Reusing powder - good or bad idea?

[LittleBill]

In my last thread, I was asking about leading in a couple of barrels. Now it seems I have some leading in my powder. :| As a result of that thread, I pulled 50 rounds that were loaded up, but not yet fired. I picked out the bigger slivers of lead from the pulling process, but I can see tiny bits here and there. Should I just toss the powder? Actually, that would mean lighting it on fire in a safe manner. Or, can I reuse it? I am not about to throw it in with the rest of the can, at least not yet. So, is this frugal, or stupid? It is not a huge amount, but it is enough to load up about 50 rounds and then some.

[303Guy]

I would reuse it. Definitely not to through it back in the can. It does make good fertilizer on the lawn or pot plants but burning it is more fun.

[Hawkeye45]

Littlebill;
IMHO if you KNOW what powder it is, reuse it by all means. But as 303guy said don't put it back into the container with the other powders. I have had to do that with some 748 in .223 and I keep it in separate containers.

Mr. Ed

[GabbyM]

Might try a pan similar to gold panning. Dry to see if you could use gravity to separate the lead flakes.

[LittleBill]

Well I do know what it is, because I just loaded them yesterday. I should have asked my other question here first, but things didn't work out that way. It is not a lot of powder, about a dollar or so. I wouldn't even ask this question if it had happened five or six months ago. I'd be out in the yard with my matches. :guntootsmiley: Now, every boolit, every primer, and every grain are important. I'll probably still light it on fire - for science and all.

[gon2shoot]

Use it. And now we know a good cause for the leading.

[Edubya]

I know that feeling; a penny saved, a penny earned... but remember also; penny wise and pound foolish. If you try to recycle this stuff your weight will not be the same. A grain of lead would weigh the same as a grain of powder but it would certainly give you a different reaction!

EW

[Pilgrim]

In your leading post and question, one of the items suggested was to pull some boolits and measure them to make sure they were still of an adequate diameter. Oooppps! You are shaving lead during the seating operation. I'd guess you are not belling your cases enuf. In any case, you've gotta figure out how and why you are shaving lead off of your boolits. Until you do that you have no hope of eliminating leading or obtaining accuracy that amounts to anything beyond 8 or 10' from the muzzle, if then! Pilgrim

[Shiloh]

Reuse it.

Especially due to the current political environment.

[H.Callahan]

Reuse it.

Especially due to the current political environment.

Amen!

[MT Gianni]

I have bought a lot of pull down powder that was pulled from military cartridges. Some of it had small contaminants in it.