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Thread: Swedish wooden bullet powder

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Swedish wooden bullet powder

    A friend was out west on a trip, so he stopped at J&G in Arizona. Brought back 14,400 rounds of the Swedish wooden bullet ammo, all the same 1985 vintage lot number. Without him bringing it back, the shipping would have been a deal killer. We have 4.5 cents in each round including the Az sales tax.

    Having read of people pulling the wooden bullet, using the NC berdan primed brass for one shot, and repurposing the powder, 3 of us decided let's try it. Powder is reported to be about like Unique. One guy will be using the brass with rifle powder for his 42B which likes to fling the brass a ways. Me, I'm using the brass and powder for my cast boolit loads in my Swedish bolt guns. Pulling the bullets and weighing the powder on 5 sample rounds, it averaged 22.2gr each, with the charges in the 5 weighed rounds going from 19.x to 23.x gr...not super consistent, but then maybe for wooden bullets it wasn't needed. A friend averaged in the 23.x range for 5 rounds he weighed. The brass had a mild crimp on the wood bullet which I removed with a Lee universal expander die. I then cleaned up the inside case mouth edge with a drill and deburring tool.

    Lyman 266469 with 2.96" oal. Started low at 9.5gr salvaged Swedish wooden bullet power (let's call it SWBP). Nothing shot bad out of my Swede M38, but 11.0gr shot the best, but needed elevation/rear sight adjusted a little compared to my normal 1700fps cast load. At 11.0gr SWBP, the extreme spread for 5 shots was 9fps! 1304.2 average fps at the muzzle in 40 degree temperature. A mild load, but serves my purpose. Roughly 50fps more for each 0.5gr increase in SWBP from 9.5 to 11gr. Also noted was if the rifle was not tilted up to bring powder near primer, the velocity decreased by about 60fps. No big deal to tilt up in my style of slowly shooting at steel plates and cans. First shot fired was remote, just to be sure. No high pressure signs in 9.5-11gr range, in fact I get a little soot on some of the case necks. Got real good at pulling wood bullets.

    Now another test. I own 4 Swedish military bolt action rifles (M96, M96/38, M38, M94/14). Testing the same 11.0gr load in the other 3 rifles, every rifle liked the load! Yes the elevation setting were different than normal used, but no big deal, just write down the different settings needed. My M96 actually shot them into half the group size of my M38 (M38 group shown).

    So, 4.5 cents in each primed case. That's actually less than what primers go for now, but let's say that's worth 4.5 cents, making the powder free (don't count labor). Rough figuring what the same amount of Unique would cost if available, that's around 10 cents in free powder in each round. My plan is to use the powder only for my Swedish 6.5x55 cast reloads. One friend will be experimenting with its use in pistol cartridges. 3rd friend hasn't decided on a powder use yet.

    This test target was shot at 35yd. It show a case with corrosion and a nice case. I simply scrape off the white corrosion with a knife blade to help ensure it doesn't scratch my chamber. The spot right below the group was actually a dent on the round black sticker, not a bullet hole.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
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    garandsrus's Avatar
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    How are you pulling the bullets? I have a couple thousand rounds also. A Forster bullet pulling die ended up working the best.



    I have a couple pounds of the pulled powder but haven’t loaded nothing with it yet. I do have Berdan primers so I might reload some cases.
    Last edited by Red River Rick; 12-02-2021 at 10:59 PM.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I bought a case of that ammo a few years ago , and have had good results with the powder also. My examples were very consistent at 23.3 grs. powder. Lots of the cases were tarnished a dull red color, probably from laying in the Swedish dirt before being reloaded as training blanks. I have not used any of the primed cases yet, but expect them to be sure fire.

    Used some in 30-06 cast loads, and they shot very well. I did find it tiresome to pull very many of the wooden bullet by hand, and tried pulling them with the press, but broke of many at the case mouth. A pretty good deal if you can use both the cases and powder, but I'd rather buy powder when it becomes cheaper and available.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Stewbaby's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by garandsrus View Post
    How are you pulling the bullets? I have a couple thousand rounds also. A Forster bullet pulling die ended up working the best.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/38293328985...yABEgL6iPD_BwE

    I have a couple pounds of the pulled powder but haven’t loaded nothing with it yet. I do have Berdan primers so I might reload some cases.
    I use the press and some pliers. Grip and lower sharply.


  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Stewbaby's Avatar
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    Even with shipping, it’s <$0.07/ round to MS, so still a great buy considering how hard primers are to find (and they’ll typically cost more each that the $0.07), and as you mention, no chasing them down after shooting in the Ljungman. They box then two crates to a box, and they are 60# each so freight is legitimate given the weight.

    I tumble them to get the tarnish off but that is not a must. No degradation to the powder.


  6. #6
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    I tried the plier method also. The link I referenced works much better! The spring steel fingers grip the bullet and let you lower the case nd pull it out. The next round pushes the bullet out of the die and grabs the new one.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I also use pliers and press. Grip as close to the case mouth as you can and don’t apply too much pressure.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master fastdadio's Avatar
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    That was interesting reading and all, but, why exactly do the Swedes load wooden boolits? I would be interested in shooting them as is just for the grin.
    Deplorable infidel

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastdadio View Post
    That was interesting reading and all, but, why exactly do the Swedes load wooden boolits?
    It was their version of blanks that looked real and would feed from a magazine during salutes
    since crimped blanks often don't like to feed up through a magazine.
    There was also a screw on muzzle adapter that shredded the wooden projectile as it exited.

    Depending on how old it is, it's a good idea to treat the cases as if it had corrosive primers.

    There was stories of wooden ammo being found by GIs in the closing days of WWII.
    That was probably an act of desperation due to the Axis powers running out of FMJ.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 12-02-2021 at 11:50 PM.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I use Vice-grips, set to grip the bullets tight enough to hold but not tight enough to crunch. Then I give each bullet a twist to break the seal before pulling. I still break a few; on those I use a drywall screw to pull them out. Works perfect.

    I think the powder (my batch anyway) is a bit slower than Unique. I've loaded it in some handgun rounds and plan to try it in more, as well as in some other rifle cartridges since it works so well in my Swede. It will probably work well for .44 Special.

  11. #11
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    Copied from notes on Gunboards dot com in the Swedish military firearms forum:

    Mattson's book, Handvapnen Och Deras Vård (small arms and their care)

    6.5mm Lös patron m/94. (blank m/94)
    Uses reloaded cases. The bullet is a hollow wooden one which disintegrates
    after it leaves the barrel. A very fast powder called "Gevärsexerciskrut 1
    is used. The cartridges are packed in boxes containing 10rounds on
    strippers. The boxes have have green labels. The boxes (without linen
    straps) are packed in green wooden cases m/68. The cases are not steel lined
    and the lids are fastened with screws.

    6.5mm Kammarpatron m/12 (gallery practice round m/12).
    Uses reloaded cases, no crimping of the bullet. A tight fit is possible due
    to the fact that the bullet is slightly oversized compared to the case neck.
    The bullet is made of wood and has a cupro-nickel jacket. The muzzle vel. is
    300meters /sec. Due to it's limited mass and velocity the bullet is harmless
    over 200 meters range. The powder is of the same type used in the blanks.
    The cartridges are made at Marieberg. The cartridges(without strippers) are
    packed in paper boxes containing 100rds. The boxes have blue labels. The
    boxes, are packed 27 in cartridge case m/05. The case are steel lined and
    with a soldered lid. The wooden lid is attached with screws.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    In Mattson's book, Handvapnen Och Deras Vård (small arms and their care) there is a paragraph that mentions the
    powder used in the Lös Patron (wooden bullet blanks).

    "Till laddningen användes ett mera brisant krut än vid den skarpa ammunitionen, benämnt gevärsexerciskrut I."

    Google translate: used to charge a more brisant gunpowder than by live ammunition, rifle drill called gunpowder I.

    Google translate couldn't translate brisant. So I went looking and the English equivalent is brisance. But god help you if you wanted to define brisance! Since I graduated high school and made it through college english I knew brisant was the adjective describing the noun, krut. This is what you mostly get: Brisance is the shattering capability of an explosive.

    Well... that doesn't tell me anything but this does: Brisance is a measure of the rapidity with which an explosive develops its maximum pressure.
    http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tm.../Brisance.html

    Why couldn't they just say it was a FAST powder? That is apparently all it's saying. Gevärexercisekrut 1 is a faster powder than regular live ammunition, i.e. patron m/41. This much we have known since Anders supplied the original translation to Dana Jones for Crown Jewels.

    For the powder description of kammerpatron m/12:

    "krutet är av samma slag, som användes i de lösa påtronerna eller gevärexercisekrut 1."

    gunpowder is of the same type used in the blank cartridges or rifle drill gunpowder 1.

    Mattson's book was published in 1916 and was a standard textbook used in Swedish officer training/schooling.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

    It's a fast pistol powder. You use it in applications calling for fast pistol powder.

    There is no data. Use at your own risk.

    Yes, many people have used the powder to load pistol ammunition, myself included. And cast bullet loads in bottleneck rifle cases.

    Your questions are the main reason we've not historically advertised this aspect of m/12 and m/14 alternative usage. It's word-of-mouth. You have to figure out your own uses without pointing fingers at anyone else as to what caused your firearm to blow up. The risk is yours. Your actions are your responsibility. I refuse to accept responsibility for your actions. Questions as to load levels will not be answered.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

    notes by Dutchman



  12. #12
    Boolit Master fastdadio's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    It was their version of blanks that looked real and would feed from a magazine during salutes
    since crimped blanks often don't like to feed up through a magazine.
    There was also a screw on muzzle adapter that shredded the wooden projectile as it exited.

    Depending on how old it is, it's a good idea to treat the cases as if it had corrosive primers.

    There was stories of wooden ammo being found by GIs in the closing days of WWII.
    That was probably an act of desperation due to the Axis powers running out of FMJ.
    Interesting. Thanks for posting.
    Deplorable infidel

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    More adventures with Swedish wooden bullet blank powder (SWBP):

    Thought I'd try it in my 45/70 Trapdoor. My normal trapdoor load is 12.0gr Unique with Lee hollow base cast (with my 20/1 alloy they come out 395gr and .462 as-cast; I don't size them, but pan lube), giving average of 1138fps at 50 degrees and 10' from the chronograph with 2.6" 100yd group. Since it's suppose to be around Unique in speed, I tried 11.0, 11.5, and 12.0gr of SWBP. 11.5 shot equal accuracy to my 12.0gr Unique load, but hit 3" lower at 35yd (our plinking range is 35yd) with a milder recoil. Friend had his chronograph out, so I decided to chronograph the 11.5gr load of SWBP and got average of only 848fps!

    Please correct me if I'm wrong in my thinking, but that low velocity said to me my lot of SWBP is slower burning that Unique, at least in my 45/70. Also quite a bit unburnt powder in the brass and bore, falling into the action as the brass was extracted/ejected. So, increasing the powder charge of SWBP to 13.0gr I got a one shot fired velocity of 942fps. 14.0gr didn't register on the chronograph, but 15.0gr gave 1012pfs (one shot fired), and 16.0gr gave 1122 (again, only one shot was fired). 1122fps is close enough to my Unique load that gives 1138fps and nice accuracy so I stopped there.

    Next load up batches of 15.0gr SWBP, 15.5gr, and 16.0gr for accuracy testing. 15.0gr shot yucky. 15.5gr better accuracy, but not like my Unique load (not measured, but eye balled at about 4.5"). 16.0gr shot fantastic for me at 1.4". No unburnt powder in brass or action and about 1/4th the unburnt powder in the bore compared to the 11.5gr SWBP load. Recoil and point of impact were like my Unique load. 16.0gr SWBP is now my new Trapdoor load. Only downer is the powder does not meter well for me, so my RCBS charge master weighs out each charge. It was a cold day here in Florida, but I went out anyway. 16.0gr SWBP shot just as good today. Happy Happy Happy

    And, of minimal value, but may be of interest: If you get the Swedish blank adapter that's specific for the Swedish 42B, it provides for semi-auto firing of the 42B with the wooden bullet blanks. I'd not heard of such an attachment.

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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