Unloading Shotgun Shells and Old powder ?s

[kf4zht]

Now that I found 50#s of #9 on CL for $35 I am back on the focus of shotshell reloading. Have a couple questions

I got a can of old red dot powder with the press. It's old enough to be the cardboard tube type. Stuff smells ok, good color. Should I try a few loads with it? I figure you cant really have a squib in a scattergun and I doubt the powder got stronger with age.

Second the guy gave me about 50-75 shells that he loaded. Judging by the crimps he wasn't a super careful reloader so I don't really want to shoot them. I do want to recover at least the shot if not the primers out of them. Given how common hulls are should I just razor knife them rather than trying to pic them open?


I was able to get out and test my 45 loads today, 200gr RN Plated Ranier over 5.7-5.8gr (Lee disk .76) Solo 1000 (power is a pain to find). Shot real well, no function issues and was able to hit a man sized target at 35 yards standing with a 1911. Just need to order some more bullets and I can start cranking those out.

 

[rtross]

This kind of stuff tends to go boom.
Therefore, since there a lot of red flags, I recommend discarding all of it.
JMHO

 

[EMC45]

If the Red Dot smells good and is ALL Red Dot and not mixed, I say use it. Razor knife the shells, keep the shot and gently deprime the primers and use them too. The powder in the shells is up to you....