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  • Scorpioj

    Member
    Feb 27, 2017
    99
    US of A
    Hi . I occasionally use a small computer vac to clean up powder dropping from my Progressive press. Would there be any issue if I reused this powder? I ask this because my bench is in an area that may be prone to have dust and/or minor sawdust particles. Of course I would try and sift out as much extra debris as possible, BUT would a minor flecks of dust cause any issue? FYI this is just really a curiosity question as since I'm a newbie to reloading, I have no immediate need or plan to reuse the powder unless necessary in the future. My priority is to be safe before frugal (stupid).:D
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,590
    Glen Burnie
    Hi . I occasionally use a small computer vac to clean up powder dropping from my Progressive press. Would there be any issue if I reused this powder? I ask this because my bench is in an area that may be prone to have dust and/or minor sawdust particles. Of course I would try and sift out as much extra debris as possible, BUT would a minor flecks of dust cause any issue? FYI this is just really a curiosity question as since I'm a newbie to reloading, I have no immediate need or plan to reuse the powder unless necessary in the future. My priority is to be safe before frugal (stupid).:D
    I couldn't imagine that the very little bit you lose from your powder drop leaking would be worth the trouble. I don't even bother to do anything other than to blow it off of the press and bench using compressed canned air.

    Regarding other things in the powder, I seriously doubt if anything inert would have an effect on the burn rate. People actually use cotton wadding and other things in certain cases as a filler between the powder and base of the bullet on larger pistol cases such as the 45 Colt.

    But getting back to the actual question, unless you're spilling a lot of powder, I wouldn't even bother with it.
     

    Scorpioj

    Member
    Feb 27, 2017
    99
    US of A
    I couldn't imagine that the very little bit you lose from your powder drop leaking would be worth the trouble. I don't even bother to do anything other than to blow it off of the press and bench using compressed canned air.

    Regarding other things in the powder, I seriously doubt if anything inert would have an effect on the burn rate. People actually use cotton wadding and other things in certain cases as a filler between the powder and base of the bullet on larger pistol cases such as the 45 Colt.

    But getting back to the actual question, unless you're spilling a lot of powder, I wouldn't even bother with it.
    Well. I have accumulated a bit due to tinkering and upgrades while getting to know my new press. I would estimate I could at this point recover about 20-30 rounds worth. It really is a curiosity question and will most likely take John's advice and use it to fertilize plants. Thanks for the response!
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,590
    Glen Burnie
    Well. I have accumulated a bit due to tinkering and upgrades while getting to know my new press. I would estimate I could at this point recover about 20-30 rounds worth. It really is a curiosity question and will most likely take John's advice and use it to fertilize plants. Thanks for the response!
    On one hand you could maybe recover 150 gr worth of powder, but part of the reason we reload is because not only do we get to shoot more for our money by doing so, but we all get to control the quality of the rounds we're producing. If you mix adulterated powder back into the can with fresh, you've automatically compromised your quality.

    Regarding the idea of using it for fertilizer, it's not even worth it IMO. You've reclaimed maybe 1/3rd of an oz of powder, and once you learn your press a bit better and you no longer spill as much, it will be even less than that.

    I get it though - when it comes to primers, they are so ever-loving scarce right now that if I drop one, I hunt for it so that I can make sure I use it.

    Out of curiosity, which press did you get?
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    Perhaps the powder measure can be fixed to stop it from leaking so much. Had a Lee Perfect Powder measure that leaked terribly. Took it apart and found the mating surfaces to be anything but smooth. Some sanding and working the measure with some Flitz on those surfaces has eliminated any leakage with even the finest of powders, now. Well worth the effort. Not sure what you are using, but the same principles apply to most of them.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,590
    Glen Burnie
    Perhaps the powder measure can be fixed to stop it from leaking so much. Had a Lee Perfect Powder measure that leaked terribly. Took it apart and found the mating surfaces to be anything but smooth. Some sanding and working the measure with some Flitz on those surfaces has eliminated any leakage with even the finest of powders, now. Well worth the effort. Not sure what you are using, but the same principles apply to most of them.
    It's an interesting theme that most Lee products, excluding dies, need some tweaking before they'll really run the way they are supposed to. Yours isn't the first instance I've heard of where someone took apart a Lee reloading product and did some fine tuning to get it to really perform well. The Lee Loadmaster is actually famous for that.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Not sure which reference rounds , but that's a LOT of spilled powder ( from the making a mess viewpoint ) , but still trivial in the context of loading rounds . When in Doubt. Throw it Out ( ok , dispose appropriately , of which fertilizer is a good way ) .


    What I * Thought * you were going to ask , was about powder from loaded rounds you disassembled .

    If they are Your rounds that You loaded , and you kept documentation of what's what , you should be able to , unless there are specific problem signs with the powder .

    Someone else's handloads , or especially Factory loads , do NOT reuse , and dispose properly .

    Someone else's loads ( unless you were sitting at their elbow carefully observing at the time ) , you don't * Know * what it is . ( Yeah, yeah , certain canister powers have certain visual identifiers , but not diffinitive .)

    Most factory ammo uses NON Canister grade powders , and can be totally different for different Lots of the nominally same product . ( ie , different lots of say 9mm 124gr HST could have different charge weights of different in house blends of NON Canister powder , neither of which would have any corelation to Any Canister Grade consumer Powder .)


    [ If anyone out there understands the phrase " Mexican Match " , you should already know what to do . ]
     

    Scorpioj

    Member
    Feb 27, 2017
    99
    US of A
    On one hand you could maybe recover 150 gr worth of powder, but part of the reason we reload is because not only do we get to shoot more for our money by doing so, but we all get to control the quality of the rounds we're producing. If you mix adulterated powder back into the can with fresh, you've automatically compromised your quality.

    Regarding the idea of using it for fertilizer, it's not even worth it IMO. You've reclaimed maybe 1/3rd of an oz of powder, and once you learn your press a bit better and you no longer spill as much, it will be even less than that.

    I get it though - when it comes to primers, they are so ever-loving scarce right now that if I drop one, I hunt for it so that I can make sure I use it.

    Out of curiosity, which press did you get?
    Lee Load-Master. I got a "good deal" on a kit pre pandemic.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,590
    Glen Burnie
    Lee Load-Master. I got a "good deal" on a kit pre pandemic.
    I've seen where the Load-Master can be a great press, although usually that's after someone has implemented a lot of upgrades and tweaks, and they make sure to keep it well tuned. I can understand where in your learning curve you may have spilled some powder. ;) I considered getting one at one point, but I cut to the chase and got a Dillon 550 instead. It doesn't auto-index, but I like the simplicity of how it functions, and I'm still able to crank out about 100 rounds in 12-15 minutes.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,729
    Socialist State of Maryland
    John did you jut tell me to stop being cheap? :-D

    Thanks for the response!

    No, but now that your mention it. :rolleyes:

    All joking aside, many of us who have been reloading have dumped powder and tried to reclaim it. The problem is that the dust and dirt that you can't separate changes the weight, if you are weighing, or the mass if you are using a powder measure. In either case you wind up with different velocities which means less than the best accuracy.

    Now, if you are just going to shoot cowboy loads at 10 inch plates, I would say go for it since it won't matter for that kind of range.
     

    Scorpioj

    Member
    Feb 27, 2017
    99
    US of A
    I've seen where the Load-Master can be a great press, although usually that's after someone has implemented a lot of upgrades and tweaks, and they make sure to keep it well tuned. I can understand where in your learning curve you may have spilled some powder. ;) I considered getting one at one point, but I cut to the chase and got a Dillon 550 instead. It doesn't auto-index, but I like the simplicity of how it functions, and I'm still able to crank out about 100 rounds in 12-15 minutes.
    I'm considering a 550 eventually when they become available and "reasonable" again.
     

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