Dale53
posted this
20 October 2009
More years ago than I care to remember, I received a call from a business acquaintance who was having problems with 700x in his MEC shotgun loader. He was getting squib loads and intermittent heavy loads (determined by sound of the report and recoil).
I checked his set up out and determined that the “Jim's Powder Baffle” he was using would “bridge” dropping just a partial charge. I was able to demonstrate it's failings. We removed powder baffle and the MEC, as issued, worked well.
A commercial loader told me there was a warning out amongst the trade that 700X was a dangerous powder to use in an auto loader reloading machine. This intrigued me as I could see little reason upon visual examination why this would be so (I didn't dispute the information, just wanted to know why).
So, I put the powder under high magnification. The little round flakes had scalloped edges like tiny doilies (you know, what grandmother used under the flower vases on the end tables). I theorized that the “edges” grabbed each other and bridged in a measure causing heavy and light charges.
I was shooting in an indoor league and the question came up. I told my findings to the group and one of them Pooh-Poohed my findings. He stated he had used it for hundreds of loads without a problem in his 1911 .45 ACP. The very next relay he had a bullet stuck in his barrel. Fortunately, he did not shoot a follow up shot.
Note: he immediately reassessed his position:uhuhuh:.
It is kind of a shame because it is clean burning and can work well if it would measure well. I solved the problem to my satisfaction, I relegated it to shotgun use WITHOUT a powder baffle.
I use progressive presses to load most of my handgun loads (I have two Dillon 550B's) and I will simply not use a powder that doesn't measure well. There are too many good powders that DO measure well to worry about those that do not.
Dale53
