opinions on bulk powder

[milkie62]

I am getting close to retirement and trying to get some ducks lined up in a row.I do have a 4 lb jug off 2400 powder from 1983 that still seems to be OK but I do not have a chronograph to see what if any loss of velocity it has.I have been looking to buy some bulk powder for my pistols and rifles along with 500 pack bullets and 1000 primes to take some of the bite out so during retirement I do not have to spend so much to enjoy shooting.Anybody ever have issues with powder that has been stored for say 10-15 yrs as long as its dry ? Was planning on buying 4 lb jugs for my hunting rifles and pistols.

 

[Gunpoor]

10 to 15 years is not old for properly stored smokeless gun powder. If you smell the powder inside the container and it has a solvent odor or at least no foul odor it should be fine. I have some powder that is older than that that is still very viable.

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

A few weekends ago, I shot some .45's that a friend made for me. He was a competitive pistol shooter earlier in his life, and still has lots of pistol powder he purchased in the late 1990's. He keeps the jugs in his basement in his gun room. I would have never known that the powder was almost 20 years old.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Cool dry storage. I would not keep it in the attic, the basement in sealed secondary containers with desiccant would be better. I load in the garage but it's not heated and air conditioned so I store my powder in the house in those plastic totes with a sock filled with the silica gel kitty litter in the tote to control humidity. Get a short flat one and under the bed is a good spot. 10-15 years is nothing to properly stored powder and primers.

 

[milkie62]

where can I get some dessicant pouches ?I was planning on hitting Cabela's in Pa and stocking up B4 xmas.Monet saved on hazmat would cover my fuel expense.Would like to get enough to carry me well into retirement so all I need to do is maintenance stockup after that.

 

[FAIRCHASE]

I use large coolers to store powder and primers which works great.

 

[RT2506]

I use an old non working refrigerator to keep my powder in down in my basement loading room. Powder in the main compartment and primers in the freezer section. Temperature does not very much year round and the refrigerator seals up air tight and is very fire resistant if there is a fire. If it were to get hot enough in a fire to set it off it would push the door open and not explode. I have some powder IMR 4895 that was pulled from Lake City military 30-06 ammo made in the 1960 I bought 15 or so years ago and it still shoots just as good as brand new IMR 4895.

 

[milkie62]

I use an old non working refrigerator to keep my powder in down in my basement loading room. Powder in the main compartment and primers in the freezer section. Temperature does not very much year round and the refrigerator seals up air tight and is very fire resistant if there is a fire. If it were to get hot enough in a fire to set it off it would push the door open and not explode. I have some powder IMR 4895 that was pulled from Lake City military 30-06 ammo made in the 1960 I bought 15 or so years ago and it still shoots just as good as brand new IMR 4895.

Thanks for that info.

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

I've used a lot of old powder, some from the 60's. Just finally used up some I bought in high school (mid 70's). I wouldn't use the old stuff for self defense or hunting, but plinking is ok.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

where can I get some dessicant pouches ?I was planning on hitting Cabela's in Pa and stocking up B4 xmas.Monet saved on hazmat would cover my fuel expense.Would like to get enough to carry me well into retirement so all I need to do is maintenance stockup after that.

I use socks pour in the desiccant and tie it shut. Get the silica gel cat litter it's cheap and is the same stuff as the noncolor changing commercially available desiccant. Might order a small amount of the color changing desiccant off eBay just so you know if your cat litter needs dried out or replaced.

 

[Kennibear]

Heat kills powder faster than moisture. Some double based powders like Unique are essentially water proof. One of the first batches of Laflin & Rand's (then Hercules, then Alliant) Unique has been kept in a jar of water for more than 100 years and it still tests fine. Most ball powder has some nitroglycerin but not 30% like Unique. I agree with the silica gel storage however, even though a tightly sealed factory container is pretty moisture proof. A cool basement in an air conditioned house is probably best. I had some 3031 go bad but I got it in a sporting goods store closing and God knows how long they had it before I bought it. The price tag said $3.15 full price.

KB

 

[SansSouci]

milkie62,

As far as I know, shooters ate still loading WWII era 4831 w/o problem.

Powder that's stored correctly will probably last longer than us.