I took a box of 404 reloads in trade some time ago. I pulled a bullet to see if I could figure out the load. Also shot a couple and the primers leaked. So I pulled the rest. Powder was 75 grains behind a monolithic brass bullet which is 400 gr (I think) and quite long, round nose. The powder is a medium sized extruded powder, smaller than IMR4350. The only load that weight for this caliber appears to be RL15. Most of the grains are silver gray with a tiny hole through the lenghth, however what threw me is some of the grains are greenish, similar size, but no hole. I am starting to think this is a duplex load ... was going to reassemble with 2 grains less powder but that may not be a good idea if duplex due to mixing variations.

Help!

Toss the powder, reprime and reload. Good to go.

Not worth the risk if already leaking primers.

Agreed
I've never noticed any variations in the granules of RL15 so it sounds mixed to me, toss the powder in a pile and light it (at least you'll get some fun out of it).
Reload with your own recipe.
As a rule I trust no ones reloads other than my own and a very short list of friends.

I think you have 4320; RL15 has no holes in it but 4320 does and not all of the grains show them.
I don't use other people's reloads either.

I have filled a 1-lb. powder can twice and am working on the third, pulling projectiles and dumping powder from unknown loads.

It just isn't worth it.

Personally I would pull the bullets, dump the powder, resize and deprime, anneal the neck and shoulder area, resize again and trim to length if need be.
Obviously don't anneal with a live primer in place hence the need to resize again after annealing.

It is better with unknown age/use cartridges and cases to give them the works before reuse.

Then you can load with known primers, powder, bullets and COAL to suit.

It all depends on how desperate you are for powder. A couple of primers leaked so you know the pressure is too high. One could decrease the load by 2 or 3 grains and probably be good to go.

Not to say that I would.

My take on this is, if you DON'T have the load written on the box, or a cartridge, then there is NO WAY of identifying the powder.
I have seen H4350 differ in appearance between lots, and, I worked in the plant making the stuff. It was very noticeable.
I never use unknown reloads, even stuff I helped load with my uncle was pulled down and checked before use. His loading was sound, I know this, I was there, BUT, his storage of said ammo was very suspicious and not how I would store it.

Cheers.

How about IMR 4064 .. 75 gr of 4320 would not be a "hot" load but 4064 would. The part that puzzles me is some grains are definitely graphite-silver, others are definitely olive-ish.

I am trying to figure out if these loads or hot, or if the primers are leaking because of out-of-round primer crimping after the fact (HDS cases ... who crimps their primers anyway??)

4064 is long grain;; like 3031. And no holes in it. 4320 is closest to your description.

Regarding crimped primers; if they are crimped, the "reloads" were probably done in new primed brass. I also don't think that what appears to be "out of round" primer crimping is that uncommon and I highly doubt it's the cause of the leak.

Regarding the greenish granules; I understand powder manufacturers put colored granules in powder so it can be idenified by them later.

I also believe Superformance is a blend of at least 2 powders. Duplex loads aren't necessarily bad.

I would dump the powder or burn it..too risky when one plays with unknown substances in reloading. Salvage the cases and bullets..

Powder photo link Note that the same powder may be in different colors. As many a 3 photos per powder.

dump the powder on a dry spot in the yard. It is better as fertilizer than an unknown powder.

great site! I have saved it to my favorites list.

quote:

Originally posted by 243winxb:
Powder photo link Note that the same powder may be in different colors. As many a 3 photos per powder.