Thread: Old Powder Burn Rate Chart

Attached is an old Powder Burn Rate Chart ex a site which now appears to be defunct - Reloader's Nest. The chart was of interest to me as its the only one I've ever found that shows positions for ICI Nobel Powders that used to be common in both Australia and NZ, I think thru to the early 1970s when production ceased after a factory fire in Scotland. Somebody can correct that if they care enough.

There are still quantities of ICI Nobel Powders appearing from time to time, most likely in conjunction with estate sales of old shotgun reloading presses and equipment. The one I've found most of is Nobel Shotgun Powder No. 78. There was never any load data for Nobel Shotgun Powders to be used for pistol calibres, but in fact that is what I use it for extensively in 45ACP, 45 Colt and 38/357Mag. I've also found it very good for reduced Rifle loads behind cast including down to subsonic.

All the powder I have found has proved to be in very good condition but that is no guarantee that others will find the same. I've loaded Nobel Rifle and Pistol and Revolver powders with equal success. I don't give out my load data for obvious reasons, however the attached Burn Rate Chart may be of interest also for the other powders not seen mentioned these days. Hope some find it useful at a time when they may be digging into older powder cans. I've reformatted it in Word.docx and made a pdf to share as it was in a difficult HTML format when I saved it some years ago.

Jhon

Powder Burn Chart_Reloader's Nest.pdf

Good infomation but it pays to bewary with old powders especilly if they avnt been stored well.
I had a quantity of the Nobel shotgun powders given to me, grey tins with a Glasgow address and one repacked by CAC all were corroded inside and turned litmus red, and one had a strong nitrous odour. They made a spectacular fireworks display in a hole in the garden.
Rifle powders may be different after all we are happy shooting 70 year old military surplus but I always check old powder I'm offered (never turn a free offer down) and if it fails it's guy fawkes night.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Good infomation but it pays to bewary with old powders especilly if they avnt been stored well.
I had a quantity of the Nobel shotgun powders given to me, grey tins with a Glasgow address and one repacked by CAC all were corroded inside and turned litmus red, and one had a strong nitrous odour. They made a spectacular fireworks display in a hole in the garden.
Rifle powders may be different after all we are happy shooting 70 year old military surplus but I always check old powder I'm offered (never turn a free offer down) and if it fails it's guy fawkes night.

Agreed. As I said in OP, your mileage may vary. However I have acquired powder that the owners were prepared only to fertilize the lemon tree with simply because they did not feel confident of the contents condition. They have given me no problems at all. I have on my shelf several 1960s onwards shotgun and rifle powders including Nobel, Winchester and Alliant. The bigger issue for me is whether the powder has been inadvertently mixed. I make some very careful checks for that, also for moisture clumping and rust flakes. But that's my gig. If someone is not confident and careful best do what you did or fertilize the fruit trees.


If anyone has old powders they are not sure of I would be happy to take them off their hands for a consideration. Rest assured, I'll dump them if suspect.

If you dive into programs like GRT and Quickload you start to realise that burn rate is only one of a number of characteristics that determine how a powder might react in a cartridge. Tread very carefully with basing any reloading decisions on Burn rate

[QUOTE=Jhon;1215028]Attached is an old Powder Burn Rate Chart ex a site which now appears to be defunct - Reloader's Nest. The chart was of interest to me as its the only one I've ever found that shows positions for ICI Nobel Powders that used to be common in both Australia and NZ, I think thru to the early 1970s when production ceased after a factory fire in Scotland. Somebody can correct that if they care enough.

There are still quantities of ICI Nobel Powders appearing from time to time, most likely in conjunction with estate sales of old shotgun reloading presses and equipment. The one I've found most of is Nobel Shotgun Powder No. 78. There was never any load data for Nobel Shotgun Powders to be used for pistol calibres, but in fact that is what I use it for extensively in 45ACP, 45 Colt and 38/357Mag. I've also found it very good for reduced Rifle loads behind cast including down to subsonic.

All the powder I have found has proved to be in very good condition but that is no guarantee that others will find the same. I've loaded Nobel Rifle and Pistol and Revolver powders with equal success. I don't give out my load data for obvious reasons, however the attached Burn Rate Chart may be of interest also for the other powders not seen mentioned these days. Hope some find it useful at a time when they may be digging into older powder cans. I've reformatted it in Word.docx and made a pdf to share as it was in a difficult HTML format when I saved it some years ago.

Jhon


Turns out I made a typing error which I replicated with Copy/Paste - ICI should read IMI

attached is a corrected copy of the chart. Cheers

Powder Burn Chart_Reloader's Nest.pdf

That IS an old chart, it even covers my old 1 kg tin of BM1.

Shame these charts don't have an actual figure of burn rate next to each powder. Powders listed adjacent to each other could still be quite different and you'd be better able to pick which of the two adjacent powders you'll use reloading data for.

Originally Posted by Cordite

That IS an old chart, it even covers my old 1 kg tin of BM1.

Shame these charts don't have an actual figure of burn rate next to each powder. Powders listed adjacent to each other could still be quite different and you'd be better able to pick which of the two adjacent powders you'll use reloading data for.

Yes, as pointed out above, Burn Rate comparisons don't equate to Load Data comparisons. What the chart does help for is to find a powder that MIGHT give similar performance and then you go get specific published data for that powder. Of course, despite all warnings not to, people use it to jump from a known powder to an unknown, including me, but that is a highly risky business and results are on your own head.

Here is a 2019 Powder burn rate chart " in PDf format from IMR.

https://tinyurl.com/mzva4dj2