Reloading Question

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sladenotdead

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Hey I'm new to reloading. I've been reading a lot and watching videos, and I think I'm gonna start loading some .223 rounds this week. I will be using BLC-2 powder, and was wondering how long the powder keg is good for once the seal is broken? does it go bad? I wouldn't think it would but I want to know so I can know whether to hurry and use it all or not. Thanks in advance -
 
I've had a 15 keg of Bullseye I bought in 1980 and am still going strong on it. I finally swapped the last four pounds into a smaller jug to save the space!! I just shot a PPC match with that powder last week. It goes bang and makes plenty of X's.

I've also got some surplus stuff from Hodgdon that I used recently that I know was boxed up in 1965.

Greg
 
is 223 your first caliber to reload for ever? because I hate reloading for 223. if you find it too much hassle, don't give up on reloading altogether, just switch to something you don't have to lube cases for. (handgun)

by the way, 7000 grains in a pound of powder. if you're loading 25 grains per case you should be able to load 275-280 rounds before your pound runs out. you'll probably use that load before your powder went bad even in seattle. in dry southern utah, you'll be good forever.
 
Found some old forgotten about Win 452AA in the garage couple months ago. Probably bought in the mid 80s. The paper label fell apart in my hand when I found it... Been in a hot and humid garage for at least ten years. Loaded some 45 acp and it turned out to be more accurate than the powder I normally use...
 
Hurry up and use it all. Then go buy some more if you liked the results. Our hobby needs to show retailers that we are customers and consumers, even though we may not be buying ammo.

For inventory purposes, I generally scratch the month/year of opening on metal cans and put a big X on the container to show that it is in active use as of that date. Keeps me from opening a fresh can before I use up the oldest batch. Same thing for the plastic jugs, only with a Sharpie. I have some 8 oz. and 16 oz. powder containers from the 70s that have been fun and interesting. Not fun enough, though, cause I buy a big (4 lb, 5 lb, 8 lb) supply of REALLY good powders while they are still available. See 1st paragraph. I think that the way powder is sold (tight, airproof containers) and the way we should keep it (at room temperature, avoiding humidity) they may be safely used for decades. Sniff test should be done each time you open it. Vinegary? Not good.
 
Just store it where it won't get effected by hunidity or heat. Don't store it in direct sun light and make sure you put the lid back on as soon as your finished using it, especially if you were to be loading in your tool shed on a hunid day or rainy day. I used some IMR4350 a friend shared with me that was about 50 years old, and it was just fine. He didn't do anything special to store it, as it was in his tool shed most of that time. I did have one kind of issue, in which I forgot to put the lid back on some Red Dot for a couple weeks during the humid summer months in the Mid West, and that powder lumped up. I still used it, I just had to break it up so it would drop through the powder measure in my Mec 600 Jr. I guess that probably isn't the best practice, considering. I've read that when you take the lid off the powder shouldn't smell acidy.
 
Good replies so far!

Keep the container closed when not actively pouring &
put any left overs back in the bottle.

Should last 40-50 years as mahansm said.
 
Thanks!

Hey thanks everybody for all the replies, I'm so glad I found this site! It's nice to be surrounded by so much experience, I'm sure I'll be hitting you all up in the future!
 
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