Can I store my powder in my safe?

[Herk30]

I reload in the garage at my work bench and all my reloading stuff is in my big tool box. I'm trying to think of a good place to keep my powder that's dry. I have two dehumidifiers in my gun safe, which is also in the garage. Is it a no no to store powder in the safe? Is humidity something you don't need to worry about so much since it's all in plastic jugs and sealed? I'm only getting startd and never had more than a pound or so, but after getting bit by the bug I have about ten pounds.

 

[RustyFN]

Can I store my powder in my safe?

Not a good idea. If it was to catch fire and build pressure it would turn your safe into a big bomb. I store my powder under my reloading bench in a wooden cabinet.
Rusty

 

[Five of Clubs]

As stated above, probably not a good idea. I considered putting powder in an ammo can but was advised against it. Now my powder sits in the original container on a shelf (inside a locked room away from kids, lawyers, condors, etc.) so that if the house catches fire there will be no BOOM.

 

[ranger335v]

I have no concern about storing primers or powder in a GI ammo can, they are made for that purpose and split quickly to prevent pressure build up, but there ain't no way I'd store more than a pound of powder in my gun safe! Those thick steel walls and hinges are much too strong for my comfort with that, a good gun safe just isn't going to "vent" as easily as a lightly built ammo can or simple wooden box.

But, maybe I'm overly cautious. ???

 

[rcmodel]

A pound or two of smokeless powder in a .50 cal ammo can is as safe a place as you can put it in your house.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5022491#post5022491

rcmodel

 

[nbkky71]

An old friend of mine took a college-dorm-room-sized fridge that no longer worked, stripped out all the mechanics and used the empty shell to store powder.

A nice sealed environment to store a few pounds of powder in. I thought it was pretty clever.

 

[Remo-99]

Modern powders are still Nitro based, it's much more stable than the older stuff used to be.
But it's still Nitro and if pressures are allowed to build up to high levels upon ignition, such as a large quantity within a heavy safe. It can have alot of energy as an explosive.
If stored correctly, where pressures are not allowed to build up, upon an unintended ignition. It will generally burn with a fearce flame, but no KaBoom.

One example of a modern powder's makeup;

A Primex powder contains 0-40% nitroglycerin, 0-10% dibutyl phthalate, 0-10% polyester adipate, 0-5% rosin, 0-5% ethyl acetate, 0.3-1.5% diphenylamine, 0-1.5% N-nitrosodiphenylamine, 0-1.5% 2-nitrodiphenylamine, 0-1.5% potassium nitrate, 0-1.5% potassium sulfate, 0-1.5% tin dioxide, 0.02-1% graphite, 0-1% calcium carbonate, and nitrocellulose as the remainder to 100%

 

[Walkalong]

If you search the web, there is a ton of info on smokeless powder storage and the specifics on what the container must be able to do.

A couple of lbs? Put it on the shelf, keep the lid on, and forget about it.

 

[Art Eatman]

Cool and dry. That's worked for inside the house, these last 58 years...

, Art

 

[~z]

To add to that...I store mine in it's orig containers and it is on a series of shelves located on an exterior wall of the gun room, facing the front of the house so that it will get sprayed first if there should be a fire. Small precaution, but I prolly have more powder than most folks.
~z

 

[ClarkEMyers]

Read the fire code; the model fire code is often included with loading manuals and always available.

Smart not to build bombs even at home.