.303 Blanks

[Smith357]

I'm looking for starting load data for .303 blanks to used for tennis balls fired from an Enfield rifle Grenade launcher. I have some modern commercial blanks that are working well launching the ball 100+ yards but they cost 75 cents each. I opened up one of the blanks and it had about 12 grains of a fast burning flake powder. (square greyish green flakes to be exact) I'm guessing a pistol powder was used due to the lack of pressure in a blank case to completely burn a slower rifle powder.

Also what is the best way to seal a blank, the crimped ends on the commercial blanks is blown out and will need to get trimmed off. I'm thinking about some cotton or cardboard wadding and some wax.

 

[rcmodel]

Military blanks are loaded with a special "blank" powder you can't get.

It burns so fast, very little resistance is needed to get a bang.
The closest you can get to it would be several of the fastest pistol & shotgun powders.

Here is a good read to get you started with some methods & ideas.
http://bobshellsblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/blank-ammo.html

rc

 

[Trent]

This reminds me of something I wondered awhile ago.

Can you use good old flash powder?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_powder

 

[rcmodel]

I'm sure you could.

But that stuff is about as dangerous as nitro glycerin if you are thinking of making some yourself.

And the differance between a just right report and a KaBoomed gun would be a mighty small amount.

rc

 

[kingmt]

You can still get it. It is WC Blank & I think I paid $10 a pound for it. It a little faster then what is used in the galf ball blanks. It has a burn rate close to Bullseye by weight but it is about twice as bulky. About 8gr of ether should work. Blank powder will burn better tho. CH4D makes the crimp die. You might be able to get buy with wax or glue over card stock.

 

[Smith357]

You can still get it. It is WC Blank & I think I paid $10 a pound for it.

Thank You,
I will have to keep an eye out for the WC Blank. I searched but my Goggle-Fu is weak right now. But I found out quite a lot by searching for the WC powder and .30-06 blanks. The fastest powder I have is Bullseye and that is probably too slow. I think I will concentrate finding a way to get a good seal that will build a little bit of pressure without creating a dangerous projectile.

I took some reference photos for the thread.

 

[FROGO207]

Those blanks in the second picture without a star crimp use a stiff cardboard wad that is crimped in the neck. It is similar in composition to a nitro card in a black powder shotgun round. You can make these by sharpening up the neck of a steel casing and drilling out the primer area so you can push a punch down the casing to remove them after punching them out of a suitable material using a hammer on a piece of hardwood. With that style wad you can use a regular seating die and crimp the mouth well to seal it. Pats reloading.com has WC-814 blank powder, it is stated for use with .223 blanks. I am not sure if it is also good for 308/30-06 type of blanks. An email to them may give you some answers.

 

[Jim Watson]

I once saw an ad from a surplus powder dealer for 700X said to have been from pulled down blanks.

You will find recommendations for fireform loads of Bullseye and other fast powders without bullets. Sounds like blanks to me.

 

[Smith357]

Actually those blanks did have a star crimp, the crimp just split out and the ends were all ratty, I cut them down to just above the "roll crimp" for lack of a better word.

 

[FROGO207]

I have some 30-06 and 308 blanks from LC that have the red cardboard inserts. I have taken them apart to see what made them work. there was a pile of fine yellow powder in them both. The 30-06 was dated LC 57 IIRC. I am not finding the amount of propellant by weight in my disorganized pile-o-knotes right now but if I do I will post how much it had.

 

[kingmt]

That isn't normal blank powder. The picture looks like 10B101 which is super fast 50 cal. Powder. It is about the burn rate of Blue Dot. I would start about 12gr & work up to no more then 20gr. You will need a good seal to get it to burn & I bet it would be ideal for what you are doing.

8-10gr of Bullseye would make a normal blank but you would get more launch from the Blue Dot I bet. 10B101 is great Powder but I doubt you can find it. 700X(yellow powder) might work well also but I have no suggestion where to start your load.

Jeff has most of these powders @ gibrass.

Stay away from the black powder hybrids they are nasty to clean up after.