[Steve Koski]

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee304/SteveKoski/Powder%20Pictures/24.jpg

IDPA Loads:
.45 ACP 230 grain bullet: 5.5-5.7 grains
9mm 147 grain bullet: 3.7-3.9 grains

I disassembled some rounds from IDPA nationals and am trying to guess at what powder was used.

I'M NOT GOING TO USE IT ('cept to burn some on a manhole).
I don't recognize this one.

Any guesses?

[KansasSasquatch]

I wish I knew. I've never seen a powder with oddball shaped grainules like that, but I'm fairly knew to the hobby.

[jmorris]

HS-6 or maybe HS-7 if someone has as large a stash of it as I do.

[jmorris]

There is a thread here, a few years old, that has a bunch of them photographed but my search foo is off.

[JSmith]

This one?

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=659063

I bookmarked that thread when I came across it one day. Unfortunately, the powder in the OP doesn't look like any of those. The granules aren't all the same, like somebody was mixing different powders.

[jmorris]

Not the thread I was thinking about. This one had many different powders posted here but I can't find it.

[blarby]

Looks eerily like hs-6, except for the tear shaped granules.

[rcmodel]

Pretty sure it's Smokeless Powder.

Hope that helps!

rc

[1SOW]

I'm wondering if the shooter had more than one load being used.

[jibjab]

Any guesses?
It should always be considered a unkown powder.

[GP100man]

If it`s not marked or labeled it looks as if the misses is set for rose bush fertilizer next spring !

I was all ready to call it true WW 231 (before the Hodgdon merge of 231/hp-38) then I saw the larger flakes ????

Is it pull down or salvaged from cartridges , if so it may give us a better idea of the burn speed .

[MachIVshooter]

Any guesses?

Fertilizer

[Steve Koski]

Good point, It could be a mix. As I pulled them I tried to keep like in like baggies, but I may have goofed up.

[GLOOB]

I've never seen a powder with oddball shaped granules like that
I have. And it looks very similar to that. Win Autocomp. And off the top of my head, those are both reasonable charge weights. Here's a pic I just took.
http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/SAM_0195.jpg

And here's a picture of the two, side by side. I corrected the scale so the rulers lined up, inch for inch. I guess you'll have to take my word for that.
http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/Temp2.jpg
Aside from the color/lighting/resolution issues, they look awfully similar to me. Note that my camera is adding a blue tint. The powder was photographed on a white piece of paper.

Hodgdon Reloading Center data for Win AutoComp
147 gr parabellum: 3.6-4.0gr
230 gr 45ACP: 6.0-6.6gr


Looks eerily like hs-6, except for the tear shaped granules.
I've never seen HS-6, but per Hodgdon's data, those loads the OP listed would be awful light for HS-6.

It's definitely not HP38/Win231. HP38 is a lighter silver color and a lot more uniform, like flat perfectly circular discs.

OP, if you have one of these powders to compare to, I can tell you this. Win Autocomp has ~1.3x the density HP38, and about 1.55x the density of Unique.

[Sport45]

I don't know what it is either.

I don't suggest burning it on a manhole cover. Sewer gasses can be combustable too, ya know? Just sling it out in the yard or burn it on the sidewalk or street. If you don't want to scorch the concrete just mash a soup can and burn the powder on top of it.

[Pete D.]

No way to really know. The best we can do is say what it looks like, not what it is.
For sure, it is a great fertilizer.
Pete

[JLDickmon]

Fertilizer

be my guess..

[Steve Koski]

I didn't say burn it on a manhole cover. I guess you guys don't remember the good ole days.

Actually, when I'm all done with this monkey business my kids make designs out of the powder on the garage floor and we light 'em. I've got quite an artwork collection going. Yes, we're safe about it.

[Nappers]

Looks like fffg black powder??

[jjjitters]

I have Auto Comp and it is more of a flat round flakes,(actually a little different than the previous pic of it), the op's powders is a ball powder that is partially flattened. Military or commercial powder that the public doesn't have access to would be my best guess.
Blackpowder wouldn't be in a case designed for smokeless.

[GLOOB]

I have Auto Comp and it is more of a flat round flakes,(actually a little different than the previous pic of it)
Odd. Perhaps Auto Comp really IS floor sweepings. :)

Actually, after careful review, I agree with you. My Auto Comp looks more flat than the OP's powder. The kernels are roughly the same size and not too far off in thickness, but the top and bottom surfaces are visibly more flat/parallel than the OP's powder.

[mtrmn]

Looks like an older Winchester powder? 540?

[Dynamite Rabbit]

I have 540, and it has somewhat the same shape, but every kernel is flattened. I'm thinking 473AA or 452AA. They both look very similar to the OP's picture, with 452AA being a much smaller kernel. Neither seems quite as dark and shiny, but maybe that's the lighting. I found (in Speer #11) .45 loads of 6.0-6.5 of 473AA and 4.7-5.3 of 452AA for a 230 grain Speer TMJ bullet.

I could take pictures, given a little time.

[Sport45]

I didn't say burn it on a manhole cover. I guess you guys don't remember the good ole days.


What kind of manhole are you planning to burn it on? I try to keep hot stuff away from mine. :)

[KansasSasquatch]

I think instead of calling it a Man Cave he's calling his garage his Man Hole.

[1SOW]

Long ago when children were much better-behaved and laws hadn't yet restricted firecrackers to party-poppers, large firecrackers under a manhole cover would flip them over. M-80 firecrackers and bigger.:what:

A heavy round steel plate covering a public water drainage system.

[Bush Pilot]

I think instead of calling it a Man Cave he's calling his garage his Man Hole.
You obviously don't know Koski. Steve, why don't you put about 20 grs in a GAP case and report back how it performs, it might help us to help you.

[Steve Koski]

OK.

[JSmith]

M-80 firecrackers and bigger.

Wow. I remember M80s. The people who lived near us 40 years ago would probably remember them too.

We used to put those things in a wrist rocket slingshot. Another guy would light the fuse, and away it would go. DO NOT TRY THIS unless you are young and stupid.