a question i was wondering

champ198 · May 19, 2011, 12:38 PM

at a recent birthday party for my nephew a few of us were outside BSin. there was about 6-7 of us standing around talkin about guns and what not and one of our friends sold a gun to the neices boyfriend...was a 7mm Mag and he had some shells he had loaded for it that he gave to the guy with the gun...so we was BSin and something came up that i have always wondered about since i have started reloading...out of all of us 3 of us that were there reload...myself,my nephew and the guy that was sellin the gun...all pretty experienced loaders but one thing we were wondering.....with a reloaded rifle round..say the 7mm Mag he had sold....when you picked up one of the shells you could shake it and actually hear the powder in the case...i have noticed this with my own loads on various calibers, 25-06,35 Rem, 30-30,30-06 and so on...but on each one of these if you pick up a factory round from any manufacture no matter who it is and you shake it...you hear nothing....why is that? we were talking about it and none of us had a good idea about it
figured someone here would know

rbursek · May 19, 2011, 12:53 PM

My guess is that the factory load is fill to max or compressed, could mark the bullet on one at the case mouth, pull the bullet, put the case next to the bullet at the same bullet seating depth and see where the powder level is in comparisson.
Bob

Doyle · May 19, 2011, 12:58 PM

Different powders have different burn characteristics. A cartridge is loaded in such a way as to produce a set amount of pressure within a specified period of time. Some powders do this with significantly less volumn than others. The powder ammo manufacturers choose for a specific cartridge is generally going to be one that fills up the entire case AND also gives that desired pressure/timing curve. Handloaders may choose a different powder that gives the optimal pressure/timing curve using significantly less volumn.

On the other hand, handloaders may also choose a powder that does just the opposite. Then, they have to compress the powder to be able to fit all of it into that particular cartridge case. A limited amount of compression is allowed.

champ198 · May 19, 2011, 01:16 PM

thanks Doyle...that makes sense

May 19, 2011, 12:38 PM	#1
champ198 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2008 Posts: 217	a question i was wondering at a recent birthday party for my nephew a few of us were outside BSin. there was about 6-7 of us standing around talkin about guns and what not and one of our friends sold a gun to the neices boyfriend...was a 7mm Mag and he had some shells he had loaded for it that he gave to the guy with the gun...so we was BSin and something came up that i have always wondered about since i have started reloading...out of all of us 3 of us that were there reload...myself,my nephew and the guy that was sellin the gun...all pretty experienced loaders but one thing we were wondering.....with a reloaded rifle round..say the 7mm Mag he had sold....when you picked up one of the shells you could shake it and actually hear the powder in the case...i have noticed this with my own loads on various calibers, 25-06,35 Rem, 30-30,30-06 and so on...but on each one of these if you pick up a factory round from any manufacture no matter who it is and you shake it...you hear nothing....why is that? we were talking about it and none of us had a good idea about it figured someone here would know

May 19, 2011, 12:53 PM	#2
rbursek Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2011 Location: Milwaukkee, WI Posts: 152	My guess is that the factory load is fill to max or compressed, could mark the bullet on one at the case mouth, pull the bullet, put the case next to the bullet at the same bullet seating depth and see where the powder level is in comparisson. Bob

May 19, 2011, 12:58 PM	#3
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	Different powders have different burn characteristics. A cartridge is loaded in such a way as to produce a set amount of pressure within a specified period of time. Some powders do this with significantly less volumn than others. The powder ammo manufacturers choose for a specific cartridge is generally going to be one that fills up the entire case AND also gives that desired pressure/timing curve. Handloaders may choose a different powder that gives the optimal pressure/timing curve using significantly less volumn. On the other hand, handloaders may also choose a powder that does just the opposite. Then, they have to compress the powder to be able to fit all of it into that particular cartridge case. A limited amount of compression is allowed.

May 19, 2011, 01:16 PM	#4
champ198 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2008 Posts: 217	thanks Doyle...that makes sense