Old Gunpowder still good?

[qajaq59]

If taking a good whiff of it makes you sorry that you did? Then it's bad.

 

[EMC45]

I have some WIN500HS that is from the 50s-60s. I was told to dump it by Hogdon...I got some reloading data from and old scanned Speer manual (thank you internet) and it had a similar burn rate to HS5. I load down and it shoots good! Looks good-Smells Good-Shoots good.

 

[qajaq59]

How can a person tell if older gunpowder is still good. Say, a 5lbs jug, with 3lbs left, been sitting 5 yrs, but stored in good conditions.

It just dawned on me exactly what you said there. If that is an opened can of powder, hopefully it is coming from someone you know and trust so you don't end up with a can with the wrong powder in it?

 

[Tomecek]

It just dawned on me exactly what you said there. If that is an opened can of powder, hopefully it is coming from someone you know and trust so you don't end up with a can with the wrong powder in it?

Qajaq:

You betcha. Especially since we're dealing with a guy who went a little senile and started forgetting what went where, unfortunately. But, as you describe, it made me wish I hadn't smelled it. My wife smelled it in the next room over (her sewing room) and said, "Sweet Jesus, what are you working with in there?" Guess it is time to fertilize the lawn.

 

[Bobster459]

Old Powder

I also have some powder I think from the 1920'-1940's It is in 11z can

Says Pistol Powder made by Dupont and I can not find any information about it:banghead:

 

[justashooter in pa]

powders will hold a long time, but may change in burning rates, usually becoming faster burning. undetectable degradation of the powder can cause seemingly reasonable loads to become bombs.

this is not so important with flake powders like red dot and green dot that are usually underloaded in strong cases, but can be an issue in rifle powders.

case in point, some IMR 4350 from a 20 year old can was recently used in a 270 with 130 grain speer spitzers. max load in a recent book is 57 grains. 51 grains was used as a starting point, with an expected velocity of 2800 FPS. stuck bolt, blown out primer, and permastretched brass was the result. reducing the load to 42 grs and working up to 46.5 resulted in 2900 FPS (2820 at 45 grs) and primers beginning to flatten, with thought given to selecting another powder for higher velocities if wyoming shots ever present. for east coast shots the existing load is just dandy.

the lesson is, start with a chronograph and loads reduced 25% if the powder is suspect. when you get to the point that small gains are made by large increases in charge, you have maxed out the powder in that case.

the aforementioned powder would have been closer to ideal in a 30-06 or 35 whelen, or perhaps 308 win or 8X57/7X57. it was not burning like IMR 4350 is supposed to.

 

[andykusaf]

I had a friend that was 70 when he passed he somehow got a drum of H 4831, He never measured his loads as he would fill the case after sizing it and seat the bullet on top, We never used a chronograph back then and had no clue what velocity he was getting out of his 06, After he passed i ended up with over 30 lbs of powder that was near 30 years old, I tested this powder against NEW H4831 in the same grain amounts. I used 58 grains in my 270 with a 130 grain bullet and got 2980 fbs new stuff the old stuff i got 3010. Bottom line some powders oxidize much faster but H 4831 has lasted for years and hope many to come, take a smell if the powder has a strong amonia smell bury it in the back yard and wet it down if not keep shooting it.

 

[zxcvbob]

If taking a good whiff of it makes you sorry that you did? Then it's bad.

Some of the triple-base powders stink when they're still good. That .50 caliber spotting-scope powder for example (I'm not sure of the number but I think it was IMR 7383)

 

[billybob44]

These are 1960-70'ish cans:



rc

I just emptied a can of IMR-4964, just like your can on the right.