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Flake powder

3K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  Marlin 45 carbine 
#1 ·
Alliant Bullseye is as rare as 22LR around here. I found a pound of 700X and my Lyman manual calls for 3.8 grains of 700X compared to 3.9 grains of Bullseye for a 124 grain 9mm FMJ, so they are very close. The flake style scooped easily and funneled into the casing easily, but tended to "stick" to the weighing pan thanks to the dry static conditions in my loading room.

I hear Bullseye is also flake powder. Do ball or rod powders resist static electricity any better than flake? If so, where would a reloading rookie find a list of powders by type? Thanks.
 
#2 ·
you mean 'by type' as which resists the effects of static 'cling'?
BE is a flake powder, but smaller flakes than the other flake I load - Red Dot. RDot is definitely a 'scoop' powder, in small amounts does not meter well. I'm not familiar with 700x. somewhere online is a burn rate chart that is useful but always consult the powder makers load data.
I'm very doubtful 3.9grs of any flake powder would get you into trouble in the 9mm case - but beware of Bullseye can double charge due to low volume, high density.
 
#3 ·
Resist cling; that's what I'm after. It occurred to me too that some treatment of the weighing pan may help too?

I scoop into the weighing pan and trickle with the scoop until I hit the target weight. I'm hoping that and good lighting keep me from double loading. 3.8 grains of 700X fills the 9mm casing to a point that is very easy to see. In fact, it makes me wonder how I would squeeze in the higher loads of some other pistol powders? Some call for starting loads of 5.5 grains. How does it fit?
 
#6 ·
Wipe down your pan and funnel with a dryer anti-static sheet (ask the Mrs for one, they use them when doing the laundry). That should take care of your cling problem.

Different powders have different bulk densities, even in the same type (flake, stick, ball). A denser powder takes up less space (at the same weight) than a "fluffy" one does.
Than there are "compressed" loads, but that's not what you're asking about.

700X is a powder I used a lot of, to load 1oz 12ga skeet loads.
 
#4 ·
Bullseye always worried me. I used it my 45-70 so you can imagine the big case and little powder. I used a couple squares of toilet paper to hold it in the bottom of the case. Good results. Considered it too easy to double charge so I loaded them one at a time.

Meter powder, fill cartridge, toilet paper then bullet on top. Then do next one.
 
#5 ·
I can only relate from my personal experience.
I load the 9mm para useing 124gr jhp slugs to +P levels with Power Pistol powder for myself and 2 nephew's pistols and carbines. the load data appears to be a slightly compressed charge when the slug is seated as it's a 'bulky' powder.
RDot is bulky - also low flash. but it's 'spikey' meaning pressure spikes quickly at upper end loads. good for cast slugs, as is BEye. I just know that BEye is a powder that you have to be careful with - particular larger cases - i.e. 357, .45, .44 even .38spcl. double charges or even triple are possible, dangerous.
 
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