Black powder clumping.

[Nickel Plated]

So I have some .38 Spl black powder loads that I'm taking apart because I loaded them with an unlubed bullet (bad mistake) and every single one that I pull the bullet off of, the powder is just clumped up inside the case into just a big lump. It doesn't just pour out. I have to take a little pick and scrape it out of there. Is this normal? I did seat my bullet so that it would compress the charge a bit.

 

[Hawg]

Sounds like oil or lube contamination but since you said you used no lube

 

[Pahoo]

Quite normal, on long storage

Is this normal?

Yes, this is quite normal and it's called "Caking". The powder is still good. It is not exclusive to BP but other M/L replacement propellants as well. The presence of a projectile in a cartridge makes little difference. I have see this in flasks, horns and containers. ......


Be Safe !!!

 

[g.willikers]

Yeah, it's probably caused by humidity and gravity.
It can happen in the bottle or can, too.
Nice, large clumps of useless powder.
Some folks carefully mix and stir until the clumping is gone and granules reappear.
But easy does it.
Shaking is probably not a good idea.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Thanks Pahoo & g.willikers - I learned something today.

 

[Fingers McGee]

Any compression at all will cause BP and Subs to clump. Nature of the beast.

 

[Hawg]

Thanks Pahoo & g.willikers - I learned something today

Me too and I've been shooting the stuff since 69. I never took down a bp cartridge.

 

[Pahoo]

Caking can happen just abot anywhere

It can even cake, in an M/L rifle bore. ....

Last fall at a local GS, I was inspecting a TC-Hawken and dropped my bore light into the bore to get a better look. I tipped the barrel down to allow my light to slip out. Caught it in the palm of my hand and noticed some black specks had followed. Thought that was a bit strange and when I crushed the grains between my fingers and took a whiff, I could tell it was BP. and brought it to the attention of the dealer. His eye got pretty big and asked my I thought it was loaded? Asked him for some jags and went outside. It had a Sabot and charge in it. Pulled the sabotted pistol bullet and then had to use a patch jag to break up the caking and dump the powder out. Dealer had no idea how long it had been there. .....

Another time, I got a flask in the mail, that was almost full. That cake was fairly firm. Broke it up with a screw driver and later shot it, in one of my cannons. ....

Be Safe !!!

 

[FrontierGander]

when you compress black powder is holds shape. Pyrodex does the same thing as as someone already said, Caking is the correct term.

 

[bedbugbilly]

A compressed load - normal.

Just remember that your ought to scrape it out and start over. Your loads need to be compressed with BP. If for some reason you decided to pull the slugs, lube them and then re-seat them - a variation in seating depth could leave an air space.

Chalk it up to "experience" - we've all made mistakes at times - just be on the save side and "start over" - the cardinal rule in reloading when you've messed up.

As as a side note - when I first started reloading BP cartridges, I loaded several and then pulled the slug to check that I was getting a good compressed load. It's a bear trying to get a compressed load out of a casing at times.
I don't know how many you have but to make short work of it, you may want to pull the slugs and just fire them off afterwards - de-prime, wash your casings, dry and start over. NOTE: If you do decide to pull the slugs and just fire them off - load ONE AT A TIME in your revolver - otherwise, you'll likely experience a "CHAIN FIRE'' - WHICH YOU DO NOT WANT! PUT ONE IN THE CYLINDER AT A TIME. I know . . . the cost of primers and the powder . . . but it's a whole lot easier than "doing it by hand". Sometimes the "lessons" cost a little but the learning experience pays off in the end.

For my 38 special BP - I usually use a 160ish gr RN from a ideal/Lyman 358-311 mold. I finger lube mine - then swipe the base across a piece of paper towel - then seat. I seat right on top of the powder - don't use a wad. I've never had a problem with any of the lube migrating down to the powder. Any excess lube is pushed up by the case mouth when seating. Yea, it can be a little messy but that's why I have a dedicated set of dies for BP cartridges. After a loading session, I clean them well as the seating die is the one that gets the most "gunked" up. Some like to use a wad or card between the powder and slug - all depends on what you like and how you prefer to load.

 

[Nickel Plated]

Thanks guys, just waned to make sure the powder was still good to reuse. I'm picking it out with a wood BBQ skewer. It comes out in little rocks but can be easily crushed up back into individual granules once it's out. I was using the 158gr Hornady lead bullets that have the little crosshatched pattern. only after I loaded 300 rounds did I do some more reading and realized that those are really not good for black powder.
Tried shooting them anyway just to get rid of them. But after 7 shots the bullets started keyholing. After 20 the action completely locked up from the fouling.

So now I'm pulling all the remainders and going to reload them with the SPG lubed bullets from Rim Rock Bullets.
Trying to decided between the 125gr and 158gr round nose.
Figured probably go for 125. The bullet is shorter so I can get a bit more powder in the case. And I will take all the powder I can get because I already have to seat them kind of deep to fit in my 51 navy conversion. And It's still heavier than the 80gr balls the gun originally used.

 

[Chowmif16]

You will probably find that the round nose rim rock bullets will not carry enough SPG lube to really soften the fouling enough so you can shoot all day without cleaning. I have tried them in .45 Colt and ended up with baked on fouling and a leaded barrel. I did have more success with adding a grease cookie under the bullet, but that added a lot of work. I now use Big Lube bullets and love them.
Note, my assumption here is that the rim rock bullets you are considering are roughly similar to the ones I used for .45 colt. The lube groove was narrow and shallow, like for smokeless powder.
BP cartridge loads need a lot of lube to work well.
Cheers, norm

 

[4V50 Gary]

When the Ciivl War ironclad U.S.S. Cairo was pulled out of its muddy grave, its shells contained powder than when dried, were still viable. Black powder is forever!