Powder lot number?
- Thread starter ChasinElk
- Start date
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I was down to my last pound and went to the gun shop to pick up two more. They didn't have matching numbers on the last two. When I got home they didn't match my last pound left either. I put em all in a ice cream pail and mixed them up.....now I have 3 pounds of the SAME LOT.....I'll call it the "kraky lot". I do this pretty often and have never found the speed to be different to any degree from the powder i was using. I think the only draw back would be if there was a recall I'd be screwed by not knowing how much of what mad up my custom blend.
CatShooter
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I was down to my last pound and went to the gun shop to pick up two more. They didn't have matching numbers on the last two. When I got home they didn't match my last pound left either. I put em all in a ice cream pail and mixed them up.....now I have 3 pounds of the SAME LOT.....I'll call it the "kraky lot". I do this pretty often and have never found the speed to be different to any degree from the powder i was using. I think the only draw back would be if there was a recall I'd be screwed by not knowing how much of what mad up my custom blend.
[/ QUOTE ]
Every shooter I know does the same thing !
.
I was down to my last pound and went to the gun shop to pick up two more. They didn't have matching numbers on the last two. When I got home they didn't match my last pound left either. I put em all in a ice cream pail and mixed them up.....now I have 3 pounds of the SAME LOT.....I'll call it the "kraky lot". I do this pretty often and have never found the speed to be different to any degree from the powder i was using. I think the only draw back would be if there was a recall I'd be screwed by not knowing how much of what mad up my custom blend.
[/ QUOTE ]
Every shooter I know does the same thing !
.
I do the same thing, mix them together for a custom lot. I write the lot numbers from both (or however many) sets on the new lot set in case there's a recall.
I have some RL22 down there that must have "backwash" from about 10 different lots in it.
I have some RL22 down there that must have "backwash" from about 10 different lots in it.
CatShooter
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
... you dumb idiot your gun is going to blow up in your face.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not yet!!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
... you dumb idiot your gun is going to blow up in your face.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not yet!!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
ddubas
Well-Known Member
i have been reloading for about ten years and this is the first i have heard of mixing powder together. sounds like it works and i will be in this situation soon as my rl 22 is running low on supply. my question is do i or should i only mix equal amounts of new and old lot powders? 1 pound of old to 1 pound of new together.....not half pound of old and 1 pound of new????????
CatShooter
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
i have been reloading for about ten years and this is the first i have heard of mixing powder together. sounds like it works and i will be in this situation soon as my rl 22 is running low on supply. my question is do i or should i only mix equal amounts of new and old lot powders? 1 pound of old to 1 pound of new together.....not half pound of old and 1 pound of new????????
[/ QUOTE ]
I find that most 1# powder cans hold almost 2#. So when one can gets down to about 1/2 to 1/3rd, I pour it in the next new can, roll it over a few times to mix it, and move on.
.
i have been reloading for about ten years and this is the first i have heard of mixing powder together. sounds like it works and i will be in this situation soon as my rl 22 is running low on supply. my question is do i or should i only mix equal amounts of new and old lot powders? 1 pound of old to 1 pound of new together.....not half pound of old and 1 pound of new????????
[/ QUOTE ]
I find that most 1# powder cans hold almost 2#. So when one can gets down to about 1/2 to 1/3rd, I pour it in the next new can, roll it over a few times to mix it, and move on.
.
ddubas
Well-Known Member
thanks....
Frankly I'm surprised that folks don't routinely do this sort of thing. I can see no difference in making loads from one LOT and then making loads from another LOT or mixing the two LOTs together. It is predetermined (assumed by the user) that each LOT is safe in and of itself, and there's no way to make a bad LOT by mixing two good LOTs.
Maybe it's a erroneous expansion of a different condition, mixing two different kinds of powder to CUSTOM BLEND a new powder... I don't do that!
I guess Catshooter and I just live on the edge!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Maybe it's a erroneous expansion of a different condition, mixing two different kinds of powder to CUSTOM BLEND a new powder... I don't do that!
I guess Catshooter and I just live on the edge!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
CatShooter
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
... I guess Catshooter and I just live on the edge!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
Good morning Dave.
"Living on the edge" Eh??
I gotta love this wild life style you and I have.
I also put what's left of the old ketchup in the new bottle - God, do I live at the edge or what - my cheesburgers are awesomely dangerous!
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What most loaders don't know is that ALL powder is mixed and blended (like good Scotch).
The factory does NOT say "OK guys, we're making 7 tons of 4895 this week".
Powder types are produced and the burning speed is determined for each batch... it might be faster than the last or slower than the last. It is graded and shipped or stored.
Most of it is sold in boxcar loads to ammo companies. The ammo companies test each lot, and adjust their loading machines to adjust for the difference from the last boxcar load. If you pull bullets on the same ammo over the years, you will find that the weight constantly changes... because the powder constantly changes.
The powder factories will blended some of it to meet standardised burning rates.
If 4895 has a burning rate of (hypothetically) 80, and they have 3 tons of a 76 powder and 7 tons of an 87 powder, they will mix the proper proportions to make up an "80" batch, then can it in one and eight pound jugs, and label it 4895.
If you are capable of adjusting loading data, you can also buy bulk powder really cheap, but you have to test EVERY different batch. I buy bulk powder for my 50-BMG, and I get 48 lbs at a time. I mix it all up and then test it to see how different it is from the last "mix" - then I adjust my loads accordingly.
So if you have a bunch of cans of the same powder of the same type, it has already been mixed, so mix it, and use it.
Live on the wild side /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
.
... I guess Catshooter and I just live on the edge!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
Good morning Dave.
"Living on the edge" Eh??
I gotta love this wild life style you and I have.
I also put what's left of the old ketchup in the new bottle - God, do I live at the edge or what - my cheesburgers are awesomely dangerous!
-
What most loaders don't know is that ALL powder is mixed and blended (like good Scotch).
The factory does NOT say "OK guys, we're making 7 tons of 4895 this week".
Powder types are produced and the burning speed is determined for each batch... it might be faster than the last or slower than the last. It is graded and shipped or stored.
Most of it is sold in boxcar loads to ammo companies. The ammo companies test each lot, and adjust their loading machines to adjust for the difference from the last boxcar load. If you pull bullets on the same ammo over the years, you will find that the weight constantly changes... because the powder constantly changes.
The powder factories will blended some of it to meet standardised burning rates.
If 4895 has a burning rate of (hypothetically) 80, and they have 3 tons of a 76 powder and 7 tons of an 87 powder, they will mix the proper proportions to make up an "80" batch, then can it in one and eight pound jugs, and label it 4895.
If you are capable of adjusting loading data, you can also buy bulk powder really cheap, but you have to test EVERY different batch. I buy bulk powder for my 50-BMG, and I get 48 lbs at a time. I mix it all up and then test it to see how different it is from the last "mix" - then I adjust my loads accordingly.
So if you have a bunch of cans of the same powder of the same type, it has already been mixed, so mix it, and use it.
Live on the wild side /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
.
