Mixed Powder

[Scorpionbowl]

Well, I get idiot of the year...i finish d reloading 357s with bullseye and emptied the powder measure into a brand new pound of unique by mistake. I'm surprised the unique didn't have a seal on it, but I'm still an idiot. In the hurry of cleaning up I grabbed the wrong one. Luckily I'm accumulating a lot of powder and space is tight, but this is a good lesson for sure. It's probably less than 1/4 cup on top of the unique. I'm thinking of just scooping up,the top inch or so of powder and tossing it. Any other thoughts? And what's the best way to dispose of the powder?

Thanks...

 

[rcmodel]

Toss it on your yard.
It's nitrogen fertilizer now.

And not just the top inch.
All of it.

And expensive lesson on only leaving the original power container out on the bench when you are using it!

But one you might remember from now on.

rc

 

[witchhunter]

Toss it on your lawn.

 

[AFK]

Yup unfortunately its now fertilizer.

 

[iShoot17]

Not worth it.. I'm with the others.

As hard as both of those are to get, your hands and firearms are worth more.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If the powders were much closer in burn rate you might get away with skimming the top but Bullseye and Unique are way different and potentially very dangerous to mix. Sorry but all the above are correct, it's now fertilizer. Don't put too much in one place or you will burn the grass.

 

[edleit]

Agreed. Definitely not worth the risk to body or hardware.

Doubt the same mistake will be made again, but as they say, we don't learn unless we make 'em.

BTW, don't even begin to think you're the first to pull this boner...

 

[Poper]

Toss it on your yard.
It's nitrogen fertilizer now.

And not just the top inch.
All of it.

And expensive lesson on only leaving the original power container out on the bench when you are using it!

But one you might remember from now on.

rc

Yup.
Seems like we all seem to learn that lesson the hard way. I did it once, too. About 25 years ago when powder was about $6.49 per pound...

 

[edfardos]

You'll have the greenest lawn on the block, sorry.

I keep all my hazmat components at the other end of the house... I'm super paranoid. Plus I literally transcribe the powder label to the logbook each and every time. OCD? Maybe, but I still have all 10 fingers, 21 protrusions total, and both eyes.

Edfardos

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I keep only one powder on the bench. That is the powder I am working with. I do this first, so I can glance at it and be sure I have the powder I intended to work with and second, to avoid a mix up like the OP's.

 

[Potatohead]

You have to toss it. For some reason I suspect you're going to elect for the scoop technique though..

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Two methods of disposal come to mind. First is a mound of powder in the yard with a fuse made of string soaked in candle wax. I think I saw Wile E. Coyote do that, but his powder exploded when it should have just flared up. The other is one guy I know who adds a small amount of powder to bags of trash space out over a few weeks. The nitrogen is supposed to help the material decompose.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've mixed powder too.
I poured several rounds worth of IMR3031 into a half full pound jug of IMR4350 once. Made me sick to pour it on my tomato plants, but I did. Not worth the risk.

Ever since then, it is one powder jug at a time on the bench. No exceptions.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Or, you can borrow your wifes strainer and sift out the Bullseye.
BTDT;

Bullseye is very fine, Unique is like corn flakes. You may have to use a needle or such to open the screen to allow the Bullseye to fall through and Unique, not. Luckily both are actually not that far apart on burn rate.
Use Bullseye data, not Unique !!! and WEIGH CHARGES IF YOU DON'T THROW IT OUT.

But, do reduce the loads till you're confident. Shoot it up with light loads in .38spl or such. Be sure to mark the Unique container as CONTAMINATED so you'll know which was "buggered" and that'll be a reminder of NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN....

At least it wasn't Acc.#2 in a pound of H414..... I did that too, ONCE.... Nice tomato's though !!!

 

[Hondo 60]

If the powders were much closer in burn rate you might get away with skimming the top

ArchAngelCD - Really?

That's not something I'd suggest in a public forum.
I might repeat that to a long-time reloader, but not to someone who's only got 10 posts.

To everyone - just don't - it ain't worth it.

Besides, your lawn needs it!

 

[gamestalker]

Way back when, I made a similar mistake, but it almost got me, and if not for a last minute observation, I probably would have had a very bad day. What I did was dump a bunch of Herco into my Blue Dot. When I broke out the Blue dot to load up some handgun, 9mm if I recall correctly, I noticed very few Blue Dots, almost non existent in fact, due to the Herco being on top. If I had made the same mistake with two similar looking powders, I likely never would have noticed.

Due to that experience, I now keep only the canister I'm working with on the bench, and I store all my powders away from the bench so there isn't even a remote possibility of making a mistake.

Please don't even consider trying to salvage that powder, those burn rates are too far apart.

GS

 

[TenDriver]

Or, you can borrow your wifes strainer and sift out the Bullseye.
BTDT;

Bullseye is very fine, Unique is like corn flakes. You may have to use a needle or such to open the screen to allow the Bullseye to fall through and Unique, not. Luckily both are actually not that far apart on burn rate.
Use Bullseye data, not Unique !!! and WEIGH CHARGES IF YOU DON'T THROW IT OUT.

But, do reduce the loads till you're confident. Shoot it up with light loads in .38spl or such. Be sure to mark the Unique container as CONTAMINATED so you'll know which was "buggered" and that'll be a reminder of NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN....

At least it wasn't Acc.#2 in a pound of H414..... I did that too, ONCE.... Nice tomato's though !!!

You serious Clark?

 

[blarby]

The last time this came up if I recall, the gent saved about half the powder by poking a hole in the bottom of the container, and stopping the flow before the contaminating powder mix on top got anywhere near the unsullied powder at the bottom.

Would depend entirely on how much the container was moved. If you are staring at it on your bench after doing it, and wrote in, thats one thing. If its been carried about the room, handled a bit, etc- thats completely different.

Unique in particular comes in taller bottles, which lends itself to this.

Its not mixed until its mixed. Until it is, its layers. Given the huge difference in granule size, it'd be pretty easy for someone experienced to spot if you goofed it.


Is it worth the effort, or potential risk ? Thats up to the individual.

I have plenty of unique, so to me its not.


If you don't think you could do it ? Fertilizer.

 

[Walkalong]

If you decide to do anything other than use it for fertilizer, it's on you, because even reasonable methods suggested to save it have to be executed properly.

Such as, cut the container top off carefully, about two inches below the Bullseye powder, and let it all the powder on top fall off, then skim off the middle. That will save some Unique, done properly. Assuming it hasn't been shaken etc since the opps.

Be careful, and remember, it's only a few dollars worth of powder. Is it worth it?

 

[Uniquedot]

I actually like blarby's idea and will keep that in mind if it ever happens to me! A long cardboard slab would work to allow it flow out in a line and when the power line began showing the two mixed it could be carded away at this point and the mixed powder thrown away. Of course only one experienced with powders should attempt it and if it's been shook rolled or turned over it all fertilizer anyway! As hard as these two powders are to get right now I personally suggest a blind fold and firing squad.

 

[spitballer]

Strongly advise against using contaminated propellant. I gnashed teeth over the very same thing with a can of H322, but in the end I took my lesson and disposed of the powder.

 

[dmurdach]

Toss it

I agree with the toss the powder. not worth the chance.

As others i only keep the powder I am using on the bench. I also write what powder is going into my hopper on a little slip of paper (usually a sticky note folded so the sticky part is covered) and drop it on top of the powder and double check when I return the powder to the canister.

 

[guncheese]

i know it should be fertilizer and ill bet i catch heck for this
but if your reloading for revolver
just pretend the whole jug is Bullseye (using bullseye data)
that way youll just have very slow loads
but make sure it s mixed up well
or some will be slower than others

 

[Potatohead]

Such as, cut the container top off carefully, about two inches below the Bullseye powder, and let it all the powder on top fall off, then skim off the middle. That will save some Unique, done properly. Assuming it hasn't been shaken etc since the opps

Walkalong, sounds like you may have experience here

 

[Potatohead]

You could dilute it maybe..get an 8 LB of whichever powder you have more of (i forgot which) and just mix it all together. Or 2 8 lb jugs.



Or maybe not.