It's all about that Pow Pow...

[Jedabug92]

......der, powder that is.
I was talking to a buddy and a good point was brought to my attention, that's it's all made in the same place by the same people with the same recipe so why is it frowned upon to mix different batch numbers of the same powder? Like 2 1# bottles of varget? ?

Sent from the Armory

 

[jc5420]

I mix different lots through a funnel and keep to maintain a constant burn rate between lots. Never anything negative and my SD numbers and shooting at extended ranges have proven accurate.

 

[Jedabug92]

I mix different lots through a funnel and keep to maintain a constant burn rate between lots. Never anything negative and my SD numbers and shooting at extended ranges have proven accurate.

So you just mix in a new pound with your Franken-powder?

Some guys say just buy 8 pound jugs, but I can't afford 8 pounds in a whim lol.

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[dennishoddy]

I've never noticed much difference between lot numbers on powder, but lot numbers are used in case there is an issue with the powder, and some gets out on the market, potentially causing safety problems.

The factory can issue a recall to recover the lot.

 

[swampratt]

When you get some brass all sized and ready all same head stamp and primer.
Then let's load up 10 rounds of the same weight a couple different lots of powder and see what happens on paper and over a chrony
and at 200 yards.

This should satisfy your curiosity,, and if both lots give the same results then I would not mind mixing them together.

But if one shoots 3" groups and another shoots 1.5" then I would not mix them.

 

[Jedabug92]

I've never noticed much difference between lot numbers on powder, but lot numbers are used in case there is an issue with the powder, and some gets out on the market, potentially causing safety problems.

The factory can issue a recall to recover the lot.

See that's was I was thinking.

When you get some brass all sized and ready all same head stamp and primer.
Then let's load up 10 rounds of the same weight a couple different lots of powder and see what happens on paper and over a chrony
and at 200 yards.

This should satisfy your curiosity,, and if both lots give the same results then I would not mind mixing them together.

But if one shoots 3" groups and another shoots 1.5" then I would not mix them.

And if I may, we're the loads you shot loaded together and shot together? Was the shooting environment the exact same? I'm just curious.
And shooting 100 is my concern for now.

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[swampratt]

when I started reloading in 2009 I got 1 lb of varget my brass was Winchester for my .308 the load was 44.5 grains for best accuracy with
the 165game king with the funny looking hollow point. I could hit coke cans easily at 250 yards as could anyone shooting the gun,
Groups at 100 were under 1 inch for 3 shots.. usually about 3/4"
I ran out of powder, so I got another pound,, I could not hit those cans at even 200 yards.
groups were 1.5" at 100 I tried different brass I tried neck turning.. got into citric acid cleaning got another scale and compared the 2 side by side.
I read and read on accuracy with brass prep.

Decided to work up another ladder test and found with this newer lot the accuracy was best with 43 gr varget.

Then I got more of that lot.
Then I cut my barrel shorter and looked for even more accuracy so back to the drawing board I went.

I have some 4350 made in 1994 and it is not even the same looking powder today .. same goes for the IMR 4064 not the same stuff.
Next time you are here I will show you some 4064 from 2009 and 2012. I should get some from 2015 and see what it looks like.

You can also do a volume measure test.
Scoop a few charges and weigh them, then scoop from a different lot and weigh them.
Sometimes you will find big swings in volume measured density of same brand powder with different lot numbers.
But if you do not chances are those will shoot about the same

 

[swampratt]

read this post #21 I think where he is talking with Hodgdon

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/powder-lot-number-20257/index3.html

Many people mix it though and have no trouble doing so.. It boils down to try it and see.
You can even read about duplex loads on the net.

So many things are hear say and until you try it for yourself you will never know how something will work out for you.

I was told many times that certain things will not work. But when I did it for myself it worked fine.

Thinning paint with gasoline and painting a car. That will work and at many temperatures.
I was told put silicone on rubber valve cover gaskets on both sides to seal them well. Yea that was a big mess and a bunch of oil leaking.
Do not use it on cork either.. just dry and all is well.. But others have different methods.

Someone keeps telling me to go LS,, well a few someone's but I still like my minimal wires.
I suppose when I do go LS I probably will not go back to old school.

 

[TedKennedy]

I deal with some pretty tightly controlled chemicals, and combine them as part of my job - so here's my take:

Lot number - that lot was manufactured using a combination of chemicals, each with it's own lot number and origin.

So, any variation from one of those ingredients can effect a change in the total lot.

Each chemical will have a set of "standards" or values it has to meet, in order to be accepted and used in production.

If a couple of ingredients are on the margin of acceptance, the resulting combination may affect the end (lot) product.

May not be a negative result, just different than a previous lot that used different lots of individual ingredients.

Quality control is very strict in this application, so major variances would be rare, IMHO.

 

[jc5420]

Jedabug, when I say I mix my powder it isn't just one pound here and one pound there. It may be 3 pounds from one lot and 4 from another. I like to keep 10 pounds on hand, but with how much I shoot that does not last long. 20-40 pounds would be preferable. Lot changes are sometimes more noticeable than others. Often when I mix lots it is to lessen the impact of a very noticeable change of another. Always test each lot before mixing there are some cases where there is no major difference other than the numbers on the jug.
I like to buy cases of powder to avoid this situation. Mixed lots also will not see my match rifle.