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Any of you scientists out there have any experience with the consequences of loading shotshells or other ammo with a mixture of different types of smokeless powders? Any information on the general trends of burn rates, etc? I just happen to have a mixture, and I wonder if I can find a sensible way to load and shoot it.

Let me re-iterate, I'm looking for the voice of experience here, not opinion, encouragement or discouragement. I'm not recommending mixing powders. I have no intention of mixing powders -- I just happen to have some. No need to ask how this mixture came to be. No need to ask what the mixture is, either. And yes, I have already considered getting rid of this mixture in other ways, so no need to suggest that.

Again, specifically, if you have relevant experience with the consequences of loading ammo with a mixture of different types of smokeless powders, please comment. Otherwise, please don't. Thanks.

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

From what I've read the powder companies will mix powders that are different in their development of a third type of powder. I suppose if you used the same testing procedures as the powder companies, that you could determine what your powder combination was similar to, but if your testing procedure is loading a certain amount into a hull and firing it, I suspect that you may be in for some unintended consequences.

Specific canister powders are made for using in manufacturing ammo.

Duplex loads are used in certain black powder applications to clean the burning column.

But there is no need to mix powders in our normal reloading of shotshells.

There are plenty of powders with close enough performance parameters to be able to fill the need of both pressure, velocity and cleanliness.

When I have powders that just HAPPEN to get mixed, I use it on the lawn for fertilizer.

But to more fully explore your question, what quantity of MIXED powder do you have?? One pound? 10 pounds? 100 pounds?

If I had more that a few pounds, I do have a method for its use in ammo.
NOT to be discussed in public ! Shocked

Thanks
Mike

I have mixed two powders in reloading for 16ga shotgun shells. The powder is Win571 and HS-7. The second being HS-6 and Win540. The two powders being combined are the same powder only labeled differently. This is the only combining I have done.
Ron

Thanks Ron. You have experience, but not with mixing different types of smokeless powders, as I had asked.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1308 Location: Western WA

Another perspective on experience, seen on a bumper sticker:

Good judgment comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgment.

Brewster

My great-aunt was a rabid Scrabble player and in her experience, Funk & Wagnalls was the best dictionary.
There is no need to ask why I made the comment.

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

Dear MS
Since you have clarified your question, I will answer it- Yes, I have mixed powders and obtained reasonable results. Due to the variable involved, the results never equaled, let alone exceeded the results of the individual powders. There are a few rules that I used in regard to the mixing, but since those rules were based on knowledge of powder composition rather than actual experience, I'll let you do the research yourself.

This whole thread is about only hearing the desired answer . So why ask?

Thanks AmericanMeet. After your experience, could you draw any conclusions about relative burn rate of the mixture? Do you think it trended toward one or the other of the component powders, or was it an average? It's probably becoming obvious now that I want any observations I can get from experiences such as yours, but do not want to color the responses by suggesting what I expect of the results. I will let you know the results of my little experiment if you want to know.

Again, I am not advocating mixing. I certainly have no plans to mix powders myself. I have acquired a mixture, of which I know the general composition. I seek a reasonable way to consume it for its original purpose -- down the barrel, propelling some shot. I don't expect others to agree with my purpose or ideas in this regard. I don't require such agreement, and I'm certainly not asking for it. I'm simply polling experience. Again, thanks AmericanMeet and you others with first-hand experience.

DogChaser37 -- I hope you don't mind me dragging you into this. I apologize in advance if it bugs you. I would expect you, if anyone, with your testing experience, to have some comment. Comment by PM is just fine if you do not want to engage the whole crowd, which I can understand. I do expect universal disagreement with the idea of loading/shooting this powder mix. It doesn't offend me in the least if you don't want to respond to this either. I'm not looking for approval, or advice. I'm simply inviting comment on your personal experience -- your observations . . . and in your special case, considering your testing experience, I would gladly accept your theories. Thanks for any info you can relate. Happy Holidays, Mark.

Joined: 09 Feb 2015 Posts: 817

Maxim, I asked this same question at the gunclub a few weeks ago caused I got some mixed. Though it wasn't a large quantity. The answer I got from several was. If you accidentally mix a slower burning powder into a fast burning powder then your ok. I thought later that's like is the glass half full or half empty. Heck I shot the powder anyway. I'm still here.

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 601 Location: Virginia

I accidentally added a small quantity of 231 into a larger quantity of Bullseye. I decided to shake up the canister in hopes of mixing it well, then used recipes for the faster powder for reloading. It seems to have worked, but I was not using maximum loads.

Thanks DanLee and Hammer Bill.

Hammer Bill -- Just to clarify your statement, did the fellows use the mix as if it were the faster powder or the slower one? Again, thanks.