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Powder any good ??????

375H&H375H&H Member Posts: 1,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited September 2008 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I posted back in August about a fella that gave me almost 10 lbs of IMR 4895 . Well I was getting reading to load some 06's ,and noticed that the powder has what looks to be a rusty looking dust through out the powder and has a chlorine type smell to it [B)]
I got out a few containers of my other powders like IMR 4064 , 4831 and 4350 , and this 4895 smells nothing like they do . the other powders have a solvent smell to them and not to strong , and like I mentioned this 4895 has a heavy chlorine type smell to it.
I did load 8 rnd's ( 46 gr's under 165 gr bullet ) and even when I poured the powder through my loading funnel , it left a rusty looking dust residue on the inside of the funnel [B)]
So my question is , did I get 10lbs of deteriated powder or is this OK to use , are the 8 rounds I loaded safe to test fire ? How can I tell , are there any tests or ways to check it ?
Thanks for any input .
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    awindsawinds Member Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This from the Hodgdon reloading Manual::
    Powder deterioration can be checked by opening the cap on the
    container and smelling the contents. Powder undergoing
    deterioration has an irritating acidic odor. (Don't confuse
    this with common solvent odors such as alcohol,
    ether and acetone).

    Yours smells bad to me.

    I wouldn't use / fire any of it.
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    Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You got 10 pounds of fertilizer, and the grass and flowers love it.
    As far as the 8 rounds go, I'd pull them down. You don't know which way the burn rate changed IE they might go "Pifffft", or they might go "KaBoom".
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    mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    Do not use it, it's not worth the chance of hurting your self or someone else....
    The burn rate would be way off what it should be........
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    JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    rusty color is one of the indications of deterioration. Unfortunately, most times the powder burn rate gets faster as the retardent coatings have broken down, and the ignition will take place much faster. KABOOM[B)]
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    jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I've used some deteriorated stuff for fireforming cases that are blanks with just a cornmeal and glue plug, but that's about it. Otherwise yes, fertilizer- and expensive stuff at that. :(
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    375H&H375H&H Member Posts: 1,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks a bunch fellas , Thats what I was thinking also , [V]
    Knew it was too good to be true , I'll pull the 8 rnds and burn the rest of it . Like mrbruce said , not worth the chance of someone getting hurt over a few lbs of powder [B)]
    Thanks again .
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    Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Seriously, why burn it? It makes good fertilize for your lawn/shrubs
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