Same powder, different cans

Kirkpatrick · January 22, 2013, 03:22 AM

I recently just ordered 4 1lb cans of Hodgdon Universal. I wasn't able to find a 4lb can. What I want to know is what to do with the last little bit in each can. When there is only a little left, do I have to through it out because I'm afraid of mixing powders? Or can I put the new stuff out of the same lot mixed in with the older?

bubbacrabb · January 22, 2013, 03:46 AM

I would mix it, I dont see how it could hurt as long as it is the same powder. I usually just pour it in the hopper like if I'm using Unique and run out I just pour more unique in with it. I know surplus powders can vary but that shouldnt. I'm not an expert though, that is just what I do.

4runnerman · January 22, 2013, 06:20 AM

This is a old one that keeps coming up. If you have 4 one lb containers of the same powder and different lots. Go ahead and mix them all together and uniform it. All you have done is uniform 4 lbs of powder. You will need to do your load work up all over again,but most of the time if not all the time you will end up back at your same load any how. You now have 4 lbs of powder that will shoot the same instead of 4 one lb containers that will need 4 seperate load work ups.

mag41vance · January 22, 2013, 06:51 AM

The only issue you might have mixing them all is if a particular lot # is ever recalled. That said,
I would mix them up and load some rounds and see if they match what you're duplicating.

mmb713 · January 22, 2013, 08:06 AM

Check the lot numbers on each can. If you bought them from the same seller at the same time there is a good chance they are all the same lot anyway.

Two Old Dogs · January 22, 2013, 04:23 PM

Powder manufacturers mix and blend various lots of powder and may even coat the grains or use other processes to achieve a particular pressure level standard with any specific canister grade powder.

Each lot of a specific powder is created to provide the same performance, within industry tolerances, as the previous lot or a lot that was processed 10years ago. This adherence to a standard for a specific powder is the reason that yesteryears loading data is still valid and safe to use with that powder.

Mixing the dregs of several cans of a specific powder will not materially show different performance from the performance obtained from any of the cans individually.

BigD_in_FL · January 22, 2013, 04:54 PM

Quote:

You will need to do your load work up all over again,

Never bothered in over 35 years, no real need to, the characteristics, especially of modern powder is close enough from lot to lot so as to avoid having to start all over again

Ifishsum · January 22, 2013, 06:27 PM

Unless a reformulation of the powder has taken place (uncommon) I have no qualms about combining the remnants of one can into a new can of the same powder. That's kind of the point of canister powder vs. bulk - it's supposed to be safely consistent from lot to lot. If you have a super-accurate benchrest load or one that's really pushing the limits you should pay a bit more attention - once or twice I've had to slightly tweak a load due to a different lot number to match previous results; both times in a rifle cartridge and less than 1% change.

rclark · January 22, 2013, 06:49 PM

I've done it since I started reloading back in the early 80s too. When the powder, say Unique, Green Dot, etc. bottle gets low, I just dump remainder into a new bottle. So it goes... Never worried about it... Never will.

Now, if it was a bottle is dated 1906... then I would not mix. But when you go through a bottle every few weeks (even a few years).... Why, no biggie. Use some common sense here.

reynolds357 · January 22, 2013, 07:14 PM

I mix them, but dont take advice for me because I duplex too

. I dont do it very often now since we actually have good powders, but did a lot of it back in the day.

Kirkpatrick · January 23, 2013, 12:28 PM

Thanks for all the advice. I actually called Hodgdon and was amazed when I actually got answer, (I guessed that I would never get a straight answer for fear of liability). He told me that as long as I wasn't loading hot, I should be good to go for mixing the new stuff. He even told me that I could mix the new with the dregs of the old as long as I was sure that I had kept the old (couple of years) stuff cool and dry.

4runnerman · January 23, 2013, 06:31 PM

Yes all you are doing is uniforming a larger lot.

Quote:
You will need to do your load work up all over again,

Never bothered in over 35 years, no real need to, the characteristics, especially of modern powder is close enough from lot to lot so as to avoid having to start all over again

I still do my load work up over,but as i stated and as pointed out here. You end up with the same load anyhow.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 23, 2013, 06:39 PM

Use each in your powder measure till there is a just a tiny bit left. Then pour the next fill from a new can. I do this will pistol powders. Though when I do it there is usualy less than 10 or 15 grains left when I pour in the next fill from a new can.

January 22, 2013, 03:22 AM	#1
Kirkpatrick Member Join Date: October 15, 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 95	Same powder, different cans I recently just ordered 4 1lb cans of Hodgdon Universal. I wasn't able to find a 4lb can. What I want to know is what to do with the last little bit in each can. When there is only a little left, do I have to through it out because I'm afraid of mixing powders? Or can I put the new stuff out of the same lot mixed in with the older?

January 22, 2013, 06:20 AM	#3
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	This is a old one that keeps coming up. If you have 4 one lb containers of the same powder and different lots. Go ahead and mix them all together and uniform it. All you have done is uniform 4 lbs of powder. You will need to do your load work up all over again,but most of the time if not all the time you will end up back at your same load any how. You now have 4 lbs of powder that will shoot the same instead of 4 one lb containers that will need 4 seperate load work ups. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

January 22, 2013, 06:51 AM	#4
mag41vance Member Join Date: August 5, 2005 Location: Central VA Posts: 23	The only issue you might have mixing them all is if a particular lot # is ever recalled. That said, I would mix them up and load some rounds and see if they match what you're duplicating. __________________ That's an X

January 22, 2013, 06:49 PM	#9
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,619	I've done it since I started reloading back in the early 80s too. When the powder, say Unique, Green Dot, etc. bottle gets low, I just dump remainder into a new bottle. So it goes... Never worried about it... Never will. Now, if it was a bottle is dated 1906... then I would not mix. But when you go through a bottle every few weeks (even a few years).... Why, no biggie. Use some common sense here. __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

January 22, 2013, 07:14 PM	#10
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	I mix them, but dont take advice for me because I duplex too. I dont do it very often now since we actually have good powders, but did a lot of it back in the day.

January 22, 2013, 03:46 AM	#2
bubbacrabb Member Join Date: April 7, 2011 Posts: 35	I would mix it, I dont see how it could hurt as long as it is the same powder. I usually just pour it in the hopper like if I'm using Unique and run out I just pour more unique in with it. I know surplus powders can vary but that shouldnt. I'm not an expert though, that is just what I do.

January 22, 2013, 08:06 AM	#5
mmb713 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 421	Check the lot numbers on each can. If you bought them from the same seller at the same time there is a good chance they are all the same lot anyway.

January 22, 2013, 04:23 PM	#6
Two Old Dogs Member Join Date: November 28, 2012 Location: Eastern SC Posts: 68	Powder manufacturers mix and blend various lots of powder and may even coat the grains or use other processes to achieve a particular pressure level standard with any specific canister grade powder. Each lot of a specific powder is created to provide the same performance, within industry tolerances, as the previous lot or a lot that was processed 10years ago. This adherence to a standard for a specific powder is the reason that yesteryears loading data is still valid and safe to use with that powder. Mixing the dregs of several cans of a specific powder will not materially show different performance from the performance obtained from any of the cans individually.

January 22, 2013, 06:27 PM	#8
Ifishsum Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,033	Unless a reformulation of the powder has taken place (uncommon) I have no qualms about combining the remnants of one can into a new can of the same powder. That's kind of the point of canister powder vs. bulk - it's supposed to be safely consistent from lot to lot. If you have a super-accurate benchrest load or one that's really pushing the limits you should pay a bit more attention - once or twice I've had to slightly tweak a load due to a different lot number to match previous results; both times in a rifle cartridge and less than 1% change.

January 23, 2013, 12:28 PM	#11
Kirkpatrick Member Join Date: October 15, 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 95	Thanks for all the advice. I actually called Hodgdon and was amazed when I actually got answer, (I guessed that I would never get a straight answer for fear of liability). He told me that as long as I wasn't loading hot, I should be good to go for mixing the new stuff. He even told me that I could mix the new with the dregs of the old as long as I was sure that I had kept the old (couple of years) stuff cool and dry.

January 23, 2013, 06:31 PM	#12
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	Yes all you are doing is uniforming a larger lot. Quote: You will need to do your load work up all over again, Never bothered in over 35 years, no real need to, the characteristics, especially of modern powder is close enough from lot to lot so as to avoid having to start all over again I still do my load work up over,but as i stated and as pointed out here. You end up with the same load anyhow. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

January 23, 2013, 06:39 PM	#13
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Use each in your powder measure till there is a just a tiny bit left. Then pour the next fill from a new can. I do this will pistol powders. Though when I do it there is usualy less than 10 or 15 grains left when I pour in the next fill from a new can. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.