powder

[Bosswife]

can you id powder just by looking at it--thank

 

[novalty]

Not enough to ease my mind.

 

[iouri]

What novalty said. No amount of looking will give you assurance that it is what you think it is. I'd rather make an expensive yard fertilizer.

 

[Bkreutz]

What the other guys said. There are too many identical appearing powders that have vastly different burn rates. To add to the confusion, I've seen the same powder, from different lot numbers, be visually different. Maybe the phase of the moon determines what the powder will look like.

 

[gaijin]

Nope/no way.

 

[4barrel]

:FLAKE--BALL--STICK--What did I win?

 

[robertrwalsh]

don't forget donut.

 

[novalty]

don't forget donut.

Mmmmmmmm donut

 

[Green Frog]

"It's all just gunpowder, just mix it up and use it."



I'll send flowers to the funeral.

Froggie

 

[fredj338]

Some, like the Dot powders, colored tags, but most others, it's a guess. Yes, if I only loaded 2 or 3 powder that were totally diff, like Unique, imr 4198 & AA#9, I could tell the diff.

 

[retired_diver]

I'm with everyone else on this one, when in doubt throw it out.
But, Like a few stated; If you are using say Blue dot and AA#5 or IMR 3031 then it is easy to tell the difference and be safe. But AA#3 vs. AA#7 I couldn't or wouldn't guess.

PS: Donut??

 

[Bosswife]

thanks for the replies

 

[mikld]

There ain't enuf blue dots in my Blue Dot powder fer positive identification! Like said before; you can identify the shape (ball,extruded, flake, etc.) but beyond that without a full laboratory, it's just a WAG...

 

[novalty]

PS: Donut??

Believe this is a reference to Trail Boss.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I tried my old w231 against the new CFE and ............

I think I got it.............
well maybe.........
Almost.........
Sort of.........
ah nuts........

You guys might be on to something !!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The only powders you MIGHT have a shot at ID'ing are Red Dot, Green Dot and Blue Dot BUT, if when you can ID Red Dot because of the dots in the powder you still have no way of knowing if any other powder is mixed in with it.

It is never ever a good idea to try and ID a powder by looking at it...

 

[venomballistics]

in certain contexts, visual ID can be useful for narrowing things down.

say you find a factory load you wish to duplicate.
between velocity, charge weight of a disassembled round and visual ID .. you just might find the powder used.
I say might, because factories have access to powders you'll never find on the shelves.

 

[fredj338]

in certain contexts, visual ID can be useful for narrowing things down.

say you find a factory load you wish to duplicate.
between velocity, charge weight of a disassembled round and visual ID .. you just might find the powder used.
I say might, because factories have access to powders you'll never find on the shelves.

Except, a you note, most factory loads us non canister powders. So you are still only guessing.

 

[gwpercle]

Sort of but it is a guess.
Red Dot has red dots.
Green Dot has green dots
Blue Dot has blue dots
Alcan #5 has white square flakes in it.
But I wouldn't want to bet my life on my visual identification of a powder.

Why do you ask this question ?

Gary

 

[mikld]

in certain contexts, visual ID can be useful for narrowing things down.

say you find a factory load you wish to duplicate.
between velocity, charge weight of a disassembled round and visual ID .. you just might find the powder used.
I say might, because factories have access to powders you'll never find on the shelves.

I agree, but, I would think only those with many years and thousands of rounds reloads and has researched many, many powders would even try that.

If I'm trying to match factory ammo, I just check the muzzle velocity of factory fodder and duplicate that from my reloading manual, 'cause as venom stated, most factory powders are not available to hobby reloaders...

 

[happy1]

Some time they will mix different powers to get the velocity that a customer want's that's why in damn near imposable to duplicate factory loads.

Paul