Old Powder

[Havok7416]

I have a powder question for all you reloaders. I took a new job over a year ago and I have been separated from my reloading equipment ever since. I put everything in a storage unit and I am wondering is it safe to use my old (smokeless) powder or should I just throw the whole can away? Does temperature affect powder long-term?

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, but not in a year.

It gets that hot or hotter in the semi-trailer that delivers it to death Valley CA, or the conex containers that delivers military ammo to Iraq.

It should be fine.

rc

 

[Old Grumpy]

Normally when some asks about "old powder" they're talking about a couple of decades at least.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Yeah, that's not old.


If you left it with the lid off in a damp basement that flooded you could have a problem. But a year in a storage unit? Use it and be merry.


Now of course you might have to scrub some surface rust off your tools . . .

 

[Havok7416]

Thanks for the information guys! This will save me a little bit of time and money when I get back.

Now of course you might have to scrub some surface rust off your tools . . .

That's the truth! I had someone in charge of keeping my things maintained while I have been gone. I was extremely angry when I returned home in February to find my Dillon press with broken parts (it was apparently dropped) and several guns sitting outside the safe rusting away. Now I have resorted to calling every week or two for a friendly "reminder".

 

[frankmako]

i have some powder that i got in the early 80's. it still works. so one year old is just like new.

 

[Salmoneye]

I am presently trying to use up a 3lb keg of Red Dot in light .38 and .357 loads...It was made by Hercules in the early 60's, and the lot number is 935...

 

[Certaindeaf]

What's the story about Alliant keeping a couple pounds of Unique under water since like 1900 and testing a bit of it every year? Still within spec year after year. That's what I heard anyway.

 

[308win]

Back in the day when paper shotshells were the norm, I heard that the powder would eventually dry out and raise the pressure and velocity a bit. (I don't know whether that is the case or an urban legend.) I have some OEM Red Dot several years old that I keep stored in the orginal container in the basement and it does just fine.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've got some old, old Top Mark that still works good. It's a fast pistol powder.

 

[gamestalker]

Some years back I had moved from the mid west and left all my reloading stuff sitting in a storage shed for a good 6 years. As most know, the weather goes from sub zero to extreme humid summer temps out there. This stuff was poorly packaged, especially the primers, and I have since used all of it up with no noticable effects.

As far as powders are concerned, if it smells acidic or has a rather nasty odor compared to powders you've recently bought, it might be breaking down. I had some Longshot I tossed a while back because it would burn my eyes when I opened the container. But on the flip side, I used some IMR4350 that was over 40 yrs. old and it was still GTG.

GS