Retumbo stuck together?

[specweldtom]

I just pulled the bullets out of (3) .338 x .378 handloads about 6 mos. old, and the powder wouldn't dump or shake out. I had to dig it out. It was 114 grs of Retumbo very very lightly compressed and seemed to be stuck together. (The first 2 rounds hit over an inch apart and I quit on this load).I've dumped compressed loads of H-4831, H-5010, and lots of compressed powder loads in other calibers, and don't remember ever having this happen.

Questions; has anyone else seen this happen with Retumbo, or any other powder, if so, could they tell if it caused high s/d's? If I had been chronographing this session, even 2 rounds would have told me something.

So far, I'm not impressed with Retumbo. My .30 x .378 didn't like it with any bullet. I used 215M primers for both calibers.

Opinions, comments, even hard data welcome.

Thanks, Tom

 

[CatShooter]

It happens with ALL powders.

I have pulled down many rounds of compressed loads, both ball and stick, and the powder always needs to be removed with a sharp tool or small screwdriver.

Nothing wrong with your powder, and it is reusable.

.

 

[s.ferg]

I just finished working up a load of retumbo for my friends 30-378. Retumbo cakes and compresses. One thing is that gun does not like a lot of anything. We finally got it to shoot .75 groups with 111.5 grs of retumbo . 180 gr accubonds. His weatherby has always " shot two threw one". Finally I talked him into taking it to the gunshop and having them bed the recoil lug. That did the trick. no more flyers. He finally settled with 4 shots under a half dollar as good. I might note that his weatherby shoots its best with an extremely clean bore.

 

[HeskethPritchard]

Does the powder in the case that "cakes up" change the burn rate and therefore the pressures generated?

I know if you take the flakes out of a shotgun cartridge grind them up and reload your very likely to blow your head off literally. (probably a bad example to use)

So why doesnt caking change the pressure readings?

 

[Boss Hoss]

It does change them and that is not good JUJU for accuracy---one reason I do not "crunch" my powder when seating a bullet. I just use another powder that will not "crunch". I am pretty weird in that I load for the same level of precision on all of my sporters just as I do for my competition rifles.

 

[kraky]

Retumbo saved me a barrel job on a super fussy 300 wby ultralight. I was getting 6" groups with most anything at 200 yds. (and I tried a ton of good normal 300 wby loads).
Finally I tried retumbo with 200 ab's and got decent accuracy. Then a pretty compressed (88 grains) load of retumbo under the 180 tsx started doing 3"/300 yd groups consistantly.
RE how it compresses.....I've used heavy loads in the 300 win mag under 200 grain bullets and it is a wierd experience.....it doesn't crunch....it kind of squeaks like when the dentist is packing a filling into your tooth. (hows that for "word comparison")?

 

[specweldtom]

Cat; you're right, once I got it out, it looked OK, wasn't broken up or powdered, but it spooked me and I threw it away. Wasn't sure if I should use it again. Thanks.

Boss Hoss and H P, I wish that I had gone through the chronograph, but I had several guns to shoot, and not enough time. I use a 35P with the 3rd screen and the e/s and std.dev would have told me something, even with just 2 rds.

Thanks to all, Tom