Powder/bullet lot change

[huntsd]

Im about out of powder/bullets for the load developed here. https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/77tmk-in-a-tikka.404037/page-3

Happy with the results at 500 and 100. Am I looking at a significant difference when I the same load just with a new lot number for both powder and bullets or is this a reloaded “wives tale”? Will be running the same brass. It’s about 4x fired now. Also same primers

@Formidilosus

 

[Formidilosus]

Im about out of powder/bullets for the load developed here. https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/77tmk-in-a-tikka.404037/page-3

Happy with the results at 500 and 100. Am I looking at a significant difference when I the same load just with a new lot number for both powder and bullets or is this a reloaded “wives tale”? Will be running the same brass. It’s about 4x fired now. Also same primers

@Formidilosus

So the “right answer is to drop .5 grains of so on the new powder lot and work back up. Having said that I/we have used dozens of lot numbers of 8208 all with the exact same load. While I would suggest it, I just load as normal with each lot of 8208.

 

[wind gypsy]

What he said. Unless there is reason to believe there is a significant change in the lots or the existing load is already on the edge pressure wise, i dont do anything different unless the load results tell me I need to.

 

[wapitibob]

I measure bullets from different lots, only Berger 195's had an issue. I mix lots of powder, so there isn't a change there.

 

[HuntHarder]

My new 8lb jug H4350 absolutely produces lower velocity with same charge weight, than my last jug of H4350. Plenty of instances online if you do a quick search.

 

[Firth]

Haven't typically seen much change from bullets. Definitely seen some changes with powders. The Hodgdon extremes are supposedly pretty good in that regard (I know I've read it somewhere, haha) but I've seen variation with H4350, too.

 

[Vern400]

I don't change anything. I weigh a few bullets, make sure everything's cool. I stuff about 10 of them and go shoot them. Unless there is a statistically relevant change in velocity, or the groups open up... I just roll with it. I'm in the trust but confirm camp. make sure you pop a few foulers, and shoot enough to matter. Don't trust the three shot group

I've never fallen out of a node yet by changing a jug of powder. I have had one double base shotgun powder be VERY different. I opened a can of Blue Dot I'd had for maybe 10 years in good storage conditions, but it was WAY too hot. The book loads were throwing empties about 15 ft. I checked with a chronograph and I was throwing 1.25 Oz loads at 1350 fps! I had to back it down about two grains to get it at 1250 where I wanted it

One little warning though. If you have powder that's been stored under poor conditions, meaning way too hot, or with huge temperature swings, you better be real careful with it! A friend of mine had a bottle of H380 go bad in one summer. He left it in the outside storage shed. He didn't shoot it. He smelled it and knew it was spoiled. We burned it in the yard for fun. Double base powders can have the nitroglycerin separate from the nitrocellulose. That drastically changes burn rate, and I don't think it gets slower!

 

[huntsd]

thank you all!

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

As noted load a few up to test for anomalies and adjust if needed. Basically don't load up a ton without checking in.

It factors more if you're running a hot load, lot variations can take out primer pockets. Its a reason not to run a hot load, yet folks still do.

 

[TaperPin]

thank you all!

If you come across a wonky lot of powder it’s tempting to mix a good lot with a bad one hoping to make it acceptable, but all you do is end up with twice as much wonky powder. When I come across a bad lot I’ll load up a bunch of practice ammo with cheap bullets to use it up quickly shooting sitting and standing and not waste time trying to make into something it’s not. It can suck up a lot of range time you’re better off using for more important things.

 

[jlchester5045]

I don't see huge changes from lot to lot on bullets. At least I have never noticed a difference in pressure or POA/POI. And honestly, up until recently, I didn't believe in a noticeable difference in powder lots but that has changed after my last NRL Hunter match. When powder became hard to find, I started buying 1 pounders of H4350 when I found them. This last match, I decided to use up some of the 1 pounders as they were the oldest. When loading for a match I use dueling auto powder measures. My dumbass put one pound in one measure and another pound in the other. This resulted in alternating velocity from shot to shot, an extreme spread of 77, and a standard deviation of 23 across 31 shots. One lot gave me an average of 2740FPS and the other an average of 2800FPS. And before someone asks, I checked weights across both scales to ensure they were reading the same. This was in a 24" barrel 6.5 Creedmoor, Hornady brass, GMM large rifle primers, and 42.0 gr. of H4350. This exact same load produced standard deviation of 10.2 across 43 shots the last time I loaded it with the only difference in the load being a powder lot change.