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Turk ammunition powder

sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
Howdy all,

I was just out on the range today shooting my Turk T-38(?) today was amazed again at how much velocity this stuff gets. Does anyone know a.) what kind of powder they use, b.) how do I get hold of it?
I've pulled bullets apart and reloaded them with Sierra 150 gr. and had good accuracy out of my M48BO. But this Turk happens to be a lot more accurate with standard Turkish ammo. I shot a couple of two inch groups at 100 yds. I never do that with a.) that ammunition and b.) open sights. Anyhow, just wondering what kind of vunderpowder this stuff is?

We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>

Comments

  • richbugrichbug Member Posts: 3,650
    edited November -1
    It is an obsolete foreign made flake powder. There is nothing similar or comparable that I know of. However it is readily available and cheap. There is nearly ten pounds of the stuff in a case of ammo. cases can be had for $60. The ammo comes apart easy, just bend the cartidge, and the neck will split, allowing the bullet to be removed with your fingers alone.

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks Rich,

    I can't quite understand how it is so obsolete though when it's performance is so good. I struggle to get anything I have to push 150 gr. bullets out at that fast. Maybe somebody knows where to find it other than having to bust open cartridges. But....I would like to buy some more of the Turkish ammo.

    We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    richbug-

    Is that Norma powder your talking about that is next to impossable/hard to find.

    sniper.gif
    NRA Life Endowment Member
  • richbugrichbug Member Posts: 3,650
    edited November -1
    FrancF, I have been looking for some Norma MRP for a while. The turk crap doesn't hold a candle to any of the Norma powders I have used. The Turk powder is dirty, stinky, and inconsistant. But it is cheap, and does go bang.

    Sand warrior, the reason you like the ammo is simply the velocity? There are modern powders that will do the same thing. Varget, 4895, BLC2 etc. Just the turk ammo is loaded to the highest pressure that the guns will take on a regular basis. No powder mfg is going to give you loading data that hot, especially when there are 100 plus year old guns floating arround in this caliber with undersized .318 bores.

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Richbug,

    So far I've loaded IMR 4350, 4895, 4064 and H4895, Varget, and Re15 at the 150 gr. mark and all show pressure signs before I hit the velocities I get with the Turkish ammo.
    However, even though my sniffer is gone, the ammo is very dirty. I cringe to think I would leave anything corrosive in the bore for more than 15 minutes too.
    One other possibility? This being Berdan primed cases with two flash holes to ignite the powder from it give a faster therefore quicker initial push to the bullet helping to keep pressure down. Secondly, that the central web of Berdan primed shells are able to absorb more pressure than the standard type flash hole where the pressure will eventually concentrate? What do you guys think?.
    I'm kind of stumped as to what I need to use to get those velocities.

    We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>
  • richbugrichbug Member Posts: 3,650
    edited November -1
    Berdan primers don't seem to show pressure the same. Also the primers are very hard on the turk ammo. I believe they would show pressure signs if it wasn't for the hardness of the cup. What pressure signs are you having? What primers are you using?

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So far most of the presssure signs are flattened bases/primers, hard to turn the bolt after shooting. No split necks with the modern powder, but, I have had just a few split necks with the Turk Ammo.
    The out and out most accurate load I've found is 52 gr. of 4064 behind a Sierra 150 gr. in the Yugo rifle. I should clarify about 4064 too, I only get pressure signs with it when doing a compressed load, smae with 4350.

    We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>
  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    U.S. manuals show SAMMI spec loads, and there "soft" in deferance to the few origional spec (smaller bore) 7.92x57's still out there. If you can get your hands on a CIP (european version of SAMMI) spec manual (Norma, VV, etc), and the powders mentioned in them, you might find a yourself closer to the Turk military ammo.
    BTW, it's salts in the older priming compounds that are the corrosive part, not the powder. How much it stinks after firing has absoulty nothing to do with the corrosive properties of the ammo.

    Whittemore
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Richbug,

    Sorry missed the last question back. Winchester primers.

    Tailgunner,

    I've looked up the VV loads for 8mm and they seem pretty soft too. That was however, on the internet and I suspect what they publish in English is lower for the American Saami specs. I have never used Norma powder.

    We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
    Richbug,

    So far I've loaded IMR 4350, 4895, 4064 and H4895, Varget, and Re15 at the 150 gr. mark and all show pressure signs before I hit the velocities I get with the Turkish ammo.
    However, even though my sniffer is gone, the ammo is very dirty. I cringe to think I would leave anything corrosive in the bore for more than 15 minutes too.
    One other possibility? This being Berdan primed cases with two flash holes to ignite the powder from it give a faster therefore quicker initial push to the bullet helping to keep pressure down. Secondly, that the central web of Berdan primed shells are able to absorb more pressure than the standard type flash hole where the pressure will eventually concentrate? What do you guys think?.
    I'm kind of stumped as to what I need to use to get those velocities.

    We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>




    Your talking apples and oranges here comparing the Turk powder to 4064, 4895, 4350 etc. The anecdotal comments and data I've seen on the net. Given by folks who've pulled down and used a bunch of the Turk powder for reloading, compare the burning speed to 3031. 3031 is a faster burning powder then even Varget. This same data seems to even hold true for the Com Bloc 7.62 x 54 being imported now. I've seen that Czech powder also being compared to 3031 in burning speed.

    luger_4.jpg
  • kackac Member Posts: 1 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have Norma Powder up for auction here. But for pick up only. It is a real problem to ship for the average person.....kac
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