+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Another reason to NEVER shoot someone else's reloads!

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    Kirk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    05-19-2012 @ 03:18 PM
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    550
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    09:42 AM

    Another reason to NEVER shoot someone else's reloads!

    The following applies to every shooter, not just handloaders.

    I went by a gun shop this afternoon and found the owner had a crate of mixed ammunition for sale. All of it was from an estate sale and was being disposed of. There was a single box of .45-70 rounds there. The box was the yellow and red Winchester design used from the late 60's through the 70's and said "umprimed cases". Inside, the cases were in just like new condition; the factory cannelure had not been ironed out by firing so they were all unfired. They were all primed and loaded with jacketed hollow point bullets. I shook the case and could hear powder shake. I presumed that the rounds were loaded with smokeless powder and thought I'd break them down as I had no idea what was inside and, from the sound, the powder took up about 90% of the case volume. I bought the box from the owner and as we discussed the ammo he cautioned me they were reloads. I assured him I was going to break them down.

    This evening, I pulled the bullets and found inside . . . a bomb! Most of the powder was small, irregular granules very similar in appearance to FFFg black powder. I thought that was a bad sign as any BP round is supposed to be loaded to 100% density or else you stand the chance of ringing your bore. BP burns so fast that when it burns through an air space between the powder and bullet and then hits the base of the bullet, the bullet acts like an obstruction in the bore and can cause a ring or bulge in the bore or worse. Then, I noticed there was a small amount of extruded smokeless powder granules similar in appearance to IMR 3031 mixed in. The bases of the bullets were jet black with, I thought, graphite.

    To see if the powder was indeed black powder, I took a small amount, about 8 gr., put it on a board and held a flame against it. It did not ignite instantly like BP; it took about 2 seconds to ignite but when it diid, it made a large fireball, bigger say, that 8 gr. of Bullseye or other fast burning smokeless powder. It burned quicker than black powder as well. It was some type of smokeless powder as it just did not smell like BP. I still have no idea what the powder is but two possibilities are: blank powder mixed with an IMR powder. Blank powder has a burning rate many times faster than Bullseye and was never intended to be used with bullets. If the contents of the case was 50 or so grains of blank powder, it would have detonated and destroyed any rifle. The other possibility was DuPont PB, an old shotgun powder. Pressure with PB would not have been as high as with blank powder but the result would probably been the same.

    In either event, firing these rounds would have been a terrible mistake and just reinforces the adage to shoot only your own reloads.

    Attachment 31032Attachment 31033Attachment 31034
    Information
    Warning: This is a relatively older thread
    This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.
    Last edited by Kirk; 02-16-2012 at 09:36 PM.

  2. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #2
    DEALER brianV's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Last On
    05-02-2012 @ 09:42 AM
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    18
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    10:42 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Kirk View Post
    If the contents of the case was 50 or so grains of blank powder, it would have detonated and destroyed any rifle
    Maybe that's how it ended up in an estate sale...

  4. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  5. #3
    Legacy Member HOOKED ON HISTORY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Last On
    Today @ 10:36 AM
    Location
    MS/USA
    Posts
    3,991
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    09:42 AM
    I have been thinking about getting back into reloading after many years and was watching some Youtube videos on the subject. I noticed in several what seemed to me to be procedures that the slightest distraction could turn into a double charge. Saftey First! Good Call.

  6. #4
    Moderator
    (Book & Video Review Corner)
    Gibbs505's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Last On
    10-16-2015 @ 06:37 PM
    Location
    BC
    Posts
    411
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:42 AM
    Indeed, be careful out there boy's!
    So I can't spell, so what!!!
    Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
    Those who beat their swords into ploughshares, will plough for those who don't!
    Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

  7. #5
    Senior Moderator
    (Milsurp Forums)
    Bill Hollinger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 11:56 PM
    Location
    Pacific Northwest, Oregon
    Posts
    6,021
    Real Name
    Bill Hollinger
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:42 AM
    Kirk, thank you for sharing this with us. Any time I can gain an education through someone else, I'm grateful.
    Bill Hollinger

    "We're surrounded, that simplifies our problem!"

  8. #6
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    Steyr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Last On
    03-19-2015 @ 06:04 PM
    Location
    E.Ontario
    Posts
    9
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    10:42 AM
    Several years ago I bought a 100 year old Marlin '94 in 44-40. ( I know - Not a milsurp!)
    The seller gave me a box of handloads to go with.
    At the range, his loads would freeze the action to the point I couldn't work the lever to eject for at least 20 sec. or so.
    (No such problems with factory ammo)
    Obviously he'd been trying to turn the .44-40 into a .44 mag.
    Needless to say, I pulled the rest of his loads and dumped the charges.
    While nothing terrible happened, it just goes to show you oughtn't use someone else's reloads, - just never know

  9. #7
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    HILLBILLY-06's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Last On
    07-14-2017 @ 07:49 AM
    Location
    Alabama U.S.
    Posts
    158
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    09:42 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Steyr View Post
    At the range, his loads would freeze the action to the point I couldn't work the lever to eject for at least 20 sec. or so.
    (No such problems with factory ammo)
    We were shooting a High-end Weatherby .340 with 15 year old "factory ammo" one time, the same thing happened with the first three shot group of the day. We let it cool off, switched to the new box we had just purchased, and it didn't do that again. We then stopped shooting from that old box all together, but kept it as the price tag on it was so oblivious to what .340 weatherby ammo cost now, we couldn't help but put it away to reference the price change through the years.

  10. #8
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    Steyr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Last On
    03-19-2015 @ 06:04 PM
    Location
    E.Ontario
    Posts
    9
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    10:42 AM
    It'd prolly be best to put the empty box away, and dismantle the remaining rounds. " Just in case "

  11. #9
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    A. F Medic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    07-10-2019 @ 05:44 PM
    Location
    Erie Pa
    Posts
    1,141
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    10:42 AM
    Now, that is funny!

  12. #10
    Legacy Member limpetmine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 02:31 PM
    Location
    US of A
    Posts
    979
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    09:42 AM
    I bought some .303 HXP from a fellow on line, and lo to my surprise they were handloads. So much for that "as new military ammo" line. Pull downs they are.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Another reason to check your six...(Pic)
    By crunch in forum The Watering Hole OT (Off Topic) Forum
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 10-28-2009, 03:47 PM
  2. Reason for Hazmat Fee of $22.50
    By tmark in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 10-04-2009, 02:42 PM
  3. Would be a good reason to carry a gun on the job.
    By RayP. in forum The Watering Hole OT (Off Topic) Forum
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 06-06-2009, 12:02 AM
  4. A good reason to edit/crop your pictures!!
    By Rick the Librarian in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 03-29-2009, 08:44 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks