Do you pour the dregs of one can of powder into the next can?

[clutch]

When you get down to the last part of your can of powder and there isn't enough to fill your powder measure, what do you do?

I'm going to gear this to handgun reloading since rifle reloading I usually short throw and trickle up so running the measure almost empty isn't a problem.

I tend to just take what is left of my can of powder and dump it into the next fresh can and give it a bit of a shake to distribute it.

Clutch

 

[rcmodel]

Thats what I do too.
Dump in the next can and shake it up to mix it.

But that wasn't a question on your poll, so I didn't vote.

rc

 

[mbopp]

I just did that. No qualms about it since they were the same lot number.

 

[Sniderman]

I do the same as you for my smokeless powder for handguns, usually filling a large hopper and mixing the two
However, I WOULD NOT do this with black powder, the dregs in the bottom of the can are often very fine, turning FFG into FFFFG!
Nothing good can come of that!
That stuff goes in the garden.

 

[JimKirk]

I normally run the powder as low as I feel that it is possible, keeping a watchful eye, then top off with the new can. The small amount that is left from my method would have very little effect on one of my loads. I have no problem mixing the leftover in the can with newer powder either.

Jimmy K

 

[jcwit]

It seems we're all of the same consensus, I to do the same as those above.

 

[Slamfire]

I used to do that regardless of the age of powder, but now, I am only going to do it for powders of similar vintage.


I learned from an Insensitive Munitions expert that gunpowder does have a shelf life. The Army scraps double based powder ammunition at 20 years and single based 45 years. As gunpowder ages it releases nitric acid gas. When all the powder stabilizer is gone, the outgassing is severe. Having had 16 pounds of surplus IMR 4895 go bad, I don’t want to throw out any more expensive powder.

Mixing 40 year old powder with 10 ten year old (or less) powder might cause the new mix to go bad if the older powder is just at the point of consuming all its stabilizers.

 

[1SOW]

I load straight wall pistol cases with light loads and do mix the new powder with the 1/2 full hopper.

I've chrono'd these rounds and found no change using N320 or Win 231.

My powder never gets old as I only buy 4 or 8 lbs at a time.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

Been doing that for over 40 years.

 

[orrwdd]

That depends on how old each container of powder is. I have been using up some left over powder from 1995 after a 15 year pause in reloading. In this case I do not mix since the powder composition and even who made it may be different.

Now if I bought powder 2 months ago and start with a new one, I will top off the hopper as needed without concern of mixing powders.

Bill

 

[Afy]

I mix it up. Smokeless as well as BP. Makes no difference as far as I can tell.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have no problems mixing the leftovers from one can into a new can, and I do that.

 

[Walkalong]

Depends on the age difference, the weight per volume difference, and the amount of the new powder to be added to. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't.

 

[cheygriz]

I will pour it into the measure and top off with new ONLY if the lot number is the same.

Otherwise, I use the dregs for lawn fertilizer.

 

[Mal H]

I've been mixing the left overs of an old can with a new can for over 40 years with no worries or mishaps. The key word is "mix". I do make sure the results are homogenized, so to speak.

What little difference there is from lot to lot will disappear when a small amount of old powder is blended with the new. If anyone can scientifically show that they get different results from "virgin" new powder and the old-new blend, I would like to see it.

 

[cheygriz]

Mal,

I agree with on most loading.

But some of my loads are +P (.45 and .38) while others are +P+ (9MM) so I get a little persnickety about those.

 

[Hondo 60]

I put the last of the powder in the measure & then when it's gets low, I'll top off the measure.

Then I weigh the rounds meticulously to make sure the weight doesn't change.

 

[Walkalong]

The time to check the weight per volume of a new can of powder to check it against the old stuff is before you pour it on top of the last powder in the measure.

Then if you are going to mix it, mix it with the whole batch of new powder and mix it thoroughly.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Yeah, I just pour it in and shake it up. Never noticed any inconsistencies.