Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Blending powders

As I recall reading in one old magazine, Dick Casull blew up several guns in the development of the 454. He used both duplex and triplex loads loaded in 45 Colt cases. (These were not blended loads however.)

I know guys that mix vv 133 with some other vv powder maybe it is 130...can not say for sure they even make a 130. Some lots of the 133 are a little too slow for the ppc apparently as they mix a slightly faster powder with it. I will pass on the prospect of losing fingers. I figure that if I mixed up something that was good I would then drive myself crazy trying to duplicate it.

If I post it here, schoolmarm, it's up for grabs.

When I was in the Wolfe Publishing booth maybe 3-4 years ago at the Safari Club convention, a guy came up and wanted to sell us an article on the great velocities he was getting by blending powders. He was a real fan of the magazines and I didn't want to piss him off too much, so asked if he'd ever gotten his loads pressure-tested. Well, no, he hadn't, but... He did have all his fingers and even his nose.

The closet I have come is using around 5 grains of fast-burning smokeless powder (usually H110) next to the primer in black-powder loads to reduce fouling. But that ain't blending.

I had a misfire with a muzzle loading single shot pistol one time.

I tried 10 or 15 caps and it still would not fire.

I removed the nipple and pulled the bullet from a .22 LR and poured the powder into the nipple hole.

I clamped the pistol in a large vice, tied a long string to the trigger and got behind a building.

That did it. And surprisingly, it did not appear to harm the pistol, but I sure am not going to do this and hold it in my hand, if it happens again.

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Can you use the same blender that is used to make margaritas to blend powders ?


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I've blended varying percentages of Hodgden's H4198 and H4227 with no issues. Pals of mine have blended N130/N133/N135 for certain applications with fine results.

But I can't fathom any sort of 'normal' hunting cartridge that isn't well served with any number of over-the-counter powders.

Good shootin'. -Al

I have never thought of doing it, but isn't the Superformance ammunition using a blend of different powders?

BBerg

The Superperformance ammo uses blends of very similar powders that are not identical in burning rate. A different blend is formulated for different cases.

I suspect that they have more sophisticated equipment than the average basement experimenter.

...think as long as you're replacing a percentage of faster powder with slower powder in an effort to reduce pressure as opposed to increase speed/pressure ...and keep the faster powder closest to the primer..... and do it on a per cartridge basis...you'll be OK.

I wouldnt expect to mix 1/2 pound of this with 1/2 pound of that and discover anything except you cant keep the ratio's equal.

doubletap,

Yes, and they are mixing powders that are essentially identical in grain size and shape.

Adding to that, they are doing nothing different than they do to make canister-grade powders. All the powders we buy are blended to achieve precise performance specifications. That's all Hodgdon is doing with these Superwhatsis powders - except that they are blending them to perform best in a given cartridge/load and not to meet a canister-grade spec.

They aren't revolutionary new powders, they're just different powders. They'll probably work very well indeed for the one or two cartridge/loads they are designed for, but they'll fall short or be no better in anything else.

I just wonder about these things separating out in transit. No thanks.

just one more pinch of bullseye for some "snap" was last they heard that he had said,

and when he shot it off he went to meet his Pap, who'd already had tried it and was just as dead

I am not so sure that the numbers for velocity on the "super powders" is worth what is being charged for the cartridge.

But what do I know.

D

PS Same for some of the handgun cartridges that are selling for a dollar a shot but the hard ball version is less than one third of a buck.

This is just my opinion, but to me, blending powder is like standing with one foot in a bucket of ice water and the other foot in a bucket of boiling water and calling it "comfortable."

..... Figure vv133 is to slow for the PPC.
Figure vv130 is just a touch to hot for the PPC.
vv130/133 is just right.
I've heard of guys doing it.And its supposed to work just dandy.
Ill stick with my T322.
It actually is just right.


dave

Of course blending is sometimes ok. I blend H414 and Win 760 when one is available and the other isn't, but they are the same powders with different names.

Wayne

Dave Skinner,

Is your "no thanks" response to home blending of powders, or the blending done by Hornady and various powder companies?