Shelf Life of Smokeless Powder

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  • Last Post 27 September 2012
6pt-sika posted this 30 June 2011

I'm curiouse as to what folks think the shelf life is of unopened gun powder ?

 

I'm also curiouse as to what they think the shelf life is of opened but well sealed powder also ?

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RicinYakima posted this 30 June 2011

Black powder that is in air tight storage and stored at less than 70 degrees is about 250 years, + or -.

Smokeless is another story. I found two identical cans of HiVel #2 from the same lot sitting on the same shelf for 70 plus years. One was perfectly good and I have been shooting it. The other was red dust and when I picked up the can the bottom fell out.

I have been shooting some 1960's Hercules 2400 that gives the same performance that the 1970 reloading data says it should. It was stored in a basement, unheated or cooled for at least 30 years before I got it.

FWIW,

Ric

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99 Strajght posted this 01 July 2011

I have been reloading since 1963 and have some powder from back then. All of it is still good. I keep it in a cool basement that is around 60 deg. all year around. I had some 4895 that was given to me from around WW II and it was still good. I have a cardboard can of Bullseye that was about 15# and is still good from the 60s. and several cans of Hodgdons HS 5 from then that is also good. Now that I am retired, I am trying to use up my powder as fast as I can.

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CB posted this 01 July 2011

6pt From my experience and understanding I find heat is the main determent to smokeless powder going bad. Keep it in a cool place. Like Ric says it may look rusty, but it may still be used. We had a shooter in our hometown club that would wash the rusty powder in water and then let id dry. It would loose some strength, but could be adjusted when loaded.

I don't have as much experience with black powder, but I think moisture is it's biggest enemy. Like 99 straight talks about old powders, I've always scrounged and ended up with very old canisters of old powder that still has worked excellent when loaded, even black powder.

Like Ric, I have also opened my ammo can of powders and found red dust everywhere from a deteriorated canister of powder gone bad. It was H322 from around 1965. I think it was sent into surplus sales because of that problem of that batch.............DanW

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6pt-sika posted this 01 July 2011

So then if I buy 16 or 32 pounds at a time for the same lot number and shoot it up in 10 years I should be safe !

I've been thinking alot recently about buying several 8 pounders of all the powders I use alot and sort of stockpile or shall we say have a good 10 year supply !

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fc60 posted this 01 July 2011

Greetings,

I am still using Bullseye Powder and Unique from the 1960"s.

Actually, the old Bullseye seems to work better than the new stuff.

Cheers,

Dave

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tturner53 posted this 01 July 2011

I have WWII 4831 that is still good powder. Also loaded ammo from the 30's that is still going bang.

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99 Strajght posted this 01 July 2011

With the price going up and the way the world is now a 10 year supply does not sound like enough.

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Sonny Edmonds posted this 16 August 2012

Oldest I have is from 1934, and still pops just fine. IMR1185 is the forerunner to IMR4895. I've used this powder in original, and in reloaded ammunition. When pulled, the powder still smelled good and looked fine. I pulled it to change the primers to modern non-corrosive primers. Some got reloaded just as the were. While some got lighter, faster bullets.

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6pt-sika posted this 27 September 2012

99 Strajght wrote: With the price going up and the way the world is now a 10 year supply does not sound like enough.

I hearya but the number of Benjamin's involved plays into the equation as well !

 

Besides I'm 51 as I type this and in 10 years wink wink I'll probably not wanna hunt and shoot as much as I do now .

 

Yeah right ;)

 

Maybe a thrity year supply would be better !

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hunterspistol posted this 27 September 2012

:coffee    Craig, I have some old DuPont SR 4759 that I bought at an estate sale (through our range club) that was unopened.  It shoots fine, I use it in 7mmTCU (fine, but it still kicks, lol).  It's a 4 lb tin from ages ago.

 

      Also have a 12 lb. keg of 700X.  Looks brand new. 

       I recently did the same thing.  I have new plastic jugs (4 lbs) of Unique, Bullsye, and 2400.   

      When it gets old, it gets better!  Or maybe doesn't age much, lol.

      Ron

      

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