black powder storage

I think your over thinking it.
Just keep your powder dry, it will be fine.
If it gets wet, dry it out. It will still likely be fine.
There are examples of powder being recovered from sunken ships after over a century under water, dried out and fired.

I just keep mine in the original plastic container. Then locked in my filing cabinet.

I like filing cabinets for ammo and gun parts...I don't think the ordinarily burglar would bother with it.

I have cans of Goex from the early 90's and have kept them in a dry box. No problems with longevity at all; still pours as when new.

I inherited a 1/2 lb can of black powder from my Great Great Great Grand father along with his 1845 .35 caliber rifle. If the powder was as old as the gun it would be 170 years old. It was in a lead can with a screw top (wish I had saved the can). The powder looked like 3f in granulation. It poured and went off just a well as my new Goex powder. The powder had been stored on a rafter in the barn. No one knows hold old it actually was/is. It boils down to: if you keep your powder in a dry place, it won't go bad.

Keep it sealed and in a cool, dry place and it will outlast you, your kids, their kids, and their kids until a George Jetson in the distant future finds it.

A surplus of black powder? I didn't think that was possible. In a sealed container with a desiccant pack or three the stuff will stay active a long time.

I keep mine in an old wooden dynamite box that my grandfather(I am now one year shy of when he died at the age of 72)put a pair hinges and a hasp on 70 or 80 years ago. It says WARNING & HIGH EXPLOSIVES on all 4 sides and the top. Nicely built box with dovetail joints, back in the old days they took pride in even the packaging.

Officers'Wife said:

A surplus of black powder? I didn't think that was possible. In a sealed container with a desiccant pack or three the stuff will stay active a long time.

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Real black will last for centuries. If it gets wet dry it out. If it clumps break it up. People have been killed with bp powered projectiles that were loaded and buried in the ground during the civil war. Powder has been recovered from cannons that have been underwater for over 400 years that was still good.

Armored farmer said:

I just keep mine in the original plastic container. Then locked in my filing cabinet.

I like filing cabinets for ammo and gun parts...I don't think the ordinarily burglar would bother with it.

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I also employ filing cabinet for gun parts, gun cleaning supplies, powder, reloading components, and ammo.

hawg said:

Real black will last for centuries. If it gets wet dry it out. If it clumps break it up. People have been killed with bp powered projectiles that were loaded and buried in the ground during the civil war. Powder has been recovered from cannons that have been underwater for over 400 years that was still good.

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I agree 100%.

Real Black Powder will last indefinitely as long as the cap is tightly screwed on.

W/Vickers1938 said:

Malachi, of course I am over thinking it, I have run out of other things to do until the lawn needs mowed.
Thank you

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Hahahahahahahahah

It’s suggested by ATF and others that black powder be stored in cabinets or storage units, preferably wooden, that will easily destruct, in the event of a fire. Metal cabinets such as old refrigerators and such can possibly create a bomb situation.
Information gathered from my habit of reading instructions.
My own supply is kept in the original cardboard shipping box from Graf or Midway, sitting on a shelf in the basement.

I recently moved and mine is sitting on the floor in a cardboard box in my gun room. When I get shelves installed it will sit on one of those.

Officers'Wife said:

A surplus of black powder? I didn't think that was possible.

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Depends on your definition of the word "surplus"...