Factory Load Powders

[Shiloh]

Are the reloading powders that are available to general public the same powders used by the ammo manufacturers? This probably relates more to loading jacketed bullets, but could still apply to some of the lead pistol boolits as well.

Does factory ammo use proprietary powders??

Thanks in Advance.

Shiloh

[Jim]

The public(us) doesn't have access to the powders used by manufacturers.

[Bent Ramrod]

I believe the answer is sort of yes and no. The powder manufacturers produce single and double-base powders in the flake, rod and ball shapes at the sizes we are used to seeing and test them under pressure in combustion bombs. The ones of the proper configurations that burn at a standardized rate which fits the handloading data in the manufacturers' catalogs is packaged and sold to handloaders as a "canister grade" powder and given the name or number that we are used to seeing on that given powder. We are then assured that if we use that powder, it is pretty well equivalent to the last can we bought in terms of weight and pressure/velocity produced.

However, there is no way to tell before the powder is manufactured whether it is a "canister grade" or not. The only way to tell is to finish the manufacturing process and test it out. The stuff that doesn't burn the way the "canister grades" burn is sold to the ammunition loading companies, which have their own combustion bombs and can tune their pressures and velocities to the ammunition they are manufacturing.

So the upshot is that if you break down 100 rounds of say .30-30 ammunition, you will have a pile of powder that may look just like 3031. However, trying this powder at your standard 3031 load level in your .30-30 may generate too much pressure, too little velocity or some other permutation or combination of wrong data as compared to the identical looking powder that you get out of your 3031 powder can.

[357maximum]

The public(us) doesn't have access to the powders used by manufacturers.

AND we very apparently do not require access to them ...I am happy without access to them personally.

[Alvin in AZ]

The way I see it is...

"canister powder" is blended to match all the canister powders -with that-
designation that came before it. :)

The factory doesn't have to mess with all that crap, they just modify the load
slightly to match the powder "as supplied" or "as manufactured" (like single
barrel whiskey;) and load 'em up. :)

That sure as heck seems to be what I've found from carefully weighing powder
in factory ammo -that looks just like- a store bought "canister powder".

At least that's the way I see it. :)
Anybody here actually know? :)

Alvin in AZ

[runfiverun]

we actually get more consistent powder then the factories.
they do test the lot they get ,set a load within their[pressure] specifications, and load away,
must be nice to have that kind of equipment.

[felix]

That blending is true, and can be done safely if the specific gravity of the lots having the slightly different speeds are extremely close. Single base powders do not have nitroglycerin which is a good water vapor stabilizer within the powder. Therefore, single base powders are sold in water tight cans. When vapor goes away as you open the single base powder can in low humidity; when you use the powder via the hopper; and, pour it back into the can, the powder will become faster, ever so slowly each time you repeat. Do it in a high humidity atmosphere instead, the powder will become slower. Another downside is that the bugs in the atmosphere love to eat powders of any type for the energy. Keep this in mind whenever you use powders. By the way, the plastic "cans" do NOT keep the powder as released from the manufacturer humidity wise. ... felix

[Alvin in AZ]

Wow Felix! :)

That explains why I had so much trouble with "the standard" 22-250 load.
-36.0 grains of 4320-
As the months went by one summer I ended up blowing some primers right
out of the cases, ruining those cases along the way of course. :/
...with -the- load everyone else found to be "standard" for 22-250.
...except for me that is. :/

I've ended up with 40.7gr of 4350 in RP cases. :)
Takes thin RP cases to get that much 4350 inside and...
with the butt of the bullet only half way down the neck too. ;)

I love to interpolate loads in rifles using single based powders. ;)
YMMV
+2%gr ~=~ +2%v +4%cup

53gr match bullets in 24" barrel...
3640fps @ 50,000cup
40.7gr of IMR4350

Alvin in AZ
ps- anybody ever read about how or why the numbers like "4320" were chosen?
pps- do you think 3031 has anything to do with the 30-30 cartridge?