i have a coffee can full of unknown powder that looks like unique except ocassionally it has a yellow dot in it. Does anyone know what it might be? When loaded the same as bullseye it runs 50 to100fps. slower than bullseye. It shoots good in 38 special, 357,and 44mag. I don't really want to dump it out.
unknown powder
- Thread starter wobbly34b
- Start date
Dump it out.
mr surveyor
SP-101
great fertilizer for the tomato plants .... that's where that "unknown powder" needs to do.
jd
jd
wizofwas
Buckeye
Fertilizer, it ain't worth the risk.
Thanks for the advice. To dump it out is really the only wise thing to do. I knew that is what you guys would tell me. Since it is the day after the 4th I can spread it on the driveway and watch it burn. My time would be better spent trying a new powder.
powder smoke
Hawkeye
fertilizer camp here. ps
Well, it seems like you've already loaded this safely in 3 different calibers... why dump it when it can be used as a plinker powder?
Be careful, like anyone using bulk powder from Pat's Reloading or Jeff Bartlett's GI Brass.
Be careful, like anyone using bulk powder from Pat's Reloading or Jeff Bartlett's GI Brass.
mr surveyor
SP-101
dougader said:
this part of his original post "unknown powder that looks like unique except ocassionally it has a yellow dot in it" .......
even if what he's experimented with so far has been "uneventful", how homogenous is that powder if it does happen to be more than one variety in the can?
jd
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
dougader said:
Hi,
Yup, it ain't blow'd up yet--must be safe! :roll: Velocity doesn't mean near as much as pressure does. And what kinds of pressures are these home grown loads producing? MEASURED pressures, not guesses!
Another vote for fertilizer here.
Rick C
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
I'd dump it , but not on the lawn, I hate mowing and never fertilize my lawn.
Paul B
Hunter
Gun powder like Unique is actually yellowish in color until they tumble it in graphite to counteract static electricity and help the powder run through powder measure a bit more smoothly. The fact that your light loadings have worked OK lead me to believe that you could most likely increase the load a bit without creating a problem. My best guess it is Unique or one of the similar flake shotgun powders. Be glad it isn't something like the old 5066. Looks just like Bullseye or 2400 but runs more like Unique. Guy came into a 50 pound drum of that stuff and gave me a couple of pounds for being able to furnish data. Charges were similar to Unique and the .45ACP I used it in was very accurate.
Paul B.
Paul B.
protoolman
Service-Sixer
Well by loading to Bullseye specs which is one of the fastest high pressure powders you proved it was safe already.If you were wrong and it was blank powder you would have already blown up your gun. The most dangerous test is already passed. At this point I might finish shooting it up but why bother? Buy a new can.
Rick Courtright said:
Whatever. You act like he's dealing with nitro glycerin. I imagine he'd notice some kind of pressure signs if he was dealing with something burning significantly faster than Bullseye.
How do you think people work with pull-down or new bulk powders? There is no data for that. Yet men order it 6 jugs at a time.
Take your rolleyes emoji, smart guy, and shove it with your arrogant bs.
Now Doug, you know experimenting with firearms and ammo went out of style in the late 1930's.
I fully understand the "fertilizer" group but I also understand the "I've tested it and it appears to be..." group. I've been in both many times.
Reloading is inherently experimenting to begin with. Some people are willing to take it further (with due caution) and some are afraid of published data. The problem here is we don't know the skill level of the other guy on the keyboard like we would in person.
I fully understand the "fertilizer" group but I also understand the "I've tested it and it appears to be..." group. I've been in both many times.
Reloading is inherently experimenting to begin with. Some people are willing to take it further (with due caution) and some are afraid of published data. The problem here is we don't know the skill level of the other guy on the keyboard like we would in person.
As already said, he loaded it to Bullseye specs and it is down on velocity. Bullseye is one of the fastest powders there is. So while he may have took a chance to start with, I see no problem with using it up.
This comes up all the time. The term "handloader" is somewhat of a misnomer these days. You can buy some equipment, buy materials, buy a book and do step for step what the book says. Yep, you are handloading some ammo........but that does NOT make you what the real definition of a "handloader" is.
Now I have no idea of the skill level of the OP, but he has already established a baseline of sorts. So throw it out, or use it up, either one
This comes up all the time. The term "handloader" is somewhat of a misnomer these days. You can buy some equipment, buy materials, buy a book and do step for step what the book says. Yep, you are handloading some ammo........but that does NOT make you what the real definition of a "handloader" is.
Now I have no idea of the skill level of the OP, but he has already established a baseline of sorts. So throw it out, or use it up, either one
Been re-loading for 30 yrs. but admit i have made some mistakes. I have one 7mm-08 case blown in half with primer flattened like a pancake to show that. I thought I was being careful starting with bulls eye specs. And on the other hand I thought I was living on the edge as in Cholo's by-line.
Thanks for the input guys.
Bob
Thanks for the input guys.
Bob
pruger45
Blackhawk
I'd dump it in the yard at night and throw a match on it. More fun than fertilizer!
pruger45
Blackhawk
I'd dump it in the driveway and light it up! I can't believe you're actually using an "unknown" powder! Another reason to never shoot anyone elses reloads! INSANITY!
Tom W
Blackhawk
I once got a large quantity of unknown flake powder in a coffee can when gifted a bunch of stuff from the friend of a friend. It looked like unique. It made an impressive fireball in the backyard.
cleardatum
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2013
- Messages
- 297
google "wrong powder" images. :shock: that's a can of fertilizer, fer sher...
Clovishound
Blackhawk
Just because you got by with it doesn't mean it is a good idea. I could probably get by with driving my car to the store and back with no brake fluid. Doesn't mean it's a good idea.
