In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Why was my powder Greenish?
flyingtorpedo
Member Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
Went to the range today and was shooting some 8mm mauser reloads. Factory new brass, CCI primer, IMR 4064. The rounds were loaded about 2 1/2 months ago-when it was too cold for me to go play. On my second to last round I pulled the trigger, didn't feel anything, opened the bolt and the bullet was in the barrel(that sucked b/c I didn't have a rod to remomve it and I had a few factory rounds I wanted to shoot so I could get the brass) and small clumps of powder were at the case mouth. I dumped the powder out and there were several small clumps and that powder had a slight green color and the rest looked fine and didn't stick together. I pulled the one round from the same lot and the powder was fine. So what caused my powder to turn green and not go bang? I bought the powder in December and it still looks like it did when I opened it.
On the plus side my garand didn't let me down! I also picked up 4-5 pounds of brass. Nothing I could load myself but I figure I'll sell it on GB when I have enough of one caliber. I picked up ~50 WCC 5.56. Sorry, no giveaway [:p]. I'll save that, add to it, and then sell it on GB so I can buy gas to get to the range. I also found a like new silicon gun cloth, 2 rounds of factory Prvi 308 FMJ and 1 round of Federal HE (high energy?) 308 soft point and a pair of saftey glasses.
On the plus side my garand didn't let me down! I also picked up 4-5 pounds of brass. Nothing I could load myself but I figure I'll sell it on GB when I have enough of one caliber. I picked up ~50 WCC 5.56. Sorry, no giveaway [:p]. I'll save that, add to it, and then sell it on GB so I can buy gas to get to the range. I also found a like new silicon gun cloth, 2 rounds of factory Prvi 308 FMJ and 1 round of Federal HE (high energy?) 308 soft point and a pair of saftey glasses.
Comments
Most likely scenario, some moisture in the case. Either from undried case lube contamination (happened to me more than once in the early days) or water entry somehow.
Could also be the primer was a dud but that wouldn't explain the green clumps.
I had this problem repeatedly with CCI benchrest primers, in 4 different Swiss rifles, a
Mannlicher, some Enfields and a Savage 22 hornet. (I even took a few of the bolts apart to check for grease or crud on the firing pins or weak springs!) I don't think it was my case preparation, I use Hornady spray lube very sparingly and let it dry thoroughly, or else a tiny bit of Imperial lube, I don;t use very much of either, and am pretty careful to wipe out the case mouths if I use the lube, and generally neck-size only. This never happened with my Winchester or Federal primers, and didn't happen with my CCI pistol primers in my .22 Hornet with exactly the same case preparation. So I am very gunshy about CCI benchrest primers, although others have had no such problems with them. Just my anecdotal two cents for this thread.
scrmblerKari
Most likely lube/oil in the case or water.
I rinse my cases in BOILING water after any lube is applied to anything but the EXTERIOR of the case. That melts all lube away and they are then placed on a cookie sheet and dried in the oven at 180* with the door slightly cocked open to allow moisture out faster.
If you have ever seen a battery under water the green is the first color you'll see before the steel can starts to rust.
So likely there was some ammount of moisture/oil that stopped the primer from working properly.
I keep my primers in moisture bags with silica packs and inside and ammo can. Some I've had since 1976 and I still us them without a single failure.
Also try not to handle them with your fingers. Body oils are very corrosive and dirty.
Good luck and keep them Mausers FED!
Good luck and keep them Mausers FED!
I've put another 35 rounds through it since then. Only 1 problem-I'm not used to shooting high powered bolt action and my shoulder hurts like hell. The rifle is fairly light because it's been sporterized (not by me) but thankfully who ever had it done 35+ years ago didn't drill and tap it for a scope. I'm either going to have to get a limbsaver recoil pad or have a shoulder that hurts all summer. [;)] It's more fun shooting it with my own loads than it is with factory ammo.
Only 1 problem-I'm not used to shooting high powered bolt action and my shoulder hurts like hell.
[/quote]
Ditto. My 8mm kills my shoulder. Get a recoil pad. A good one is < $40 and makes a world of difference.
Don't be brave, or you will start to flinch like I have.