Powder OK to stay in Reloader?

[Robert Snyder]

Powder is supposed to be stored in a air tight container in a dark cool dry place, all of which your Hopper is not. I sometimes leave the powder in my hopper because I am feeling to lazy to put it back in the container. If your powder starts to dry out you are asking for kabooms in your next loads or a great difference in performance so I say put it back in the container and be sure to mix it in real well.

[lugnut]

Powder is supposed to be stored in a air tight container in a dark cool dry place, all of which your Hopper is not. I sometimes leave the powder in my hopper because I am feeling to lazy to put it back in the container. If your powder starts to dry out you are asking for kabooms in your next loads or a great difference in performance so I say put it back in the container and be sure to mix it in real well.

My hopper has a cover to keep the air out. Fact is that when an 8 pound jug of powder gets low you have a lot more air in there then you do in the hopper.

I've NEVER heard of kabooms being caused by dry powder... where did you hear this?

[Ofishl1]

I have 2 650's and a 550, each one is set for a specific caliber, ie; .223 , .40 and .38 Super,...the .38 super unit has a high rate of turnover due to the load rate for USPSA, I use the same Viht in that hopper and never empty it, it empties itself or turns over every other week, it has stayed clear, however the .40 hopper has turned yellow from storing Vit 320 in it.. more than likely from the heat in AZ, and at much less turnover. I have chrono'd for matches with the 320 after months of storing in the hopper, no discernible PF difference. All the presses have the current flavor of powder in each hopper labeled with the mfg# V-105 etc and Lot # as well... I do not like to mix lots of the same powder even. I guess the only "damage" I have seen over the years is a yellow'd plastic container......dried out powder??....hmmm, doesn't get any drier in my garage during the summer at 100- 110 degree averages (until I fire up the garage AC to load ......so kabooms from dried powder??...I don't know if I have ever heard of that event. We are told Powder should be stored in the proverbial cool dry place with weak storage walls to avoid pressure build up in the event of powder ignition,..and according to Hodgdon, "deteriorating powder stored above 90 degress usually has a noticeable acidic odor (not the usual solvent odors of alcohol, ether or acetone), also a red dust or sticky substance may form on the powder. This extreme deterioration can result in spontaneous combustion ultimately."...my powder gets drier than a popcorn fart...however this condition has never appeared in my cave..I'm sure at the high heat there is some deterioration, but has not been severe enough to produce any issues for me.

[Steve RA]

Gunpowder - smokeless - is not supposed to be hygroscopic so it should be pretty well dried out after manufacture.