some reloading equipment.
Kristian

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

I acquired a one-pound can of CR-17, and the previous owner wrote, "like HIVEL 2" in felt pen.