How long is H1000 good for.

[del2les]

Who doesn't shoot enough to let powder sit for years??? I have a hard time keeping most powders for over 2 years.

I have bought various powders in large bulk, mil surplus, clearance sales, estate sales, etc, and sometimes those quantities last me decades. Especially if I change to a newer powder and revisit the old loads from time to time.

I have several powders on my shelves that are 30+ and 40+ years old. Especially in the pistol and shotgun powders. Many of these were bought cheap and stacked very deep.

 

[Barehandlineman11]

This sure doesn't jive with a test Brian Litz & the AB team did on humidity effects on powder. I highly recommend listening to it.

I don't think hes saying it doesn't dry out per say I think he's saying its not caused by what most people think. I know if i open fresh keg my velocity is different than if i let that keg sit open for few days.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Sarcasm

Not really. When I buy powder, I usually buy a few 8# at a time. Depending on powder, 16-24# lasts me 2 years max.
Varget, H4350, H1000, RL23, N565, N570. 16-24# would last me 1-2 years in each of these.

 

[HSmithTX]

I have powder from the 50's that I use and it's excellent. From one estate sale back in the late 90's I bought around 275 pounds or powder and over 120K primers. I sold about 100 pounds of the powder to my buddies at can't refuse prices and kept the rest, who wants 30+ pounds of W296 that isn't a 410 nut? 45 pounds of Bullseye? It's nearly gone now but I shot a LOT from that buy. I smell test it every time I open a bottle, the odor changes dramatically when it starts going bad. I did repackage the metal cans and the cardboard tubs into plastic bottles when I got it, it was all stored in a basement for almost 20 years and I have never had a plastic jug go bad or get damp.

 

[tony d willIiams]

I am guilty. And I buy old powders at estate sales. I have quite a few in the old metal tins. lol

I have the tins also. I have not used the powder in them as I purchase 20 pounds + of the ones I use.
I attempt to purchase another 20 or so when I have reached the halfway point. Same with bricks of primers, and bullets.
I went to the back of my powder storage container, found powders, 1~5 lb. that I had been trying before I came up with loads that are accurate, have the correct speed(s), consistency, and are repeatable.
Dozens of years old. Now I have to dig through my old notes to find why I changed from them. Then attach the note to the containers.

 

[del2les]

I have powder from the 50's that I use and it's excellent. From one estate sale back in the late 90's I bought around 275 pounds or powder and over 120K primers. I sold about 100 pounds of the powder to my buddies at can't refuse prices and kept the rest, who wants 30+ pounds of W296 that isn't a 410 nut? 45 pounds of Bullseye? It's nearly gone now but I shot a LOT from that buy. I smell test it every time I open a bottle, the odor changes dramatically when it starts going bad. I did repackage the metal cans and the cardboard tubs into plastic bottles when I got it, it was all stored in a basement for almost 20 years and I have never had a plastic jug go bad or get damp.

Well, I still have about 24# of 296/H110 with one 8# jug left of mil surplus 30 Carbine (H110 equivalent). I don't shoot a 410 shotgun, but I do load a fair amount of heavy handgun and lever rifle loads. As for the Bullseye, man 45#'s? I thought 20 lbs was a lot! LOL

In the 90's, I bought a lot of mil surplus powders in 8# jugs in 32# cases at $100 delivered! While I have shot most of that in 223/5.56, 308, 30-06, 50 cal and a few others, I still have a couple of jugs left that are just fine.

Here are just a few of those:

 

[AHoffart]

Me, but the rate will hopefully increase as the kids get older. Leaving the wife, my primary shooting partner, at home with the babies would be bad for my happiness.
Also need daycare behind me to get the gun and fish budget back.

And me.. I shoot a lot but save the reloading components for what I consider the important ones that I use for hunting .. and I would buy a keg or two anytime I'd see on sitting around in a gun shop..if they had 2 I'd buy 1 and leave the other for someone else..I have been reloading for my 28N, 6.5PRC and 243W .. frankly have enough to probably last my lifetime at this point..

 

[QuietTexan]

For people worried about humidity and such:

When I open a new can I'll pour it into a jug and mix in the remnants of the last jug in with it all. A lot of the slow powders I'm burning 90+gn per shot, so it's not hard to end up with 1-2k gn left over at the bottom of a pound every single session, so it rolls over nicely.

I do the same thing if I have 2# of one lot number and 1# of another. Make 3# in total.

 

[Sealesniper]

It is no good anymore. Let me know where you are and I will swing by and take it and any of those no good primers as well.

If sealed and kept from moisture, it should be fine for as long as you need it.

 

[Bruce Treloar]

I have 5 pounds of H1000 stored in a cooler in my basement along with primers and bullets. I haven't had the time to reload so I have just been buying ammo but now I want to get back into it but I am unsure if the power is good still.
Thanks guys

4740 from last world war is still used for hunting. I have been shooting short range benchrest with 4198 purchased in 1970 and when I'm doing my part can get in the top 5

 

[model 700]

I have 5 pounds of H1000 stored in a cooler in my basement along with primers and bullets. I haven't had the time to reload so I have just been buying ammo but now I want to get back into it but I am unsure if the power is good still.
Thanks guys

I have some powder that's probably 5 years old or so. I store it in my house, always room temperature, lids nicely sealed. Will look at it from time to time and I'm pretty sure it's as good now as it was years ago. As long as you take care of it it's probably going to last for a long time. Good question though, I might get in touch with some manufacturers and see what they have to say.

 

[Rosebud]

And me.. I shoot a lot but save the reloading components for what I consider the important ones that I use for hunting .. and I would buy a keg or two anytime I'd see on sitting around in a gun shop..if they had 2 I'd buy 1 and leave the other for someone else..I have been reloading for my 28N, 6.5PRC and 243W .. frankly have enough to probably last my lifetime at this point..

Me too, I've got two 8 pound jugs of Varget bought last year that haven't been opened yet. Probably have fifty or sixty pounds of powder on hand. And about ten thousand primers.

 

[memtb]

I have the tins also. I have not used the powder in them as I purchase 20 pounds + of the ones I use.
I attempt to purchase another 20 or so when I have reached the halfway point. Same with bricks of primers, and bullets.
I went to the back of my powder storage container, found powders, 1~5 lb. that I had been trying before I came up with loads that are accurate, have the correct speed(s), consistency, and are repeatable.
Dozens of years old. Now I have to dig through my old notes to find why I changed from them. Then attach the note to the containers.

If you have some in metal can……perhaps you could persuade your LRH friends to send you a bunch of empty plastic 1 pounders so you could repackage! Just a little long term insurance ! memtb

 

[UncleDano]

I have had some stored for 25+ years, tried some of my old favorite accuracy loads and got the same old accurate small groups! Keep it sealed and stored properly and it will last a long time.