Got an 8 pound jug of Rex powder today. Actually 2 jugs..one is to the rim full the other about 2 pounds in it. I did a little searching today and found some shotgun data and small amount of pistol data. I had heard of it from trap shooters but I truly don't load 12 ga so never got any. I assume it has been D/Cd. Has anyone on the forum used the powder or have actual pistol data for it? Hate to throw it out. I was also given 58 boxes of 12 ga shotshells. Loaded by a friend who passed in September...I know other people's reloads etc but the fellow was a conscientious reloader and I helped set his Spolar reloading machine up. No blown up guns shotgun or handgun. His wife has 5 30 gallon trash cans full of once fired shotshell cases to dispose of...way back when I'd a been on them like smell on a skunk...but I guess they are going to the dump. I did buy a Ruger Mark II from his wife..new but no box(no mag either but I have 4 new ones). Any help on the powder would be great. After Christmas gonna go through the handgun rifle ammo. Must be 6 cases of 22 ammo in the stash
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I was given a Jug of Powder
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DWalt
Member
If it was being used for 12 gauge shotshell reloading, whatever propellant it is (and I have no information or knowledge about Rex) it would very likely be something close to Red Dot on the burning rate table. Similar would be 700-X, Clays, and several others in the same fast-burning class such as Bullseye and AA #2. I would make up a few handloads using Red Dot or Bullseye data for whatever recipe you choose, as it is highly unlikely to be any faster than Red Dot or Bullseye, therefore safe. If you have a chronograph, you can play around to reach the MV performance you want. I remember once coming into around 5 pounds of an unknown propellant free. Being a cheapskate, I wasn't about to throw it away, so I made up a few test loads treating it like Bullseye, and went up from there with the aid of my chronograph. It turned out to be a little slower than Unique, or at least it loaded that way, and I did eventually shoot it all up.
A shame to pitch that many once-fired shells. Maybe you could run an ad somewhere offering them free to anyone wanting them.
I did a brief search on Rex, found that Rex I is said to load like Red Dot, Rex II is like Green Dot, and Rex III is like Unique. But don't take my word for it. Not surprising if true.
A shame to pitch that many once-fired shells. Maybe you could run an ad somewhere offering them free to anyone wanting them.
I did a brief search on Rex, found that Rex I is said to load like Red Dot, Rex II is like Green Dot, and Rex III is like Unique. But don't take my word for it. Not surprising if true.
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scribd has load data. You have to be a member to pull it up
and I let my subscription expire.
REX Nitrokemia | PDF | Firearms | Ammunition
and I let my subscription expire.
REX Nitrokemia | PDF | Firearms | Ammunition
cmj8591
Member
I'd shoot the reloads. Shotguns are a little different than rifles and pistols. They operate at such a low pressure in such a large area that it is difficult to damage one with an overcharge or by using the wrong powder. The most common thing that you would have to worry about is a shell without a charge. So long as you're paying attention and don't try to shoot out the stuck wad, it's no big deal. I never used REX. When I was shooting trap, my main powders were RedDot and 700x.
I agree with DWalt. Proceed carefully in a strongly built weapon like a Ruger Blackhawk or similar and you should be able to safely work up a .38 Special load. I wouldn’t adjust for more than 800 FPS or so.
The empty hulls should be a quick giveaway at your nearest trap/skeet/sporting clays gun club. I’ve had to do similar. I just put them in a sturdy trash bag and gave them to the owner, who set them out on his front porch with a “free” sign. They were gone in one weekend and he said the folks appreciated getting them.
If your friend used a Spolar I’d guess he was a pretty serious reloader. You can test the shells quickly on a digital scale. You might be surprised how uniform shotshells are. If you find any serious outliers, and I’d bet you won’t, you can tear those down to save components for reloading other gauges. These days lead shot and primers are about like gold. Like yourself, I rarely shoot 12 gauge anymore, but I do frequently load #7-1/2 in 20s and 28s.
The empty hulls should be a quick giveaway at your nearest trap/skeet/sporting clays gun club. I’ve had to do similar. I just put them in a sturdy trash bag and gave them to the owner, who set them out on his front porch with a “free” sign. They were gone in one weekend and he said the folks appreciated getting them.
If your friend used a Spolar I’d guess he was a pretty serious reloader. You can test the shells quickly on a digital scale. You might be surprised how uniform shotshells are. If you find any serious outliers, and I’d bet you won’t, you can tear those down to save components for reloading other gauges. These days lead shot and primers are about like gold. Like yourself, I rarely shoot 12 gauge anymore, but I do frequently load #7-1/2 in 20s and 28s.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
If the reloaded shot shells are 1 ounce, you have 81 pounds of lead shot! and 1300 primers. Even if your late friend wasn't a meticulous loader, that is an ore worth mining!
Ivan
Ivan
I vaguely recall Rex powders used in handgun cartridges. It became available back in the great powder shortage. Now the first question is Rex 0, Rex1, Rex2 or Rex3?
I'm not a google jedi, but the powders were produced by Nitrokemia and the castboolit forum and Brian Enos website apparently has some load data. Since we're not allowed to use curse words, G***k forum apparently has some stuff.
"There are four Rex powders simply identified by numbers: 0, 1, 2, and 3. Grafs identifies them as similar to the following better known powders: Rex 0 is similar to Bullseye and WW 231. Rex 1 is similar to Red Dot and Clays. Rex 2 is similar to Green Dot and International. Rex 3 is similar to Universal."
If Grafs sold the powders, maybe they've still got load data. Powder Valley too.
I'm not a google jedi, but the powders were produced by Nitrokemia and the castboolit forum and Brian Enos website apparently has some load data. Since we're not allowed to use curse words, G***k forum apparently has some stuff.
"There are four Rex powders simply identified by numbers: 0, 1, 2, and 3. Grafs identifies them as similar to the following better known powders: Rex 0 is similar to Bullseye and WW 231. Rex 1 is similar to Red Dot and Clays. Rex 2 is similar to Green Dot and International. Rex 3 is similar to Universal."
If Grafs sold the powders, maybe they've still got load data. Powder Valley too.
I'll have to go look but think it is marked as Rex 1. Guess I'll see. I looked in the big box we loaded and there is also an 8lb Universal clays in the box...bunch of other stuff. I haven't really done the kind of handgun loading that Dewalt suggests. Always a bit leery. I did do it with shotshells.. They are truly different beasties than metallic. The shotshells are going to an auction. The fellow was a good loader...shot his reloads in competition...like me. I looked at the top row of many of the boxes and they are all loaded with once fired cases...Wish they were 28s or 410s. She also put a 1/2 keg of International clays in the box. I guess all the stuff I won't use will go to the auction. We'll get into the rest of the guns after Christmas. Oh she did give me 2 boxes of factory 250-3000 for the Savage 99 I bought a couple months ago. They are like Pterodactyl teeth. If I can determine which Rex this powder is I may try some powder puff 38 loads or something. Thanks for the help guys
The presses in this lot of stuff are my kinds stuff. I like old ones. Has a RCBS A2(big Rockchucker) and an old but complete Hollywood Universal press with dies in it so he was using it. 22 shtur...there are a fair amount of older shooters who live in the area...and we kinda know each other. One day they'll be divvying up my stuff too...and I'm trying to downsize. The 99 Savage I mentioned was one tested and written about by a passed well know gun writer...And everyone knew John Linebaugh...and others
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DWalt
Member
It is difficult to overload a shotshell, as it won't crimp. I have seen numerous blooper loads, never saw or heard of a shotgun blowup from an overload. But I have heard of blown Damascus barrels with very old shotguns.
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The powder is Rex II. I've never seen a blown up shotgun except one with a plugged bore and one or 2 Damascus guns. I am just going to put the powder in the auction. I have nuff older power for 10 years...with data
Bruce51
Member
I have a copy of the Graf / Rex reload data. It has six pages of data with one being for pistol.
It does not have copyright listed so if needed I can publish the data here.
Bruce
It does not have copyright listed so if needed I can publish the data here.
Bruce
Bruce51
Member
REX Data
Only three of the pages contain Rex data.
Only three of the pages contain Rex data.
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bananaman
Member
Personally I steer clear of any powder that isn't factory sealed. You never know what BUBBA might have mixed in. Bob
Well tobe honest tha Rex was originally in a 25 poubd jug. When I sold a lot of powders I got them in 25 pound jugs...Esp Solo powders...no the powders were both the Rex things. Way back yonder about the only way to buy powder was weighed out of master kegs. And yep there are some goobers who will mix 'em up. I once bought an estate...there was 20 pounds of powder in 1 pounders..the lady had poked a hole in each sealed can and filled 'em with water. Surprisingly this fellow didn't have much powder. At least in his loading room. He had a small powder mag in the garage. All small portions of powder got burned in my dirt driveway. Except about a pound of Clays.
