Titegroup Powder - Weird Issue

U

UncleLoodis

New member
Hello all.

I'm looking for people that use Titegroup powder. I was lucky enough to get some recently from Bi-Mart, and am using it to load some 9mm ammo. I loaded some rounds, and the dispenser on my press was down to about 1/4 full. I poured the rest of the pound of powder into the press container. I noticed that at the top of the powder--it's a different color...silvery. It looks really different than the rest of the powder in the container. I am absolutely positive that I was loading with Titegroup, and topped with Titegroup (factory container too, not stored in a different container). So most of the added powder looks like what was in the press...but the last 3/4" or so at the top looks different. The factory container was sealed tightly.

Any ideas why the last bit is a different color? Safe to use? I may just scoop the silvery-looking powder out and discard it.

As always, thanks in advance for your input.

Uncle Loodis
 

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Follow-up: I just opened another (new) container of Titegroup...it appears that it has a mixed color....kind of funky too--not consistently the same color. I don't know what to think. I guess I'll load up some rounds and test them (wearing some heavy gloves, haha).
 
Uncle,

I have used Titegroup, also purchased at Bi-Mart as well as Sportsman's Warehouse and Cabelas, for .38 special and .45 ACP and haven't noticed color differences. If you are sure that both are Titegroup, not sure you should worry about it. If there is any doubt, turn it into fertilizer?

Good luck,
Tony C.
 
Thanks Tony.

Yeah, I just scooped out the funky looking powder. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. I've been using 4.2 grains....thinking of loading up a few rounds with 4.0 grains, using the funky looking powder and test it out. Or, I just might pour it out in a mound on the patio and flick matches at it...haha. ;)

Thanks again for the reply.

U.L.
 
Uncle,
Please let us know how the loads perform. I had an issue a while back with some crazy inconsistencies with Titegroup reloads,something that has never happened to me in decades of reloading. I have since wondered if the push to satisfy the powder craze hasn't led to some QC issues. Thanks
 
I did just hand weigh five rounds using the silvery powder. I normally shoot with my group on Thursdays. I will post what happens, so stay tuned if you want to know the results--which of course I will be happy to post. I probably won't get out the chronograph for it. I will probably just see how they react compared to standard loads.

I did chrono some Titegroup loads a while back; the consistency was great. I could post the results, but my server computer is down for the day. If you're interested, I can post them when I post on Thursday/Friday. Or, if you want, I could email you the results if you want to P.M. me your email address. It'd probably be easier that way, as they're in an Excel sheet, and it's a cool sheet to have.

Thanks much.

U.L.
 
I use Titegroup in 9mm and .45acp. I've never noticed what you describe. But, I always "stir up" the powder can before dumping it into the powder hopper. I roll the can across the bench for a couple minutes, and lightly shake it a few times before dumping into the hopper. I don't remember if I read about this somewhere, or someone told me to do it, or maybe it's an idea I cooked up in that empty cranium of mine. Maybe I'm on to something? The powder can settle? Or maybe I'm just goofy?
 
I've used Titegroup consistently in 9mm for a lot of years, I can't say I've ever seen that.

Could the glass in your powder measure be tinted a little from use? It doesn't look like it from your pictures but it's not empty either.

I know when the light is shinning on Titegroup it does reflect light and looks a little different on top. I don't think it would look that different.

It's also curious how uniform the line is between the darker and the lighter colored powder is. I would have thought that from just dumping it in there it would look more random or angled from the pouring process.

That stuff is almost perfectly striated.

Very strange
 
As LE-28 suggested, looks like discolored powder hopper. I can't figure out a way that you'd get such a discrete difference in color by pouring it out of a container. Empty the powder hopper, mix the powder, then refill it to the same level. I bet you get the same effect. post that pic.
 
Looking through the hopper isn't the best way to see any difference in powder(s). Especially anything subtle or slight. Visually, I know all my hoppers have stains and distortions from powder, use and time. I would have to lay it out and look at it. By the time it went into my hopper, there would be no question(s) about the powder. I have used TG for a long time. I love it. Never had any problems or questions. Economical powder for.380, 9mm and 45acp and others.
 
I have a thought and that's all this is . Is it possible that the lower 2/3 of your hopper plastic is discolored from all the powders and where you usually stop filling the the hopper . The silver/gray color is just being seen through the more clear plastic area that does not often have powder contact ?
 
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Many powders are coated in graphite (or similar) giving it a silvery color. As the granules rub against eachother the graphite wears off, showing the color of the gunpowder itself.

I have seen the same thing happen to Varget, where it started out silvery and then after a while turned brownish / yellowish as the powder is agitated by the container being moved around, poured out of and into etc.

The graphite has to go somewhere, perhaps it settled towards the bottom of your titegroup container making the last bit of it being poured out look much more silvery than the rest.
 
Physically it looks the same (at least to me).

I'd send the pictures/question to the manufacture and see what they say? Wouldn't hurt that's for sure.
 
"Many powders are coated in graphite (or similar) giving it a silvery color. As the granules rub against eachother the graphite wears off, showing the color of the gunpowder itself.

I have seen the same thing happen to Varget, where it started out silvery and then after a while turned brownish / yellowish as the powder is agitated by the container being moved around, poured out of and into etc.

The graphite has to go somewhere, perhaps it settled towards the bottom of your titegroup container making the last bit of it being poured out look much more silvery than the rest."

That is quite possible. I've used Titegroup for a while but never really paid any attention to minor differences in color.
 
I think it's the powder reacting to the plastic in the hopper, darkening the powder and the hopper. Titegroup 'melted' my hopper in short order. The plastic got dark and started to deform around the baffle. It happens pretty quick with Titegroup and Bullseye. Never leave them in your hopper, even overnight.
 
Results

Greetings all, and thanks for all your input; I do appreciate it!

I did test the five rounds with the silvery gunpowder today—they worked just as any other round would have. And I shot probably around 300 rounds that I’d made with that batch of powder, no issues whatsoever.

I did scoop out the silvery powder; that's what I used to load the five cartridges. It is not an optical illusion due to the reservoir on the press being cloudy/dirty. I scooped out the silvery powder, and replaced it with more from a another canister. It nearly matched what was in the press' reservoir.

I do plan on mixing the slivery powder back with the other powders and using it, as it worked just fine this morning. I'll probably not store that ammo on a shelf though; I'll use it up first.

As always, thanks for all the input. :)

U.L.
 
I've noticed the same variation you are seeing....in the last 2 or 3 can's of TiteGroup that I've opened as well.../ and I bought about 20 lbs of it ( two 10 lb, one can cases ) a few months ago / and I know it was new inventory - received by the retailer the same day from the factory in Olathe, KS ...and I purchased it the same day UPS brought it into his shop.

...but I have not seen any variation in the way it drops or performs in 9mm ...or any other caliber I use TiteGroup in / and I use a lot of it ...in 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 acp ....357 Mag and .44 Mag....
 
That's very interesting.

Well, as long as it goes bang the same, I'm happy. :)

Like I had posted, it seems to work just as the other rounds do, and I've shot a lot of those rounds.

U.L.
 
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