Powder Problem

Mauserman

Mauserman

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I got as a gift a large amount of some kind of smokless powder. The guy who gave it to me knows it is an IMR but that is it. Any ideas how to solve the mystery?
 
Well, there are IMR powders with a wide range of burning rates. Hate to say it, but if you can't identify it to a certainty, don't load it.
 
Most (if not all?) IMR rifle powders are extruded and look the same. you could have anything from 4227 to 7828. If we knew what it was used for (caliber and weight), we might be able to narrow it down a bit. But even then, there are usually several powders that are suitable for any given cartridge, so it's still a wild-ass guess.

And I find that different powders sometimes have a different smell when fired... anyone here got a golden nose? :p
 
If you have a chronograph, you could find out what it is.

If it is extruded powder start by loading a round of 22 hornet, fire and check velocity. If velocity and pressure signs are very low you then know it is not IMR 4227. Load something like a .223, checking velocity and pressure signs. If velocity is very low you know it is not IMR 4198. Move up the cartridges until you find you are getting close to matching loading manual specs, and with each cartridge use data for the fastest burning IMR powder to make your test round.
 
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for safety if you can't identify it dispose of it. not worth damaging a gun or yourself. using mstery powder could be very expensive.
 
for safety if you can't identify it dispose of it. not worth damaging a gun or yourself. using mstery powder could be very expensive.
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x2... it's the safest if you are not positive...
 
The lawn fertilizer idea is based in part on the notion that powder can supplement the nitrogen in your lawn/soil ....I tried to fertilize a section of my lawn once with IMR 3031 that had "gone bad" and it killed the grass...nothing regrew for several years...

After that I simply burnt it in the best saturday afternoon "Western" style....a modest pile... with a good trail of powder leading away for a couple of yards... burns bright and satisfyingly quick... no explosions of course...but kinda fun.....and you gotta love the smell of burning powder!!:D :D

(the usual cautions apply of course... but if you can start a charcoal barbecue on fire with starter fluid without burning yourself or home down... you can manage this..);)
 
I used to use it in a 270, and i used 56 grains behind a 150 gr bullet
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..... "or was that 46 grains?? - oh hell I can't even remember what the powder was ... certainly can't remember the load I used"...etc etc...

personally I think unless the gentleman who gave you this stuff has an epiphany of some sort..he is being proper in simply saying he doesn't know... and the proper thing for you to do is dispose of it...... good safe reloading practices reflect well on all of us that enjoy reloading...and ensures we can continue to buy the components we need...

sorry... not meant to be a lecture... just a point a view...
 
Gatehouse said:
Yeah, but if the guy says "I used to use it in a 270, and i used 56 grains behind a 150 gr bullet"...
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...you had better hope his memory is better than his labelling.

:) Stuart
 
Blanks??? the story unfolds.... actually pressure is a bit of an issue with blanks if you plan to fire them in a rifle equipped with a BFA....certainly not an area that gets covered in many reloading manuals.. good luck.
 
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