What to do with some old powder.

[DUNEZRUNNER]

I have some older reloads that my dad had reloaded for him about 20 years ago. The guy that did these loaded them way too hot for the gun. I am not 100% sure what powder was used and I want to pull the bullets and reload them the right way. What should I do with this old powder? Also from the cases sitting for 20 yrs they are dingy and ugly (not nice and shiney) and I was going to stick them in the tubmber. Is it OK to do this after I pull the bullets and dump the powder, but leave the live primer in there (will it hurt the primer)? Then I was going to resize, trim if necessary and then load them up.

Any thing else I should do?

thanks

Thomas

 

[Jim Watson]

Old powder is commonly recommended as fertilizer.
I put some on a houseplant a few days ago and am watching to see if it greens up better than neighboring pots.

The primers are likely ok after only 20 years but I don't know what effect tumbling will have. Only do a few to see if they still fire after age and tumbling. If necessary, gently decap and start over.

 

[FROGO207]

If you are worried about contaminating the primers gently decap them, save them, and reinstall them after processing the brass to your satisfaction. This should not hurt them at all. Yes the rejected propellant is used around here as fertilizer on the lawn in the spring.

 

[rcmodel]

Tumble them first.
Then pull the bullets and you won't have to worry about the primers getting contaminated.

Put the powder on the plants, or flush it down the stool.

rc

 

[BYJO4]

I agree with RC.

 

[bergmen]

It's more fun to pour the powder onto a pile on a concrete pad and light it up. This also can be a good opportunity to show people (members of your family, for instance) that gun powder is not explosive but just burns (at a fairly low rate).

Dan

 

[rcmodel]

not explosive but just burns (at a fairly low rate

Don't lean over the pile of pistol powder when you light it, or you will think "fairly low rate".

While waiting for the skin grafts to heal!

rc

 

[bergmen]

Don't lean over the pile of pistol powder when you light it, or you will think "fairly low rate".

While waiting for the skin grafts to heal!

rc

Oh, I agree! I should have mentioned that it is safest to touch it off from the side. I use long fireplace matches when I do this. Black powder is more fun because it DOES explode (FOOM!).

Dan

 

[helotaxi]

Rifle powder: fairly slow rate

Pistol powder: really fast rate

Both burn.

 

[murf]

take the decapping pin out before you resize. i know, you know how to reload. just a reminder.

murf

 

[Hardtarget]

A gentle reminder is a good thing. I read this forum just for those reminders. Keeps me thinking of the safety edge to keep this part of shooting...fun. Reloading is a great extension of my shooting time...but only if I'm a safe practioner. I've never had to think about this aspect of dealing with old reloads. Good thing I stopped here.

Mark