old powder

[noexcuses]

I have some old powder that has been sitting in the garage for 8-10 years, would you use it or toss it and get fresh. Also how do you store youre powder long term?

thanks stan

[HI5-O]

Open it and smell it. If it smells okay, then load it and shoot it.

Unless you are independently wealthy and can buy all new powder...burn it

I keep my powder in a cool, dry place and it's been good for me.

[BlueOvalBandit]

I bought some 5lbs 700X when I started loading 12g a couple years ago from a skeet club member, came in a metal can(which has to be pretty old) and had been partially used. Loaded it up and it shot just fine, as long as it's stored properly you should be good to go.

It always good to load a small batch first to be sure though, it would really suck to pull down 500 if the first one just fizzles.

Edited January 19, 2012 by BlueOvalBandit

[noexcuses]

Thanks for the replies, I would hate to just chuck it all away.

[Reshoot]

I have, and shoot, 10+ year old powder. Neve had a problem.

I make certain containers are sealed tight and store them in a cabinet in the basement. When I do not have heat on down there, I run a dehumidifer 24/7.

[Tyshoots]

A Highway Patrol friend of my uncle gave him 5 cases of Bullseye that was left over from when they loaded their own ammo for practice. He gave me and my Dad a case to shot. When we opened it the production date on the bottles were from 1979! 2 cases later still no problems.

[BMartens]

I have loaded quite a few rounds of pistol and rifle with powder that is over 30+ years old. If stored properly it will last a very long time. I also find it is better to use reloading manuals from about the same time as the manufacture of the powder. Have some primers also from the early 80's and they are also fine.

[kamikaze1a]

Got a deal on some old powder. They were old enough to be in in the original paper containers, from the early 70's and some even older according to the price tags. Smelled a little funny but worked good enough for practice loads. Some of the one pound cans still had faded price tags...marked at under than $5/lb. Lot's of Bullseye and Unique...and some Norma powder too.

[Guest]

What Bmartens said about using load data from around the manufacture date of the powder is a good catch. For example, the manufacturers load data for AA2230 today is not the same as it was 25 years ago. If you are loading something like bullseye or 231 or AA2 it probably is the same, but for the rifle powders and slower pistol powders I'd do a little "then and now" load data comparison to be sure. Just use some common sense, work up your loads, and use a crono if you can. Using cans of powder with price tags in the sub-$10/lb range is a very good feeling!

[noexcuses]

What Bmartens said about using load data from around the manufacture date of the powder is a good catch. For example, the manufacturers load data for AA2230 today is not the same as it was 25 years ago. If you are loading something like bullseye or 231 or AA2 it probably is the same, but for the rifle powders and slower pistol powders I'd do a little "then and now" load data comparison to be sure. Just use some common sense, work up your loads, and use a crono if you can. Using cans of powder with price tags in the sub-$10/lb range is a very good feeling!

Will def. use books from when the powder was produced, powder in the $8.50 range and primers right at $10 a thousound . ALso found my crono and all its parts, plugged in a new battery and its good to go .

[Mike And]

Regarding one of the many comments.. Smell your powder (critters grow in moist enviroments) and they stink (skunked)

I have many lbs (100) of powder that is more than 40 yrs old it is mostly old hurco now alliant powder blue, red dot it is perfect. however it has ben in Ca its whole life (low humidity). The only concideration for folks lets say in higher humidity areas is the drop weight of the powder. if you live in areas >68% RH and your powder is older than 5 yrs and in older paper / metal cans, just load ~10 less than usual and chrony the velocity. if the velocity seems lower than it should have been, your powder has taken on a little moisture. You can adjust up to your expected velocity by upping the charge weight. (above previous charge weights). You should note that the charge weight should not increase beyond 7% of your previous charge weight, or pressures could be exceeded.

Given all the above info you should always work up your ammo paying very close attention to pressure excrisions

Any way old powder that has been kept dry will always work.. Smell is everything!!

[.45 ACP nut]

I date my components when I get them. Last July I loaded some .45 acp rounds with what was left of a pound of Unique that was marked NOV 1978. I used them for 'practice' rounds and every one of them fired. I didn't run them over a chrono to see what velocity I was getting, but they worked for practice.