Mixing Powder...Is That Crazy?
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Hi everyone, thought I'd do an experiment on whether we can get the same consistency when we mix powders...Results are interesting. Enjoy!
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In South Africa in the early 1970's, the state-owned munitions manufacturer, Somchem, started making powders available to reloaders. All cans came with a data sheet specific to that lot. As production volumes increased and lot to lot consistency was achieved, data per type was published as with US and European manufacturers. In the 1990's, reloading pundits even advocated the mixing of two different types of rifle powder to achieve the desired burning rate. As I recall, this was S335 (+-3031) and S365 (+-IMR4350), both single base extruded powders. The caveat was never to mix their double base spherical powders with extruded powders. Somchem expanded their line, introducing S355 (+-4064), making this mixing unnecessary. The mixes were primarily for hunting loads, but it was something I would never try!
Hi Scott! Thanks for the input here and I agree that I'd never mix different grain types or single/double base even if they did have the same shape. I had been mixing these for a while and thought what the heck, let's do a test. Man was I surprised at the results, I didn't think they'd be that close but glad they were. Thanks for watching my friend!
When I saw the title I thought you were mixing different powders, not just different lot numbers of the same powder. I bought 20 coffee cans of 38 specials once from an estate of a man heading towards an assisted living home. His 38special reload cans were all dated over a 5 year period and over 10 years old. I shot a few from each lot and found the LSW extremely undercharged. I disassembled the entire batch and started over. I found 3 different, but somewhat similar, powders in the cartridges. Red Dot was obvious and a ball powder that looked like Win231. Another flake powder was in some. I'm thinking it was Dupont 700x. I measure a weak 2.25-2.75 grains of powder in various cartridges. I separated them out at first but finally mixed the 2 flake powders together and loaded that into a couple dozen cases and tested them. They shot fine so I used up that mix. I put the apparent 231 in a few cases at a book rated charge and it was much hotter than what the book said so I reconsidered the powder and fertilized the lawn with it. Now when I have odd reclaimed and end of run left overs i make .357 shotshells using cardboard wads over the powder and mixed reclaimed shot topped with another cardboard wad. No matter what I put in for powder there is hardly ever any recoil and enough oomph to down a rat at 20 yards.
Hi Moushunter! Glad you found a use for all that powder and your logic is spot on in my opinion...Do what you can with what you have. Thanks for watching my friend!
I use an 8 lbs container and just adding 1 lbs containers to it as I get new ones. I pour in the powder and mix it up good. Not a problem at all.
Love your content.
I have been reloading for 40 plus year's and have mixed lots of powder the entire go. Granted I am a predator hunter and informal target shooter.
But I do go through 2,000 plus rounds a year. I have not noticed a significant difference to change my process.
Keep up the great video's. 👍
Hi Gord! Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching my friend!
Thanks for running this test. Puts my mind at ease for mixing my powders when I reload!
Hi Ray! Yeah, for us shooting PRS or hunting, it doesn't really matter IMHO, but just wanted to verify. Thanks for watching my friend!
That was a good experiment. I am a new ammo manufacturer and I am always learning new things about the voodoo/science of making premium ammo.
Thanks Paul! If you ever want me to test some of your ammo, let me know via email and be happy to review for you. Thanks for watching my friend!
Concur completely
This is very interesting! I’ve been doing this since I started reloading. I’m a practical shooter and the A zone is plenty generous. There’s far more variation in the human/gun interface than in the mixed powder. Nice vid!
Thanks Jim and totally agree with you! Thanks for watching my friend!
I've been mixing powders for years. It was common sense to me. Most of the people against that, I've noticed, are the ones with 7000 posts in forums and a lot of pretty instagram pictures.
Hi Piro! Yeah, I agree with you there. Don't knock it if you haven't tested it right? Thanks for watching my friend!
@@The4GunGuy You're welcome brother.
I like the way you did this. As long as each left over lot of powder was proven to be safe before mixing and somewhat consistent with the load used, I find nothing wrong with mixing them as you did. I myself wouldn't go mixing any of my fuller or new 1lb containers though. Especially not without testing each lot first. I would just just keep doing what you're doing.
Hi Brian! I agree with you here. I'm starting to track velocities from each 1lb'er as I shoot it to 1) see if it's within the limits (+/- 10fps) of my other 1 lb'ers and if so, when I get to the end of it, in the mixed jug it goes. Now, having said that, I realize that the velocity can change based on other factors such as seating depth and powder drop weight, but it all seems to work out. Thanks for watching my friend!
Another great video with great information! Great experiment too! I think when people say don't mix powders their are referring to not mixing different brands. For example not mixing RL 22 with H1000 or H4895 with H4350 etc etc; that's what I think.
Hi Max! Yeah, that's mostly what people think of, mixing brands and/or different types. But I've talked to guys and read some blogs where people we so adamant about not even mixing different lots that I thought I'd do this one. Glad you liked it and thanks for watching my friend!
Good video. It all balances out in the end.
Nice video. I’ve experienced the same. Between matches, reloading, and kids…idc about mixing powder lots anymore haha haven’t noticed any difference in performance.
Hi Drew! Yeah, I know it wasn't an exhaustive experiment, and I know was a 5 - 15 fps difference between some of those lots, so happy that it all evened out. Thanks for watching my friend!
Thanks for the test. I've done this and mixed multiple 1-pound jugs together also. Yes, the same powder is just different lot numbers. Just never tested myself. Thanks
Hi Ray! Yeah, I just wanted to see how far if at all the velocity was off...Pleasantly surprised at the results. Thanks for watching my friend!
Since powder has become a problem to get in 8lb.containers, I started mixing my Retumbo 1 lbers.. I mix enough to shoot out one barrel now. I let it sit on the shelf for awhile to let the humidity settle out in the powder. I also take a measuring cup, and from each jug, I take the same amount and mix small batches at a time until it’s all mixed up to try and get it as evenly mixed as possible by hand. An old F class shooter at the range told me the only problem with mixing is the humidity in each container, so that’s why I let it sit for awhile after mixing. I have had zero problems.
Hi Captain! That makes total sense to me and glad it's working out for you. Thanks for watching my friend!
Putting the different lot numbers of the same powder type through a funnel does a much better job of mixing the various lot numbers
Hi Justice! Yeah, probably should have done that, but I literally just poured them together as I was running out and then did a cross jug pour and mix a few times...Not scientific for sure, but it seemed to work pretty well. I think I'll take your advice though and in the future, take the mixture and pour it multiple times through a funnel. Thanks for watching my friend!
As long as you're just mixing the same type of powder & not mixing different types of powders, like a double base shotgun powder with a single base rifle or pistol powders! Never mix different types of powder together, they have different burn rates & that can be a disaster! You could literally be making a bomb, instead of a " custom" mixed powder!
Hi Dean! Totally agree with you there and I'd never mix different types. My take is that if you end up with different types and only enough for say 20 - 50 rounds, and you don't want to worry about the DOPE for each of those loads, then don't mix them, but save the powder for say fire forming new brass and practice within 400 yards or so where it won't matter if you have say 20 rounds from one powder and 20 or so from the other. Thanks for watching my friend!
I've been doing this for 40 years, even mix Hodgdon 4895 with IMR 4895
Hi Sinister! I could see that being a good mix. I had pretty good results with IMR 4895 when I couldn't get H 4895. Thanks for watching my friend!
I do something similar. I’ve never mixed different powders, just lots.
Hi John, yeah, I'd be hesitant on mixing brands, except what Sinister said in the comments about mixing H4895 with IMR4895, which are two very similar powders from different brands. Thanks for watching my friend!
Good subject analysis 👍🏾
Thanks for watching my friend!
Cool experiment with interesting results.
Thanks Extreme! And thanks for watching my friend!
Love it!
Thanks Jason! And thanks for watching my friend!
My concern is a little different. It is with rifle rounds produced by ammo factories from the last dregs left in a powder hopper or so the story goes. For some reason this is more dust-like. Burns sort like range trash powder that is sweep up from firing lines.
As long as the mixed powder is the same number of powder, even if the lots are different, kabooming pressure spikes should not be a problem. Now mixing the powder in a uniform manner without damaging the grains is another issue.
Hi Loquat! That's a great point. I mix using very slow, circular and "8" motions, but as I said, very slowly, and I "remix" as that powder is being used. I'm hoping that any dust will spread out over the kernels for a more consistent pour and burn. I was happily surprised at these results and feel good about even using that powder for a match. Thanks for watching my friend!
Just going to stick to handguns where there are so many more significant variables involved in accuracy the powder is a small factor.
Hi Tom! That is a great analysis and totally agree. We PRS shooters seem to go down too many rabbit holes looking for the ultimate accuracy, when we really don't need to for the accuracy required in our sport. Thanks for watching my friend!
I thought you had lost your mind until I realized you meant different lots of SAME powder. Ho Hum isright.
Hi Rooster! Yeah, kind of a let down result, but glad it was so I can feel confident about using the mixed powder for practice. Thanks for watching my friend!
I have never had anyone after saying not to mix give me a logical explanation they just repeat what they have heard .
I do have separate lots of H110 and 296. Even for the H110 lots, I probably will just use them in different cartridges. I have three different rounds That I am thinking of loading with those powders. But if I do get some left over and mixed it, it would be for lower powered plinking ammo.
I want also to use H110 for 7.62x39, but the loading sources do not recommend its use in that chambering.
Hi Loquat! Agreed. My take is that if you end up with different types and only enough for say 20 - 50 rounds, and you don't want to worry about the DOPE for each of those loads, then don't mix them, but save the powder for say fire forming new brass and practice within 400 yards or so where it won't matter if you have say 20 rounds from one powder and 20 or so from the other. Thanks for watching my friend!
I have seen a powders be as far as 50 fps from lot to lot. Mix all lots together before loading any rounds and you don't have a problem...
Hey my good friend! Totally agree and I'm starting to do just that with my 1lb'ers. Thanks for watching Cody!
Love to see things like this put to test, thanks. “Without data it’s just an opinion “
Who makes that cheek pad for that grey mpa chassis?
Hi David, Weibad makes the cheek pad and it's great. Thanks for watching my friend!
IDK in my experience most “know it all” purists have very little practical experience regardless of the field of interest. Good information shared so thank you!
Hi Hillbilly! I agree, some people just focus on numbers and don't get out there to see how those numbers translate into reality. As I said in the video, those SD's and ES's are just fine for PRS, and I gave up long ago "chasing the numbers" for accuracy, which in the end depends mostly on ME being able to execute the shot. Thanks for watching my friend!
LOL. Who would have guessed. I'm not that consistent regardless of what I do. Thanks. J.
Hi John! Yeah, at some point, I get too hung up on the details and need to tell my self that this is PRS and I don't need 3 SD and 5 ES to hit a 12" plate at 600 yds. Thanks for watching my friend!
can you clear this up for me. you are not mixing powders , you are mix lot numbers of same powder number is that correct ?
Hi Casca! Yes, same powder brand and number, just different lots of that powder. Interesting thing here is that I did a 22LR video on different lots of the same 22 ammunition and there were considerable differences, so I was happy to see these powder results. Thanks for watching my friend!
I take it you still don't mix different powers.
Hi Brad! Not different brands, but Sinister had a good point of H4895 and IMR4895, which are pretty even powders by different manufacturers...Although IMR4895 is about 4x LESS temp stable than H4895, so that might be a factor in changing temps. Thanks for watching my friend!
I don't see a problem with that just look at the facts..
Hi Lucysdad! Yep, I was pretty pleasantly surprised by the results...I thought there would have been at least a larger FPS difference! Thanks for watching my friend!
You should call the video "lot mixing" not "powder mixing" lol
But then you wouldn't have clicked on it Cody!
Well first off when people say never mix powders they usually mean different powders, not different lots of the same powder. Some people of don't mix lots of powder but they are never talking about mixing different powders. I think your title is misleading, if you are talking different lots of the same powder you should say that in the title as simply saying mixing powder is misleading. I once listened to a powder manufacturer saying they actually mix old and new lots of powders to aid in consistency between lots of powders.
Thanks for the input and for watching Jeff!