Powder Problem......

8

849ACSO

New member
So, I've been reloading for several years and have NEVER done this before, and I think already know the answer to my question, but here goes..........

I was loading some .308 over the weekend and was using BLC-2 to work up some test charge weights for accuracy with a new (to me) bullet weight.

Once I finished for the day, I grabbed the container from the shelf and dumped the remainder of the BLC-2 back from my powder thrower................into my Varget container.

I'm guessing there was an 1/8 pound of BLC-2 dumped into 3/4 pound of Varget.

So............. since there's SOOO much difference in the powder size (fine ball vs. extruded) is it safe to screen out the Varget and throw away the BLC-2 (and small pieces of Varget) that fall thru, or do I now have $30.00 worth of garden fertilizer?

Thoughts?
 
I would not atempt to salvage the powder. Spending $30 isn't so bad when you consider what COULD happen if you don't screen all the powder.

John
 
Keep a small container of this powder then place the container in your survival kit. It makes for a great fire starter. You can pretend you are on Dual Survival.
 
If it's the only 30.00 you lose, it's worth it. I would not chance it. Your life, your guns life and fingers are worth more than 30.00. Chalk it up as a Oops and move on. I bet there is not a one person in here that has not made a mistake.
 
They're not that far apart in burn rate (it's not like you've got a fast pistol powder in there). I'd pour it through a mesh and see what you get. If it's not working, I'd dump it.
 
30 cal I did almost the same thing except instead of Varget it was IMR 4895. At the time any powder was very tough to find. I decided to screen it out. Took a couple try to find the right size mesh but once I did it was pretty easy to same the IMR 4895. The BLC2 kept letting a few granules of 4895 fall on with it. I finished by pouring the screened 4895 onto a sheet of white paper and looking at it closely. Couldn't find any blc2 left in it. Poured the 4895 into an empty container to use for plinking loads and discarded the rest, actually had 4 or 5 different powders that only had a small amount left in cans that I didn't load any more, mixed it all together and poured out trailer on a sheet of tin and my son and I watched it burn one calm evening. if I had access to more powder at the time I would have cussed and dumped it all, but I didnt.
 
You already know you did not follow a basic rule of one powder container at a time on the bench. It is fertilizer now.
 
I'm not sure that I would immediately dispose of the powder mixture; it seems that a half pound or more of the Varget could be salvaged, assuming that the two powders have not been totally mixed together. Spread out several layers of full newspapers sheet on top of each other and then string the powder contents along the length of the newspaper page. Between ball powder and extruded, there should be pretty much of a distinct dividing line between the two masses of powder and of course some will be mixed together. Now separate the ball powder along with a cushionable amount of the Varget from the remainder of the Varget and dispose of the mixture in your favorite way. The remainder will likely be 100% Varget. If that doesn't seem to work to satisfaction, then dispose of it all.
 
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I'd be dumping it in a pile and burning it, but then I'm a pyro...
Click to expand...

I second SawDustDad!

Country kids,
Poke it with a stick, if it doesn't move,
Hit it with a rock,
If it still doesn't move, pour gas on it and shoot fireballs at it!

It's the country kid way of entertaining yourself!
 
And this is why you only keep ONE powder on the bench at a time when you are reloading.

A good practice to get into is keeping your supplies stored off the bench surface. When you are loading, take out just the bullets, primers, and powder that you are actively using that session. When you are done, put them all back in storage off the bench.

Toss it and chalk it up as a lesson learned.
 
Re: posts #3 and 12:

But think twice before dumping the powder into a "pile" and then dropping a match; you may be in for a surprise as the flame jumps a few feet into the air. Instead spread the powder out along a line and light one end.
 
BLC-2 into Varget container equals pitch it. Even though BLC-2 and Varget are very close in burn rates. Very much doubt you'll find a screen that is just the right size.
"...flame jumps a few feet into the air..." Way more than a few feet. Think 10 feet plus. Had a bad can of Bullseye that got a match dropped on it(in a clay ash tray), years ago. Lovely 10 foot plus column of fire just like a rocket engine.
"...$30.00 worth of garden fertilizer?..." Good high nitrogen(first number)fertiliser runs that much or more anyway.
 
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