Leaving powder out in throw

[Kracken McGraw]

When powder goes in the measure, a tag goes on the outside to show what powder is in it.

That’s a great idea!
I always sharpie my charge weight on piece of blue painters tape, and stick it in front of my scale to see. Now I will also do the powder type too.

 

[JFrank]

Jim,
I suspect that the powder just dried out. We measure powder by weight or volume, in this case I think the powder was measured by weight. When powder is allowed to change weight by gaining or losing moisture from the available moisture in the air, the weight of each kernel changes slightly allowing for a different amount of energy in the charge if measured by weight. In addition, it takes energy to drive off the added moisture, further reducing available energy for its intended purpose.

Place a sheet of newspaper in the sun on a warm summer day, after an hour or so it will feel drier....... it is!
Dead grass will change its moisture content in less than an hour in the sun. Farmers and ranchers see this all the time with their spring and fall burning. Powder will change moisture much faster because the surface area to volume ratio is much higher than that of grass or small twigs. Basically, it has more exposure to the air because of its small size.
CW

I may just try that by weighing a sample then leave it sitting out to re weigh the next day.
I gottstaknow .......lol

 

[JFrank]

Thanks Clay
It's still early I need more coffee

 

[DirtySteve]

If powder off gasses etc. ( looses potency) how did the OPs loads increase in fps?

As powder dries out the burn rate increases. If in a high humidity environment it would lose velocity.

Let me quote Erik Cortina here. “In order to shoot consistentl you must be consistent.”

I anneal every time, consistent brass. I put my powder away each time. So burn rate stays the same. Use the same primers....ect......

 

[Mulligan]

I may just try that by weighing a sample then leave it sitting out to re weigh the next day.
I gottstaknow .......lol

Put a charge outside on a hot spring day. Weight it just out of the jug, at 1000, 1400, and 1600. It is eye-opening! Do the same test if you have a garage or dry shed that can be opened to the outside on a damp day. The rate of change in powder weight is rapid, when placed in the sun or high humidity environment.
When I started shooting short-range BR a couple of years ago, I tested it with 133 and LT-32, in the dry climate I live in, stuff can dry out fast!

CW

 

[rkittine]

My powder throwers get tape labels on them with what is in them and if I am going to leave powder in any of them for any extended period of time, I drop one of the small desiccant pouches in the hopper.

Bob

 

[NorCalMikie]

I anneal every time, consistent brass. I put my powder away each time. So burn rate stays the same. Use the same primers....ect......

Start with a system and stick to it.
You could always try something a little different to see if it really makes a difference.

 

[DirtySteve]

You could always try something a little different to see if it really makes a difference.

No thanks, Black Powder Cartridge Rifle is giving me fits... I need to get my ES down by 10 fps.. Currently I am at 32 fps spread and need under 20.. Man this make Smokeless powder load development look like child's play... Variables not attributed to the case.... Powder granule size, Powder Charge, Powder column height, compression, Lubrication disc thickness, wad material and thickness, paper thickness for wrapping bullets, and bullet weight..

 

[XTR]

No thanks, Black Powder Cartridge Rifle is giving me fits... I need to get my ES down by 10 fps.. Currently I am at 32 fps spread and need under 20.. Man this make Smokeless powder load development look like child's play... Variables not attributed to the case.... Powder granule size, Powder Charge, Powder column height, compression, Lubrication disc thickness, wad material and thickness, paper thickness for wrapping bullets, and bullet weight..

You haven talked about the alloy for your casting in there. That’s another variable for BPCR shooters that is huge. BPCR development truly does make shooting bottleneck cases with smokeless powder seem as child’s play

 

[PhilKeil]

No thanks, Black Powder Cartridge Rifle is giving me fits... I need to get my ES down by 10 fps.. Currently I am at 32 fps spread and need under 20.. Man this make Smokeless powder load development look like child's play... Variables not attributed to the case.... Powder granule size, Powder Charge, Powder column height, compression, Lubrication disc thickness, wad material and thickness, paper thickness for wrapping bullets, and bullet weight..

That will keep you busy

 

[Ccrider]

I write the type of powder in the bottle with a black marker and leave it in the bottle for my thrower. I leave powder in my AutoTrickler. It is in my basement. Pretty constant environment. Have not noticed any indication of problems. I will load straight from the keg and see if there is a difference in velocity.

 

[divingin]

I never leave powder in a powder measure after reloading because I may forget it's in there and contaminate it with other powder or forget which powder is in there.

I have a piece of tape on the bottle cap with the powder type (Varget, 4064, whatever.) When the powder goes in, the tape goes on the outside of the hopper. Doesn't matter if I forget what's in there; it's marked. The tape goes back to the bottle cap when the measure is emptied.

Had the situation once that "turned into something longer" and the inside of the RCBS uniflow was etched pretty deep. I'm assuming that it was from a solvent.

From what I read (and barely remember now, so I may be wrong) it's nitroglycerine that eats the plastic hopper. Pistol powders are more aggressive at that due to more NG for a faster burn rate.

 

[K22]

I have a piece of tape on the bottle cap with the powder type (Varget, 4064, whatever.) When the powder goes in, the tape goes on the outside of the hopper. Doesn't matter if I forget what's in there; it's marked. The tape goes back to the bottle cap when the measure is emptied.

If that works for you then fine - I prefer a "fail safe' approach to reloading as much as possible. Whatever method you use I found it to be beneficial to keep the same routine.