is compressed powder inherently safe. I don't mean overloaded compressed powder, but rather compression of powder.

Yup! Assuming you're following reloading info from a reliable source. Years ago, I loaded 60 grs. of H-4831 in my .270 Win. with a 130 gr. bullet. Powder was always crunched some.
Bear in Fairbanks

No roger

quote:

is compressed powder inherently safe.

Absolitely.....there's nothing at all bad about compressing a charge!

Yes. And in some cases preferred.

I'm sure it's safe to some degree. For me, it's outside the parameters of safety. If you want so much velocity that you need to compress the powder, either use another powder or be satisfied with a slower velocity. Makes no sense to possibly damage your gun or hurt yourself...

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
No roger

I suspect Roger's post is in reference to the word "inherently"

If there were any danger of crushing powder, the
smokeless Savage 10MLII muzzle loader would not
exist. We 10MLII shooters have to make certain
to get 'er all in there as tight as possible.

Several manuals state that a certain load is
a compressed load. If one knows a load is
within safe pressures, there is nothing wrong
with compressing said load, if it is according
to the manual.

Several of the books will note that a published load is compressed.
As a general thing, compressing stick powder doesn't hurt as long as you stay reasonable. You shouldn't, however, try to compress ball powder.

Or you could Google "compressed powder loads." Compressed loads are fine in most instances. The .458 Win. Mag. was having problems with compressed loads, but this was in African heat. The powder was sometimes sluggish to ignite. That led to the development of the .458 Lott, which provides a bit more space for the load.

Chief concern with compressed loads is that the powder can push the bullet forward in the neck of the case. That can create feed problems and set the bullet against the lands in the chamber. Both are problematic.

But if you search load data online, you'll see compressed powder specs regularly. It's been SOP forever.

It depends. In loading a 270 it would be ok to compress H4831 as it is slow burning but compressing Blue Dot in a 270 might lead to a surprise.

It depends on the burn rate of the powder.

quote:

Originally posted by TEANCUM:
It depends. In loading a 270 it would be ok to compress H4831 as it is slow burning but compressing Blue Dot in a 270 might lead to a surprise.

It depends on the burn rate of the powder.

Find me, please, a published/legitimate compressed powder load for a 270 using Blue Dot. You could fill the case with Bullseye until the load needs to be compressed, but then you'd be over-charging the reload. The distinction is not about "compressed loads" but rather about safe load charges.

Generally, when I'm looking for the optimum powder for any given load or cartridge, I'll search the manual for the load that shows "C" for compressed. Then if I have that powder on hand, I'll put the max load in one piece of brass, and look down the neck to see just what is the level of the powder, and whether it's up into the neck or not. If it looks like the compression will be slight, all things considered, then I'll drop back to the starting load and work up. Generally it works out where the the powder is slightly compressed when the optimum load is found, and also generally I have the best accuracy with these loads. If it turns out that the load is going to be severely compressed, I'll look for another powder, but slightly compressed is good.

KB

Agree with KB's approach.

I understand that a load density of 100% is never a bad point to start. It at least asures that the powder is always in the same position and ignition uniform.

Seems like when you shake almost every factory round you can hear the powder rattling inside the case. So it must be that the factories don't believe in compressed loads.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Seems like when you shake almost every factory round you can hear the powder rattling inside the case. So it must be that the factories don't believe in compressed loads.

I can guarantee you that at least one factory does indeed believe in compressed loads.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Seems like when you shake almost every factory round you can hear the powder rattling inside the case. So it must be that the factories don't believe in compressed loads.

That's why we handload.

KB

quote:

Originally posted by 0X0:

quote:

Originally posted by TEANCUM:
It depends. In loading a 270 it would be ok to compress H4831 as it is slow burning but compressing Blue Dot in a 270 might lead to a surprise.

It depends on the burn rate of the powder.

Find me, please, a published/legitimate compressed powder load for a 270 using Blue Dot. You could fill the case with Bullseye until the load needs to be compressed, but then you'd be over-charging the reload. The distinction is not about "compressed loads" but rather about safe load charges.

Ooops. I thought you would get the sarcasm about the compressed load of Blue Dot in a 270!!!! My error. I'm thinking that with a load of say 59 grains of Blue Dot the likely the surprise I referred to would be a gun in pieces. I should have put TIC ( tongue in cheek )to let you know that was a funny. My bad.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
is compressed powder inherently safe. I don't mean overloaded compressed powder, but rather compression of powder.

Inherently, no. It will obviously depend on the powder chosen. A compressed load of 7828 in the 280 is probabyl going to be fine but a compressed load of 3031 woudl likely take teh gun apart.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
o it must be that the factories don't believe in compressed loads.

Factories or rather, their controllers believe in low cost.

Less powder in a hull translates into cheaper manufacturing for them. Powder is the main cost factor, if you save 5 or even 10% there, this is at the end of the day a lot of money.

I always look for a slow enough powder to give 90%+ load density when I work up a handload in all cartridges when using a stick powder.

Thirty-two of my fifty-six loads are compressed slightly.

All thirty-two shoot sub-moa.