Safe to use?
- Thread starter Captain Quack
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Hugger-4641
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I have some of both of those that are early 90's vintage and still good. A lot depends on how it was stored. Mine was stored inside, dry and cool. Compare the smell to some other new powder you have and if you have any doubt, throw it out. If it is bad you won't mistake the smell.
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Captain Quack
Member
It was stored in a mortar can with the other powders so it was sealed against moisture but was outside in a shed for the last 5 years. It has been opened but it smelled pretty similar to other powders I had on the shelf.
Captain Quack.
Captain Quack.
Hugger-4641
Member
I would test a few starter loads, use it and shoot it up as soon as possible.
edwardware
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I think you attached the wrong picture. The title says "Old powder", but the date says 1994. Young whippersnappers. . .
Smell: acetone/thinner/solvent smells are good. Ammonia is bad.
Look: consistent granules in whatever color they're supposed to be (black, grey, tan, green, with flakes of red, blue, yellow, etc) is good. A fine dust of deep rusty red is bad.
I'm using powders with date stamps in the 70's, because I used up the stuff from the '60s. Same for loaded ammo, but some of that is from the '40s and '50s.
Smell: acetone/thinner/solvent smells are good. Ammonia is bad.
Look: consistent granules in whatever color they're supposed to be (black, grey, tan, green, with flakes of red, blue, yellow, etc) is good. A fine dust of deep rusty red is bad.
I'm using powders with date stamps in the 70's, because I used up the stuff from the '60s. Same for loaded ammo, but some of that is from the '40s and '50s.
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AgPilot
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Send it to Me. I’ll test it out for Ya!!!
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Captain Quack
Member
When I sniffed it there was nothing like ammonia or vinegary smell to it. I think there is still about a pound and a half or 2 pounds in there and it is a powder I can use.
Thanks for all the advice. We only have one store in town that carries any reloading stuff and they sell out within an hour so I'm looking to use all my old stock I can. The other places are a 70 mile round trip.
Captain Quack.
Thanks for all the advice. We only have one store in town that carries any reloading stuff and they sell out within an hour so I'm looking to use all my old stock I can. The other places are a 70 mile round trip.
Captain Quack.
If it smells strange, give it to me. I'll burn it a little at a time. LOL Most people don't know what powder should smell like. It could have an acetone type smell and be ok. Other characteristics to look for includes granules clumping together, spider like webs above the powder, a brown or orange dust on or in the powder. I even had some giving off an orangie vapor. I fertilized my lawn with it. My powder was H4831 that was 30 some years old, in a rusting 25 lb. metal container and the previous owner just adding more powder to the can without using up the old stuff first. After my family was shooting it for 20 some years, I transferred it to a 4 lb. plastic bottle. If you ever see fumes like my picture, get rid of it fast. It is ready to self ignite.
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Riomouse911
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twarr1
Member
Thomasss; great photo. Thanks for sharing.
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Captain Quack
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Very good to know. Everything seems fine so far. No orange vapor. No acid smell. It was tightly sealed.
Captain Quack.
Captain Quack.
Electrod47
Member
Thar 2400 if half decently stored is good for 50 years. I know.
Tom-R2
Member
Last year I loaded some rounds for my 38 special with Unique from the early 1980s, I figured it was time to open up that space on the shelf. Shot and smelled just like it always has, and was just as dirty being the old "Hercules" Unique and not the new Alliant Unique.
AgPilot
Member
I have been using some 20 some odd year old unique in several loads. About done with that jug. Fixing to get into a new tub I picked up a month or so ago. Anything changed on loading it?
GeoDudeFlorida
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Only thing I've noticed is with the new stuff I can switch back to using Federal standard small pistol primers on very heavy loads in .38Spl and not have any char fall into the action when I eject. It is a lot cleaner and seems to burn better but the same old loading data works with the new stuff just the same. At least, according to my good ol' Shooting "ERROR" Chrony.
Average Joe
Member
Try a couple of reloads and see, you may be pleasantly surprised.
stillquietvoice
Contributing Member
I just dumped almost a full pound of 2400 from that same era. It looked OK smelled like it was supposed to, but 20 years in my garage was too risky for me.
Blue68f100
Member
I've got a partial pound of the 2400 left that is older than yours I'm still using, no problems, still good. The price on the can was $6.30 if I recall, so that's gives you an indication of it's age.
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Captain Quack
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I'm going to risk it and roll up about 50 rds and take them to the range and run them through. See what the guns themselves say. Another excuse to get a chrony lol
Captain Quack.
Captain Quack.
The original owner must have reloaded a bunch of Magnum handgun rounds. I use 2400 a lot in my 44 Magnums and occasionally some 4227. If the tops were on snug since '94 they will probably be good. I googled powder life and got several hits for checking powder (above answers are good, just added some more variety/opinions/methods)... https://duckduckgo.com/?q=how+to+tell+if+my+gunpowder+is+still+good&atb=v275-1ud&ia=web
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