"New" 2400 denser than "old"?

[Kraschenbirn]

The other day, I opened a fresh jug of 2400 (black label with the IHMSA ram) to reload some 7.62x54Rs. While setting up, I dropped a few charges on the scale just to check my dipper technique and, much to my surprise, my string of test charges ran 20.0 gr. (+/- .1 or so). Now, I've been using this same dipper, made from a trimmed-down .44 Mag case, for almost three years and it's always thrown 19.5 gr. of 2400. Checked my scale zero and found it dead on. Got out my back-up scale, leveled it, and - you guessed it - 20.0 grains!

Only difference I can think of is that, up until I opened the current jug, I've been working with 2400 from an earlier lot...green label, three or four years old. Anyone else noticed that more recent lots of 2400 seem to throw heavier?

Bill

[Moondawg]

You just discovered why you should not be using dippers with smokeless powder. Powder changes in denisty/volumn from lot to lot. 20 gr. of older 2400 will probably be very very close in power and velocity to 20 gr of new 2400. What change is the volumn between lots. For smokeless powder use an adjustable powder measure. Dippers are fine for the holy black, it is measured by volumn not weight.

[runfiverun]

my powder measure showed the same thing with a couple of new jugs.
so i batched everything together and made 40 lbs of the same thing, and re-set my loads.
they'll probably change it a couple of more times before i need any more.

[nanuk]

dippers work fine, as long as you confirm your weight when changing powders....

same as you would for a progressive, No?

[Kraschenbirn]

dippers work fine, as long as you confirm your weight when changing powders....same as you would for a progressive, No?

Yep! Over 50-some years of reloading, I've accumulated a half-dozen different powder measures along with a couple sets of 'calibrated' dippers (one a full set of pre-Lee Mequon) plus another dozen, or so, that I've made up myself for dedicated purposes. It's always good practice to check your charge weight...with dippers or mechanical measures...every time you set up.

I only threw out the query about the apparent density increase of the later 2400 because I was surprised by the amount of change. I'm accustomed to seeing lot-to-lot variances in powder...'specially the IMRs...but it's normally more like a 1/2 gr. (or less) shift on 40-50 gr. charges. 1/2 gr. change on a 19.5 gr charge of 2400 is a 2 1/2% variance and, to me, appeared way out of the norm.

Bill

[joec]

Every pound of powder I open new I take a measure with a dipper and weigh. After 10 I average it up and put that into a spreed sheet (by Ranch Dog) and use the VMD from that rather than the listed one. I find very little difference when metering it after doing that getting consistent weights each round.

Oh and I tape the VMD on the lid of the powder so I know what it is.

[Bullshop]

I have this old short square tin of 2400 powder and am reluctent to open it.
It is the old type with the metal pull strip seal. This is likely Elmer era powder and what he used in his heavy 44 loads.
To me it is just powder and I would just burn it up if I open it as I burn 2400 in many applications. To someone else it may be a collectable.
I would trade it for a pound of powder with no historicle value (new powder) plus maybe a little taboot like maybe a second pound of same.
If there are any powder collectors in the Saco Mt, area that want to trade comon by.

[fecmech]

I noticed the same thing with some new Bullseye as I am using bushings in my CH Auto champ progressive. My bushing has thrown 4.2/BE for over 20 yrs now and that with a 158 RN is my basic 38 spl load for silhouette. The new BE throws 4.4 grs BUT chrono's exactly the same as my 4.2 load does. So in my mind they slowed BE down if 4.4 has the same velocity as 4.2 did before. At any rate as long as the velocity didn't change I'm not going to change anything.

PS. I think I've got Elmer's can of 2400!:kidding:

[Shooter6br]

Had the same problem with "new " Unique.Weighs like Herco.

[singleshot]

I wonder if they are throwing filler in that adds weight but no energy...they sell powder by the pound you know. :-o