How long will triple 7 keep

[olderguns2]

Hi I'm new to black powder, just got a 1858 remington from Cabelas, then I brought a tradions starter kit from Gander mountian. but could not find real B/P anywhere., so I got Triple7 fffg. I know B/P will last almost forever & I just wondered how long could I store The substitues if I bought a 2 or 3 pounds.
Thanks in Advance

 

[Rock Island]

It's humid here in the summer, 777 like the rest of the subs sucks moisture out of the air like a sponge. Opened it might last a year before clumping, unopened it might last a few. I have a can of it I tried a few years back, it's locked in a USGI .50 ammo can with a desiccant pack, so far it's still good, the cans seal air tight, I keep BP in them also. Once 777 has turned into a solid lump it is useless, BP can be dried out and used if it gets a little damp, another reason I do not care much for the subs. If you keep the stuff dry it will work in the cap revolvers, the GI cans can be had on line, or at any gun show.

 

[olderguns2]

Thanks Rock island, I'm going to try to stick with the real stuff whenever I can. meanwhile I'll get some desiccant packs and a ammo can.

 

[arcticap]

An ammo can wouldn't hurt but I don't believe that it's really necessary. The important thing is to keep the cover tight and to only remove it for as long as necessary to remove some powder to fill a flask. And then don't put the powder back in the container just in case it has picked up any moisture. Store it in a separate container even though it's probably still perfectly okay.

APP is much more sensitive to moisture and I haven't lost the use of any yet. I just keep the cap tightly closed at all times unless I need to use some.

 

[Hellgate]

So far I have not had any 777 even get clumpy but I cannot say the same for Black Canyon or APP. I still keep the lid screwed on tight.

 

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

I'vd got several one pound containers of Triple Seven 3fff that have been setting around here since around year 2003 or 2004 (I'm serious) and they have never clumped up. Of course they have never been opened. I also have some American Pioneer my sister gave me as a present and I have had it for a few years and it has never clumped up either. Neither has any of it been opened..Now, I used to shoot BlackMag3. Real good stuff. It went off the market for awhile and I switched over to Triple Seven 3fff. (which I love, but when I first started with it I didn't know if I would love it or not). I had a scant few pounds of BlackMag3 which had never been opened and I decided to put it away and keep it for an emergency, considering it to be my stash of 'for sure good stuff'. I forgot about it for a few years and then one day I came across it. It was clumped up as solid and as hard as a damn brick. None of the containers had ever been opened up or exposed to any type of inclement weather. I didn't want to throw it away so I set up the ball mill outside and ran an extension cord over to a small generator. I took my Leatherman Super Tool and carefully (oh so very damn carefully!) cut the containers open one a a time and then ran each container full through the ball mill for about 30 to 40 minutes. As best I could tell the powder shoot's just as good as I remembered it alway's shooting. I still have most all of it put up here with the American Pioneer and it hasn't clumped back up. I still can't figure out what made it do that. Got to be something about how it was made or put into the containers....

 

[batjka]

Just because BP or substitute is clumped up, doesn't mean it went bad. This is the way they make BP anyways, add water, roll into a ball and then corn it. Moisture won't hurt it. Once it's dry again, it will shoot as well as before it got wet. So, no worries.

 

[olderguns2]

what doe's CORN IT mean, and thanks for the replies I'm not so worried about substitues now.

 

[arcticap]

Corning is the process used to granulate the powder from meal. It's first compressed and made into a dense block, (or with home made powder a moist ball). Then it's put through a sieve or a screen to make the granules which are sorted according to size. The size of the grains will affect its burn rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder

http://www.fogoforum.us/blackpowder.php

 

[batjka]

That's correct. And to make it into a ball, some water is added to it.