shooter53
Well-Known Member
Hi guys just wondering anyone know what length of time ( vit n133 ) will last before deteriorating and whats the oldest powder your using that is still shooting good groups, Thanks guys
powder age
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cornshank
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Tested some Imr 4064 in the blue metal cans the other day, it had brown dust in powder , had been stored indoors and sealed .
Shot fine , but wasn't shooting on paper for groups .
shooter53
Well-Known Member
how long had you had it
cornshank
Well-Known Member
I got it second hand unopened so not sure how old it was . Here a pic of a different can, from same place. I like the 16.99 price tag.
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Idaho Lefty
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I'm STILL Shooting, Bruce Hogdon's H-4895 ( Our Govm'nt's BEST ) from, WW2 that my Dad bought for, $50 cents a Pound, in the Mid 1950's !
Stored "WELL" your Powder should be good for,.. 50+ Years ! Burning this old chit up, in my .22-250 rem ( 50 gr. Sierra's into Sub 1/2 inch ) and Fireforming to chamber, my New Peterson Cases with, 123 Gr. Horn ELD-M's, in my New, 6.5 Creed Tikka, @ Sub 5/8th's MOA,.. "Plinkers" !
Keep your Powder DRY ! No Humidity, Stored in, Plastic Containers !!! Temp's "stable", in a Metal Container, LINED with, Plywood, HAS, Worked for US !
I transferred ALL of, my Gun Powder's, OUT of, Metal containers,.. 2 Decades, ago !
Stored "WELL" your Powder should be good for,.. 50+ Years ! Burning this old chit up, in my .22-250 rem ( 50 gr. Sierra's into Sub 1/2 inch ) and Fireforming to chamber, my New Peterson Cases with, 123 Gr. Horn ELD-M's, in my New, 6.5 Creed Tikka, @ Sub 5/8th's MOA,.. "Plinkers" !
Keep your Powder DRY ! No Humidity, Stored in, Plastic Containers !!! Temp's "stable", in a Metal Container, LINED with, Plywood, HAS, Worked for US !
I transferred ALL of, my Gun Powder's, OUT of, Metal containers,.. 2 Decades, ago !
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I bought a bunch of powder from an estate back in the late 90's, nearly 300 pounds in total. It was kind of a trip to have that much powder and a couple hundred thousand primers in the back seat of my truck going 100 miles home, would have been an impressive fire if things went wrong.... Cardboard kegs of Bullseye and Unique and WW296 etc, the owner shot everything from handguns to rifles and shotguns and bought big, the smallest containers were 8 pounders. Some of the kegs dated back to the 60's and 70's, and I repackaged most of it into current (at the time) plastic jugs. I sold probably 25% of it and have shot nearly all of the rest since, I still have probably 15 pounds of Bullseye left from that buy and it shoots great, I'd have to look at the keg to see if it was 60's or 70's but at any rate it is old. I thought the keg was cool so I have been using it to store 20ga hulls since I repackaged the powder. Keep it cool and dry and I think it will last another 40-50 years, but I do give it a look and smell each time before I use it.
shooter53
Well-Known Member
wow and im worried about 6years old powder, had i have known i would have stocked more before these stupid prices came along thanks a lot
jimbires
Well-Known Member
six years is nothing . I'm still using powder from the early 1980's . I've lost 1 can that went bad . I'm not sure if the powder went bad , or if the can rusted . I saved a bunch of empty plastic jugs to put the old metal can powder in , thinking it might store better in plastic . here's a few pics of my old stash . I'm still using these primers too , I wish I'd bought more .
Laelkhunter
Well-Known Member
Brown dust is possibly rust from the inside of the can. I had 4 cans of IMR 4350 that rusted on the inside, and I noticed a brown color when I was pouring it into the powder measure. I looked inside the can with a flashlight, and saw the inside of the can was rusted. I checked the other cans and they too were rusted on the inside. I called whomever (back then), and they told me to send the empty cans to them, and they would replace it. I did so, and received four new cans about three weeks later. Not sure what caused the rust, as 3 of the 4 cans were still sealed, and I stored them inside in temp control (a/c in summer-heat in the winter).
coyotemaster
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't put a.number on it but powder will keep fresh for years if kept dark, cool and dry and tightly sealed.
Powder will normally have a slight solvent smell to it, that's usual. I've read that deteriorated powder has a very strong smell.
Powder will normally have a slight solvent smell to it, that's usual. I've read that deteriorated powder has a very strong smell.
cornshank
Well-Known Member
Same here ,can was sealed , don't think I'll try the mail in , 1. if I didn't get in trouble for sending it back ,
2. They probably wouldn't have any to send back , to me .
3. If it is rust dust , then I get a little bit of fine birdshot along with my bullet.
cornshank
Well-Known Member
I'm still using these primers
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
The oldest powder I have in inventory is a can of TiteGroup that I bought in 2003. I loaded up some 40 S&W cartridges recently with powder from that can and it shot very well. Actually shot a bit better than similar loads made from a new can of CFE Pistol.
sable tireur
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This was and still is the method used to ship bulk quantities of smokeless powder, large cardboard barrels.
The shop where I apprenticed had 4 of these drums filled with H-4831 from the early 60's.
The shop where I apprenticed had 4 of these drums filled with H-4831 from the early 60's.
