Identify this powder type

[ireload]

My guess would be "true blue" from ramshot, I use in 5.7x28 and 44mag. It is very much like beach sand in size I will post a pic.

My guess is the same too. I also have True Blue.

[22popnsplat]

[John Browning]

...he guessed poorly.

[John Browning]

I'm trying to identify this powder. As you can see from the picture, it's a small ball powder with a shine to it (W231?). The mechanical pencil is for size reference. This entire amount of powder is 30.7gr (more sizing reference). Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately you'll never be able to guess based on site alone. You'd have to pay some scientist folks to do a burn test or run it through a gas chromatograph.

It looks like any of a half dozen powders I'm familiar with, and who knows how many I'm clueless to.

[chim-chim7]

Looks like Lil-Gun powder. My favorite load for my 500 magnum is 44 grains of Lil Gun or 45 gr. of H110 with a 350gr. FMJ/FN. Shooters three lanes over can feel the heat from the muzzle.

[Southpaw45]

Guessing on a powder by sight alone is a felony! Dont toss it. Burn it in a pile and watch it glow!!!! YOU ONLY HAVE ONE FACE!!!!

[Munk]

you're right about it looking dreamy to measure. It probably meters beautifully.

[Mikeb]

Looks like Lawn Fertilizer to me..

So how many rounds did you pick up? How will you pull the Bullets?

^^^^^this
ya beat me to it
Mike

[rudynix]

You can get a hundred different guesses, but guaranteed you will never know for sure unless you have a chemist analyze the ingredients and find a match of a known type. Just reuse the components except the powder and burn up the powder....

[bluebird]

I don't know if this works, but I would like to hear your opinions...

Is it possible (in theory not in practice) to decrease the powder load with the unknown powder so much that it will be highly unlikely to blow up (subsonic velocity maybe) and work up the load safely? Like .223 for example, if people normally use 25gr of some powder, is it safe (in theory again) to load the ammo with 12.5gr of unknown powder? A squib might happen, but imo at least it doesn't blow up in your face, or would it?

[Munk]

I don't know if this works, but I would like to hear your opinions...

Is it possible (in theory not in practice) to decrease the powder load with the unknown powder so much that it will be highly unlikely to blow up (subsonic velocity maybe) and work up the load safely? Like .223 for example, if people normally use 25gr of some powder, is it safe (in theory again) to load the ammo with 12.5gr of unknown powder? A squib might happen, but imo at least it doesn't blow up in your face, or would it?

Is it really worth it for 9$ worth of powder-X? I would feel much safer, and more confident in the load quality if I pulled every last bullet and reloaded it with a known quantity that was dialed in to MY specifications. (as adapted from a book usually).

You're already pulling it so you can drop the load level of powder-X, why not just do things properly after that?

To me the 9$ is worth it for just the accuracy, let alone the safety difference.

Just think of it as a learning experience where you get to figure out which of the surfaces in your garage is the most appropriate for bullet pulling. Then you get to fertilize your garden a little bit. (or have fun making a quick flash with a match... or a slow hiss, depends on the powder)

Note:9$ is based on 100 rds(A number pulled from thin air) at about 31grns/rd of 20$/lb powder. All rounded up for the sake of argument.

[bluebird]

Is it really worth it for 9$ worth of powder-X? I would feel much safer, and more confident in the load quality if I pulled every last bullet and reloaded it with a known quantity that was dialed in to MY specifications. (as adapted from a book usually).

You're already pulling it so you can drop the load level of powder-X, why not just do things properly after that?

To me the 9$ is worth it for just the accuracy, let alone the safety difference.

Just think of it as a learning experience where you get to figure out which of the surfaces in your garage is the most appropriate for bullet pulling. Then you get to fertilize your garden a little bit. (or have fun making a quick flash with a match... or a slow hiss, depends on the powder)

Note:9$ is based on 100 rds(A number pulled from thin air) at about 31grns/rd of 20$/lb powder. All rounded up for the sake of argument.

Maybe I should rephrase the question: Is my gun gonna blow up if I load 1/4 the amount of powder that I normally load for my gun, but this time with the fastest burning cannister powder?

It is definitely not a good idea to use the unknown powder, but I don't see why it's STILL unsafe if you work up the load just like you normally do, except starting with a much lower amount of powder.

[CSACANNONEER]

Maybe I should rephrase the question: Is my gun gonna blow up if I load 1/4 the amount of powder that I normally load for my gun, but this time with the fastest burning cannister powder?

It is definitely not a good idea to use the unknown powder, but I don't see why it's STILL unsafe if you work up the load just like you normally do, except starting with a much lower amount of powder.

YES! If you don't know the proper load data for a specific powder and you load it BELOW minimum recommended load, you can BLOW UP your gun. I have heard (from many sources) that too little powder can cause increased pressures and is unsafe. I am not a rocket scientist so, I can not explain this but, I can guess that it might be due to powder "expolding" instead of "burning"?

[bluebird]

YES! If you don't know the proper load data for a specific powder and you load it BELOW minimum recommended load, you can BLOW UP your gun. I have heard (from many sources) that too little powder can cause increased pressures and is unsafe. I am not a rocket scientist so, I can not explain this but, I can guess that it might be due to powder "expolding" instead of "burning"?

Ah you reminded me of this. Too little powder can cause pressure spikes because (IIRC) the bullet is not travelling fast enough comparing to the burning speed of the powder. So more gas is being built up while the bullet is still travelling very slowly => pressure increases much faster than the "volume" the bullet is creating through travelling inside the barrel (I have no idea what I'm talking about LOL my mind is not very clear)

[John Browning]

Maybe I should rephrase the question: Is my gun gonna blow up if I load 1/4 the amount of powder that I normally load for my gun, but this time with the fastest burning cannister powder?

It is definitely not a good idea to use the unknown powder, but I don't see why it's STILL unsafe if you work up the load just like you normally do, except starting with a much lower amount of powder.

Anytime you're tossing an unknown into a reloading equation, it will end up with a gun that possibly/probably explodes. This is a terrible, horrible, bad, bad, bad idea. I would put loading with an unknown powder, or taking guesses wildly out of the bounds of a loading manual to be the most dangerous thing one could do.

As others have already said, too little powder can result in an explosion. It can also result in a bullet that becomes stuck in the barrel. Best case is that is a ruined trip to the range. Worst case is that you suffer a severe injury when the gun explodes.