Gun powder

[arrowhead777]

I'm newly retired and getting back into some of my old hobbies from the past. The question that I have is "Does gun powder go bad if is kept dry?" I have some old cans of smokeless powder that has been sitting for a guess twenty years. How can I test it, or just best to but new powder. I hate to waste anything, got that from my Papa Vaughn.
Tanks &
God Bless the USA
Stan

 

[Chuckdog]

It's according to the environment it was kept? Powder can and does go bad if not stored in a cool dry environment. Check out your manuals, they'll show what to look for. Trust your nose too, most smokeless powder has a sweet ether odor about it. If it smells the least bit harsh, I'd chunk it. I learned first hand 7 or 8 years ago. I had some 4831 that spent too long in my garage. Blown primers with target velocity loads. I didn't smell anything unusual at the time I loaded them, but after pulling and weighing my charges I did notice an odor. When in doubt, throw it out! It ain't worth the risk for me. If kept inside in a climate controlled environment, it can safely keep for decades.

 

[arrowhead777]

Thanks Chuckdog, I appreciate the info. Your absolutely right. It's not worth the hassle of putting a shell together and have it not work. It could be one that I was depending on for some reason or another. I guess being thrifty (Cheap) has cost people a lot in the past.
God Bless you &
God Bless the USA
Stan

 

[jglenn]

if kept in a cool dry area it will last quite a while.. I have transfered all of my old powder from paper cans to newer plastic qt containers years ago and it's done very well.. have some H205 that is at least 20 years old as well as H4831..both came in the old paper cans from hodgen.

the plastic containers we have today are Great......the old paper cans absorbed mosture and the old steel cans rusted...

 

[EMC45]

I have about 2.5lbs of WIN500HS powder that was given to me. Passed the smell test and I have data for it. They stopped making this powder in the mid 60s. Still shoots and groups quite well. I am gonna run some over the chronograph to see what my velocities look like. IF stored correctly powder will last a loooonnnnngggggg time.

 

[arrowhead777]

I guess the main thing is the storage of the powder. We shoot a lot of old surplus rounds and they may be quite old. But like you say the powder is stored inside the sealed shell case.

 

[45cal]

Been at this reloading thingy a long time,learned early on the ammo cans are the way to store the one pound containers.
Now days i buy in the eight pound jugs from powder valley.