Identifying a powder?

[thorswhisper]

This powder was from some unknown origin, reloaded 115gr 9mm ammo, and when broken down had utilized 6.5gr.
The person that gave me the 600 plus rounds indicated it was FAR too hot. While noone was hurt nor their firearms, one case split almost the entirety of the case.

Upon diassembly I noted it to be a compressed charge. I will pull ALL OF IT down.

Just another lesson for not shooting any reloaded ammo from unknown sources.

Just thought Id see if anyone here might be able to identify the powder. Its a flake powder with varying color for charcoal black to grey.Any guesses?
Hopefully the pic will help.

Oh well says theres a problem uploading my pic. Doesnt say what the problem is though.

 

[thorswhisper]

Figured it out....

 

[edwardware]

If you're of the experimenting type. . . you could reduce 50% and work back up. I wouldn't try to ID the powder.

If you aren't up to the experiment, throw it out.

And cue the "throw it out, are you crazy!" chorus.

 

[thorswhisper]

LOL, Yeah I dont really care about the powder. Just curious as to what the guy that reloaded this stuff was thinking. Not many "9mm powders" that you can stuff 6.5gr into and have a good outcome.

 

[thump_rrr]

It’s less than a 1/2lb of powder.
It all depends on how adventurous you are and how hard up you are in the powder department.
You can buy 1lb of Titegroup for $25.00

 

[thorswhisper]

Im not in a bind for powder, but in my neck of the southern woods most powder is going for $40.00/lb.
If you can find it.

 

[N555]

That looks a lot like unique.
I would think that 6.5gr of unique under a 115gr bullet would be way to hot.
Loadem back up with 5gr and see what happens.

 

[nettlle]

I wouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole.

 

[twarr1]

That’s fertilizer

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

My guess is unique too.

 

[AgPilot]

I’ve got some universal that looks similar. But think I would put it in a pile and throw a match on it. At least watch the sparkler show for a second or two!

Hey Dude…. Hold My Beer!

 

[twarr1]

There’s nothing in the photo for scale but from general appearance could be Unique or Power Pistol. If it has white/tan marker flakes it could even be 700-X. In others words - no telling.

 

[N555]

Redevelop the load assuming the powder burn speed is between universal and unique. Load some up with the starting load for universal and see how the gun cycles.
If it won't cycle bump it up a half grain.
That's how I load developed using general dynamics CBI powder which has no load data.

 

[Shak3s1977]

It does look like Unique but impossible to say for sure. 6.5gr under a 115gr would be over Alliant's current published max data of 6.3gr for a 115gr. If someone loaded them at max charge weights in a progressive press, with a charge weight set at 6.3, I could easily see some being thrown with 6.5gr charges with Unique.

I bet that was a full case lol. I use 5.8gr in my 124gr 9mm loads, and I thought it was pretty full lol.

 

[Shak3s1977]

This is a pan of Unique.

 

[BJung]

Do you have any Unique or can find a Reloader who would give you few pinches of it? As suggested earlier, reduce the load for this powder to close to the maximum posted load of Unique and shoot it through a chronograph. Then, assemble a test load with the Unique given to you and find the MV. The MV of both should be close to the same.

 

[Otto]

Just curious as to what the guy that reloaded this stuff was thinking. Not many "9mm powders" that you can stuff 6.5gr into and have a good outcome.

6.7 gr is the starting load for a 115 Gold Dot using HS-6. And Hodgdon is generally conservative. So I wouldn’t obsess too much over the weight of an unknown propellant.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

When I come across unknown powder in loads I break them down for the components. My hands and guns aren't worth the risk.

 

[N555]

If you know how to load develop with unknown powder there is no risk.

 

[Nature Boy]

The only way to make something zero risk is to not do it. That’s a life truth, and it applies to reloading too.

I want to know with a degree of certainty what my components are and where they came from. Controlling the process is what makes the inherent risk associated with reloading in general acceptable….to me.

In this situation, the time and trouble needed to to work up a load for the purposes of using up $15 worth of mystery powder wouldn’t be worth it…..to me.

 

[FROGO207]

When I was a 10 year old I would go with my grandfather to the hardware store and get a paper sack of propellant from a 30 gallon paper drum. It was for rifle. We would go home and work up a load using a bit more each time until a good load was found. These days there are a pile of propellants and info for them pretty much taking the guesswork out of the process. So far we have not become desperate enough to revert back to the old days but the option still exists if needed. Just sayi'n.

 

[N555]

I had no idea what the burn speed on CBI was and developed a load table for 115gr bullets with about 20 shots. We know the mystery powder here is likely somewhere between universal and unique, so 9 to 12 shots.
It's not rocket science.

 

[lightman]

That powder would go into my fruit jar that I save for campfire light shows at Deer Camp. Not worth the risk for me to try using it.

 

[docbrown]

As has been said by several, that looks like Unique to me.

You basically have two options:

1. Throw it out/burn it/fertilize with it.
2. Consider 6.5 a max load and drop by 15% and work up a load with it. (I say 15% because it is obviously beyond a max load and as such 10% would probably not be enough. Not 20% because some powders have spikes with too little powder).

If you try option 2, that would have you starting at about 5.5 grains (5.525 if you want to be a stickler). Maybe try 5 or 10 rounds with that powder weight and chronograph them to see what you have. Check for pressure sings and then decide if you want to go further.

!!!Disclaimer!!! I am not recommending option 2 - merely offering a possible way to proceed.

Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[dh1633pm]

The only way to make something zero risk is to not do it. That’s a life truth, and it applies to reloading too.

What he said.