What do you do with unusable powder?

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J_McLeod

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Just curious what other people do with it. Every few sessions I'll sweep of my table, the powder from bullets I pull gets discarded. I take all out back and burn it. It's one of my wife's favorite parts of reloading.
 
You can either burn it like you're doing, or you can fertilize your plants with it. It's rich in Nitrogen.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
Hadn't thought of that. I'll keep that in mind for when I move. Currently doing both since I throw the ashes in the grass.
 
J,

Similar to your process, my kids shape it into a design on my garage floor. Then we all gather around and light one end and enjoy the show.

Good fun.
 
I brush my teeth with it and then shoot my mouth off all day. LOL BwaaaHahahaha

Sorry; I just couldn't resist that one.
 
DO NOT do as I did ONCE :what: with about a table spoon of powder. Opened the wood stove's door and tossed it in--blowed ashes and sparks about three feet. Had no idea it was that powerful. Glad it was not more. Makes one feel real stupid to do dumb things.
 
I brush my teeth with it and then shoot my mouth off all day. LOL BwaaaHahahaha

Sorry; I just couldn't resist that one.

30 minutes later and I'm still laughing.


My favorite if you have friends that smoke is to dump it in their ashtrays.
 
I try not to spill that much powder!
Powder from pulled loads gets dumped back in the can it can out of.

What few grains I do spill gets sucked up in the shop vac along with spent primers and dust bunnys.

rc
 
Slightly off topic. Use to do the laundry with it. We would drive (4) 105mm shell casings in to the ground. Place a fuse can on top. Fill it with water, laundry detergent, clothing items. From the powder pit we would take powder charge bags not used in previous firings. Pile several under the fuse can. Break one open for a powder trail. Ignite the powder trail and the water/soap/clothing mix came to a boil rather quickly. The water would go from semi clear to green then black.:what::what::D
 
What is unusable powder? I have never had powder that I can't find a use for. If I can keep it clean I put it back in the canister but if it picks up dust, gets mixed, or I don't know what it is I put it in the container that doesn't have a purpose determined yet.
 
I generally pile it up in the back yard and light and dance naked in the firey glow. You don't want to get too close.
 
If it is bad or contaminated, just throw a handful at a time into the wind, it will grow the grass.

Now for fun, dump a trail of powder oon the front lawn spelling out the name of your favorite gun and see if you can find your gun's name in the tall grass. ;)

Clutch
 
Powder that has gone bad
,
I've never had any but that I can agree on.
powder you can not identify,
You might not know the name but it can still be identified & has a use.
or powder that has been contaminated.
Again it can still have a use.

There is pyrotechnition that would love to have all that dumped powder.
 
"
Slightly off topic. Use to do the laundry with it. We would drive (4) 105mm shell casings in to the ground. Place a fuse can on top. Fill it with water, laundry detergent, clothing items. From the powder pit we would take powder charge bags not used in previous firings. Pile several under the fuse can. Break one open for a powder trail. Ignite the powder trail and the water/soap/clothing mix came to a boil rather quickly. The water would go from semi clear to green then black.
"

Thats fantastic !
 
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