powder age

[shooter53]

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 .


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nice one Jim

 

[Murph1951]

I just reloaded 250 rounds of 38 specials with 50 year old Hercules Bullseye for my closet queen, a Smith and Wesson model 52, I used 2.7 grains under a 148 grain BBWC. Primers were Smith and Wesson SPP. They were old also, Not one malfunction with either the bullet or gun. It depends on how your powder and primers were stored. I wanted to bring my Phelps reloader out of mothballs. Brought back a lot of good memories of my Bullseye competition days.

 

[RidgeTop]

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 !

Rem 700 22 250 Sierra 52, HPBT Match IMR 4320

 

[Rosebud]

4007 powder was recalled some time ago, I had a can, plastic can of it and ment to send it back but forgot. It was stored in a cabinet in the mud room with other powder and some primers plus some scope rings other metal stuff. I went looking for the scope rings for a friend and discover they had rust on them. Then looked at other metal stuff that also had rust on it. Opening the other side of the cabinet I was floored by the smell. Started pulling everything out and got to the can of 4007 .the metal twist on lid was nothing but red dust and every thing in there was starting to corrode from the vapors from that stuff. Went and got gloves and gently picked up in offending can to toss into the woods. Took days too clean up everything. Primers had turned grey color. But still worked well. Took several months for the smell to go away.

 

[RidgeTop]

I have had one can go bad that I spread on the lawn , some of my powders are from the '70's. In the 1990's I bought 30,000 primers and they work fine(stored in wooden box). Powder inventory is around 60lb of mixed types. All in temp controlled heat/A/C. My powder is almost all in original containers and if I were to replace with polymer containers, I would get the same type the powder mfg. use. Check the diamond number on the bottom and use the same. Powder has acetone and toluene in it (among other solvents that could react with some polymer containers.)

 

[Idaho Lefty]

At $40 to $50+ Dollars, a Pound, now, you might want to be, taking, GOOD "care" of, your Gun Powder, guys !
Get your, Powders, OUT of, the Metal Cans ! Re-Label, the Plastic / Poly Cans, CAREFULLY and wrap, clear Tape over, your NEW, Labels.

 

[shooter53]

whats the ideal temp for storing powders, It rarely goes above 90f or below freezing point here in Wales

 

[RidgeTop]

Cooler is better. I have always heard gradual temp changes I guess to prevent the chance of condensation.

 

[epoletna]

JimBires:

Where did you get those nice plastic bottles to store your powder? They look great!

 

[Idaho Lefty]

whats the ideal temp for storing powders, It rarely goes above 90f or below freezing point here in Wales

I have had NO "Problems" storing my Gun Powder, in a Plywood Lined, Metal Box at, 40 to 85 Degree's with very Little, Humidity.
I'm still shooting H-4985 from, WW2 and other Powders from, the Early, 1980's.
Have had, IMR 4831 and 3031 go BAD,( Rusty bottom's ) in the Factory, Metal Containers, Years ago.
Years ago, I loaded some of that, OLD IMR 3031, in a .45-70 and not much, but,.. a "poof" when, fired ! Threw that, "chit",. AWAY !
Pretty sure that,.. Humidity / Condensation, in metal cans, is the Powder,.. "Killer"

 

[rcg5076]

I am currently loading 33 year old W760 from steel cans. I have several containers of older powder that is still good. I had some powder that was store on cemet floor go bad on me as it was getting moisture from the cement floor. Powder will last along time provided it is store in cool dry places.

 

[Greyfox]

I have tested for accuracy, ES, and velocity, 8-10 year old H4831sc,Varget, H1000, and Retumbo. All except the Retumbo were consistent with my original results. The Retumbo(tested in both 300WM and 6.5x284) had increased in velocity 30-40FPS. Reducing my loads.5-1.0gr restored original results. This speed increase was also present in reloaded cartridges of the same age. All powders were from opened containers stored in a temperature and humidity controlled safe.
A lot of Reloader 26 that was 3 years old had a similar velocity increase to Retumbo over this period with the same rifles. In order to make sure the increase wasn't due to a change in the rifles, tests with alternative powders were cross-checked, and those powders ruled out that the rifles as a factor.
Coloration and consistency of all the powders, stored in the original plastic containers were unchanged except for the Retumbo which had some clumps that were easily broken apart and mixed prior to testing.

 

[xroads]

imr 4831 from ww2, purchased by my father in paper bags. almost gone now, but still shoots just fine when stored properly.

 

[xsn10s]

I have powder and primers that are over 20 years old. They shoot fine although some opened cans of IMR 4064 shoots alittle faster. I live in a dry climate so wonder if it dehydrated over time.