Changing to new batch of powder- what safety margin do you need?

[Daryl S]

just for your info, I was told by a guy I used to buy surplus powder from that a lot of powder is 75,000 pounds.

I'm missing your point. The powder weighs 75,000 pounds? I suspect if the quantity ordered is 75,000 pounds, that is what the shipment should weigh, plus packaging, of course.

 

[Daryl S]

It's not the powder but the manufacturers lawyers. They are reducing the loads due to liaility.

This is true.

 

[Daryl S]

Here's a copy of the New (AFAIK) Speer manual on .35 Whelen data.
Speer appears to not be paying attention to the Lawyers. 2,700fps with a 250gr. is less than 100fps from factory .358 Norma Magnum data.
Even 2,650fps is wonderful from an '06 case not IMP.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I don't have pressure measuring equipment but believe the info above. The one powder I've noticed the most difference in published loads over time is RL15 used in the .35 Whelen. For 20 years or so I've been using 58 grains with 250 grain bullets for 2500 fps. in my rifle. But current loads are closer to 54 gr. from most sources. I assume the powder has substantially increased burning rate over the last couple decades.

@Longwalker
John Barness noticed the same thing and couldn't figure out why they dropped the load.
He bought a new batch of powder used his old load of 59 gn without issue.
Me thinks it's a cover your arse thing.
As with all thing reloading when starting out with a new product start low and work up to your original load if safe
Bob

 

[M70375!]

I'm missing your point. The powder weighs 75,000 pounds? I suspect if the quantity ordered is 75,000 pounds, that is what the shipment should weigh, plus packaging, of course.

A powder lot consists of 75,000 pounds, that is how many pounds of powder are in a given lot of powder.

 

[Daryl S]

Every reloading book I've read, except perhaps the ones from the 30's through 60's, have noted that when changing ANY components, or new lot of powder, to reduce the load by 10%, then work back up as pressure signs indicate.
That goes for the 47 reloading books in my loading room. Many are up dated versions of earlier manuals, but all give the same lesson.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Here's a copy of the New (AFAIK) Speer manual on .35 Whelen data.
Speer appears to not be paying attention to the Lawyers. 2,700fps with a 250gr. is less than 100fps from factory .358 Norma Magnum data.
Even 2,650fps is wonderful from an '06 case not IMP.

@Daryl S
That's where I started my reloading journey whit the Whelen and have worked up some very potent loads for the Whelen like the Speer 250 and with the Nosler accubond and Woodleigh 225s as well as the Sierra 225 spbtgk.
Those things motoring along at 2,900 fps turn the Whelen into a real long range ( to me) 400 yard thumper. At the muzzle you are turning up 4,200fpe and at 400 it's still over 2,000fpe.
In the beginning people thought I was crazy and doubted my results.
When they tried them they soon found it was no joke and gave them a new found respect for the old girl.
That puts it up in the standard 338 win mag category
Stoke it up with the Woodleigh 310 RNSP to 2,455 fps and that puts it horribly close to the original 300fn 375 load.
No one has ever complained about the performance of those two cartridges and now the Whelen can make them sit up and take notice of the old work horse.
Enjoy your Whelen journey.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Every reloading book I've read, except perhaps the ones from the 30's through 60's, have noted that when changing ANY components, or new lot of powder, to reduce the load by 10%, then work back up as pressure signs indicate.
That goes for the 47 reloading books in my loading room. Many are up dated versions of earlier manuals, but all give the same lesson.

@Daryl S
That's a wise move. In small case 10% in bigger cases I use 5%
When I buy a new lot of powder if I can't get 8# jugs I'll buy 5-8 one pounders and mix the lot together and rebottle that way I have a good supply of the new batch of powder.
Bob

 

[Daryl S]

@Daryl S
That's where I started my reloading journey whit the Whelen and have worked up some very potent loads for the Whelen like the Speer 250 and with the Nosler accubond and Woodleigh 225s as well as the Sierra 225 spbtgk.
Those things motoring along at 2,900 fps turn the Whelen into a real long range ( to me) 400 yard thumper. At the muzzle you are turning up 4,200fpe and at 400 it's still over 2,000fpe.
In the beginning people thought I was crazy and doubted my results.
When they tried them they soon found it was no joke and gave them a new found respect for the old girl.
That puts it up in the standard 338 win mag category
Stoke it up with the Woodleigh 310 RNSP to 2,455 fps and that puts it horribly close to the original 300fn 375 load.
No one has ever complained about the performance of those two cartridges and now the Whelen can make them sit up and take notice of the old work horse.
Enjoy your Whelen journey.
Bob

The original .375H&H loading of 1912, had the 270gr. running 2,600fps and the 300gr. at an even 2,400fps. These were likely from a 28" bl. which was the normal length for testing, then.(I read)
The .375 built it's reputation from those early loads, just as the 9.3x62 built it's rep by 286gr. softs and solids both running 2,175fps. John Taylor wrote in African Rifles and Cartridges, that the increase to 2,340fps in that 9.3 ctg. was not needed as it killed splendidly with the original ballistics. Go figure!
My 9.3x57 Husky ran re-sized Hornady 300gr. at 2,170fps, with sub MOA accuracy and .00025 web expansion from a sized case.

 

[BFaucett]

@Daryl S
That's where I started my reloading journey whit the Whelen and have worked up some very potent loads for the Whelen like the Speer 250 and with the Nosler accubond and Woodleigh 225s as well as the Sierra 225 spbtgk.
Those things motoring along at 2,900 fps turn the Whelen into a real long range ( to me) 400 yard thumper. At the muzzle you are turning up 4,200fpe and at 400 it's still over 2,000fpe.
In the beginning people thought I was crazy and doubted my results.
When they tried them they soon found it was no joke and gave them a new found respect for the old girl.
That puts it up in the standard 338 win mag category
Stoke it up with the Woodleigh 310 RNSP to 2,455 fps and that puts it horribly close to the original 300fn 375 load.
No one has ever complained about the performance of those two cartridges and now the Whelen can make them sit up and take notice of the old work horse.
Enjoy your Whelen journey.
Bob

Just for fun and comparison, here's the original ballistics of the .350 Griffin & Howe Magnum cartridge. The image below is a scan from my reprint copy of the 1930 Griffin & Howe catalog. (Also recall that James Howe was instrumental in the development of the .35 Whelen cartridge.)

In addition, attached is a pdf file containing an article by Ken Waters about the .350 G&H Magnum cartridge. Here's a quote from the article:

"Leslie Simpson, perhaps the most experienced American hunter on African game at that time, had recommended that a most practical rifle would be one chambering a .35-caliber cartridge loaded with a heavy bullet to as high a velocity as permissible within pressure and rifle weight limitations. Specifically, he suggested its ballistics call for a 275-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2,500 fps but added the caveat that if such a combination produced excessive pressures, velocity, rather than bullet weight, should be reduced."​

Cheers! Bob F.

 

[Daryl S]

Interesting reading, thank you. I have a whack of 250gr. Barnes original spitzers in .366" for my 9.3's. They'll hold 1 1/2" at 100 meters, so not bad at all from both of my 9.3 x62's.
My brother now has my 9.3x57 and so far likes the 286gr. Norma Alaskans at 2,200fps.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

I do not back off my established load data with a new batch of powder but, that’s not a bad idea to back off 10% and re-confirm. After all, safety precautions are everything.