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Thread: H110 issues, not burning!

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    H110 issues, not burning!

    I bought a can of H110 last summer and know I've used it without any issues in my 77/44 using Lyman devastators down to 19 grains of powder. Well, I loaded up 36 rounds of J words yesterday with it and headed to the range this morning. I did a ladder test starting at 20.7 grains of powder and worked up in .5 grain increments to 22.7 grains. I used hornady xtp's, a federal large magnum pistol match primer...like always, loaded to 1.587", and gave them a good heavy crimp with my Lee collet style factory crimp die.

    Every one of the loads fired and exited my S&W 329NG's 2.5" barrel but barely recoiled. There was a lot of dirty smoke build up on my cylinder. The gun had a stinky smoke comming out of it like I was lighting 4 th of July snakes and it was spitting out unburnt powder all over the place. The spent powder was Yellow in color. I saved some for show and tell...




    My cases were pin tumbled and a good three days before I loaded them up. I wouldn't think that ALL the primers were weak as EVERY shot reacted the same. My crimp was pretty heavy IMO and I've used the same crimp style on my devastators down to 19 grains of H110 and never had this happen. I called Hodgen and asked if the powder was bad. They told me the hornady 7 th edition manual was wrong (page 880) and that I should be loaded the 240 grain xtp's between 23 to 24 grains?

    I know I used some of this powder last year with no issues. Could it have gotten, old, contaminated, or wet? Do I need to crimp harder on my crimp. I put ALOT of pressure on my crimp IMO like always.

    The Hodgen rep said he's done the same himself with not enough H110 in the case. He said H110 is the only powder that will do this. I'm confused since I have worked the H110 from 17 grains to 24 grain with a 265 grain devastator and never had any issues with a 1000 plus rounds I fired out of it last year.

    So what's your opinion? Bad powder? Too loose a crimp, or not enough powder fill? I would rather dump the powder and start over before I waste time with loading defective loads again. Hodgen told me it's likely not the powder but if I wanted it tested I'd have to send them loaded ammo. It would cost more to ship hazmat than to buy another jug of powder IMO.

    I did load up a bunch of devastators with this powder a few months ago. I'm going to have to test them now. I'd hate to have this happen in a hunt.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-01-2019 at 02:06 PM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    my h110 flakes measure length of cut at 0.008" yours is more like 3 fingerprint ridges so roughly 0.060" I don't think that's h110

  3. #3
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    H110 is a flattened ball powder! You may have accidentally got some powder mixed up or got a really weird bottle of powder.

    http://www.ilrc.ucf.edu/powders/samp...0&powder_id=80

    Do you have a picture of unburnt powder?

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    The powder in the picture is NOT H-110! H-110 is a ball powder, the powder shown is a short-grained extruded powder.
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

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  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Your right!!!!! It was H1000 that must have grabbed by mistake. Never did that before in 20 years of reloading. Thank god I had no issues other than weak loads. Lesson learned. I feel a little stupid...but relieved that I didn't harm myself or firearm.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-04-2019 at 10:46 AM.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    ya I was thinking it must be extremely slow to be in that good of shape after. I packed 44 loads full of 4895 and 4350 cause I get bored sometimes but I don't remember that much powder being left or that perfect looking.

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    Hodgdon-H1000

    http://www.ilrc.ucf.edu/powders/samp...0&powder_id=63



    Thank God you didn't switch H-110 for H-1000. That would have been ugly.

    You are safe, you figured it out. That's what's important.

    This just tells me your getting older I double check my powder and leave it sitting on the bench behind /next to my press so I see it while I reload.

    And, only 1 powder on the bench at a time --- PERIOD.

    This is a good reminder for the rest of us.
    Last edited by Conditor22; 07-04-2019 at 01:41 AM.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I did only have one on the bench...that's how I figured it out. I saw an H1?? and my dyslexia went to town. I called Luke at hodgen and told him I boo boo'd and it wasn't the powders fault....it was mine.

  9. #9
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    Nothing wrong with the H110 you're using. What's wrong is you're using it in a revolver with, unlike the solid breach 77/44, has a barrel cylinder gap. To exasperate matters your revolver has a 2 1/2" barrel. H110 requires a higher level of psi to burn efficiently. Your revolver is venting psi at the barrel cylinder gap and then totally venting it at the muzzle well before the psi is high enough for the H110 to burn efficiently. As the technicians said you should be using 23 - 24 gr H110 with the 240 gr XTP. That will put the psi at 34 - 35,000 psi +/-. However, with the short barrel the psi may still vent to much too soon. A switch to Blue Dot or 2400 might be better options.
    Larry Gibson

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    I did only have one on the bench...that's how I figured it out. I saw an H1?? and my dyslexia went to town. I called Luke at hodgen and told him I boo boo'd and it wasn't the powders fault....it was mine.
    Ah heck... just throw a duplex charge and watch the night sky light up! No... just kidding. I am a little surprised that it even tried to burn and did get the bullet out of the barrel.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Definitely isn’t H110. Glad you figured it out and no harm done. Pride will recover. Time to break down the remaining.

    I typically keep one bottle on the loading bench and it’s the one I’m using and it follows the reloading process until complete and put away. I can’t say I’ve never dumped the wrong powder in the hopper to have to empty it and clean it in preparation for the correct powder.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Arkansas Paul's Avatar
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    I'm with Conditor22.
    I'm glad you made the mistake this way and not the opposite. That would have been bad.

    Lesson learned. It's always a relief when your mistake isn't costly.
    Happy loading.
    Life is a series of bullseyes and backstraps - Ted Nugent

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    Okay but the question in my mind is still WHY IS IT YELLOW?!

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Well, I just got done reloading with the correct powder and disassembled my 329NG to clean and inspect. I heard a loose rattle inside that was bugging me. It was the hammer block. Looks like it's designed to be loosely fit and slide up and down causing the rattle. The faceplate screws were loct tighted with red loc tite from the factory! I only had one loaded bullet to pull. Luck was in my side today. I am still scratching my head that I didn't pick up on the powder shape when loading. The pistol still stunk of that nasty burnt powder smell (like firecracker snakes)when I cleaned it. The H1000 has to be 20 years old...I wonder if it's still good? I used it in my 300 RUM if I remember correctly.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-01-2019 at 06:19 PM.

  15. #15
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    H1000....well that's a whole different ball game.......glad no harm was done.......
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Mistakes happen, glad nothing bad resulted. I think it's a fine thing you did calling hodgden back and letting them know. They probably appreciate it more than you know.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drew P View Post
    Okay but the question in my mind is still WHY IS IT YELLOW?!
    It's yellow because the powder is yellow, and is coated in graphite. In the partial burn, the graphite was removed from the powder that did not burn.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tatume View Post
    It's yellow because the powder is yellow, and is coated in graphite. In the partial burn, the graphite was removed from the powder that did not burn.
    Was wondering why it turned yellow myself

  19. #19
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    Good thing you didn't make the mistake the other direction...by grabbing H110 when you meant to use H1000. ouch. So the good guy wins and no harm done this time.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master 303Guy's Avatar
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    Whenever I have had incomplete burn, the remaining kernels were yellow. Are all the kernels burning to that yellow state or just some of them and some of those are being left in the bore? It seems unlikely that some kernels would burn completely and some not and yet the evidence seems to point in that direction.
    Rest In Peace My Son (01/06/1986 - 14/01/2014)

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check