I had some fiocchi shotgun ammo that I left in my car for about 2 years that I fired today, the smoke had a strong sulfur smell. I don't know if that is normal with fiocchi because I have never fired fiocchi before. Other ammo I shoot usually Remington or Federal does not smell like sulfur. Anyways after I was done shooting I noticed that the skin on my face felt very irritated. I found this thread on on old gun powder that said
"You can tell if a can of powder is good or bad by giving its contents a sniff test. If the smell ranges from no detectable odor to resembling alcohol, ether or acetone (from its solvent content), it is okay. If you get a terribly unpleasant, acidic odor that fries your nasal passages, extreme deterioration has taken place. The odor is difficult to describe, but my nose says the experience is quite a bit like taking a strong whiff of the fumes produced by muriatic acid.
Any change—regardless of whether it is physical, chemical or otherwise—indicates time for disposal. If a brown or rust-colored fume escapes from the container when you open it, the powder is unsuitable for use. The plastic cap on one of the containers of powder that went bad on me was originally blue in color, and the chemical changes that took place inside had actually bleached it snow white. Sudden rusting of the metal cap of a container is also a sure sign of bad things going on inside."
This, along with the irritation I feel on my face makes me wonder if old ammo or powder becomes toxic or something. The person saying old powder smells smells like muriatic (hydrochloric) acid and can bleach stuff white, does it become highly acidic or what chemical changes take place?
"You can tell if a can of powder is good or bad by giving its contents a sniff test. If the smell ranges from no detectable odor to resembling alcohol, ether or acetone (from its solvent content), it is okay. If you get a terribly unpleasant, acidic odor that fries your nasal passages, extreme deterioration has taken place. The odor is difficult to describe, but my nose says the experience is quite a bit like taking a strong whiff of the fumes produced by muriatic acid.
Any change—regardless of whether it is physical, chemical or otherwise—indicates time for disposal. If a brown or rust-colored fume escapes from the container when you open it, the powder is unsuitable for use. The plastic cap on one of the containers of powder that went bad on me was originally blue in color, and the chemical changes that took place inside had actually bleached it snow white. Sudden rusting of the metal cap of a container is also a sure sign of bad things going on inside."
This, along with the irritation I feel on my face makes me wonder if old ammo or powder becomes toxic or something. The person saying old powder smells smells like muriatic (hydrochloric) acid and can bleach stuff white, does it become highly acidic or what chemical changes take place?
This freaked my friend and he poured the stuff out over his lawn."
