loading blanks

[infidel]

does anyone have any data on reloading blanks? for example a standard 7.62 NATO has X grains, but the blank has 60%/X, or 75%/X. anyone have any idea of the ratios?

Information

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[Parashooter]

Smokeless blanks have to be loaded with fairly small amounts of very fast-burning powder to achieve good combustion with no bullet. There is no "ratio" of the blank charge to the normal charge of slower powder used with a bullet.

About ten grains of Bullseye or Red Dot topped off with a lightweight wad of cardboard or wax generally makes a decent noise from medium military rifle cartridges like the 7.62 NATO. Like any blank, such loads are capable of causing injury within 20 feet or more from the muzzle and should never be discharged toward anything you wouldn't want to harm.

[browningautorifle]

Agreed, usually they appeared to have a pistol powder in them. Cartridges of the world has a chapter in the back about that sort of thing.

[Parashooter]

Factory smokeless blank cartridges (except grenade-launching rounds) are loaded with ultra-fast-burning powder made especially for blanks. It is not sold to the public because it produces very high pressure when loaded behind a normal bullet - and there's always somebody who won't heed the warning label.

For those who don't mind smoke, stench, and corrosive fouling, ordinary black powder makes nice loud blanks - and even a full case won't produce excess pressure. Just be sure to wash barrel and brass with hot, soapy water soon after firing.

[infidel]

thanks guys, upon further research etc., what I'm looking for is not so much blanks, but grenade launching blanks. any info on that?
Out of curiousity, I pulled apart a IVI 7.62 round and a IVI 7.62 blank (where did that come from anyway?) and the powders are very different, and the blank only had about 1/3rd weight.

[browningautorifle]

The C33 grenade launching cartridge we used in the FNs were Balisite loaded. This was a powder that was single purpose. Just grenade. They were devastatingly powerful. Not like blanks at all. We had a thread on this very thing some time ago and you could probably bring it up. I don't think I would load for grenade launching though.

[rayg]

Check out my post awhile back on making grenade launching cartridges here, Ray

Need help in making grenade launching cartridges?

[infidel]

thanks Ray, some good information in that thread, I think I know which way to go now. This is for a MAS36/51, and I'm planning on banging off a practice grenade. be interesting to see how far it goes. Last time i did this (80's), I pulled the bullet from a 7.62 NATO, dumped some powder, crimped with pliers, and fired a rifle grenade off my FN-FAL. The thing achieved low earth orbit and disappeared over the trees a couple of hundred metres away, never to be seen again