Will powder left in measure deteriorate.?

[KeithB]

I have been told to always place it back in the container it came it when done, because light can cause it to deteriorate. What about static? I read the dryer sheet trick to wipe down the outside of the measure.

How long to you guys leave your powder in the measure?

Thanks

[DougCarden]

Keith,

there is no problem with leaving powder in the measure if you live in a stable low humidity environment. The only thing you would need to do is stir the powder to break up any clumps if they form.

Leaving powder in the press will discolor the clear plastic tube, but it doesnt harm it. The dryer sheet is for static cling, with the powder in the plastic hopper. I just tear it in 3 pieces long ways, and put them in the hopper and hold the ends on the outside with a rubber band. Since I moved into a newer house I havent needed it though.

If I am going to be loading ammo within a week or so I dont empty the hopper, but if it is long term no loading then I dump the measures, just because I want to know my powder is ok, but it would probably be just fine in my basement. Depends on where you load and the conditions....

I hope some of this helps...

DougC

[BayouSlide]

My experience is pretty much the same as Doug's. I load in a room in my house (heated and air conditioned) and just leave powder (Titegroup) in the measure, unless I'm changing powder or calibers. It may sit for a month or two and I just top it off when I load. However, I am anal about running a few 10-measure-average powder drops before settling in to loading so the "old" powder gets knocked about on my 550B pretty well to break up any clumping.

And I've recently added a UniqueTek Powder Baffle, which works amazingly well. I did have a clumping problem on one session recently before adding the Powder Baffle 'cause I was too ecologically minded/cheap to run the AC during some unseasonal high humidity.

[mobocracy]

I've left powder in the powder measure for a couple of months at a time, although usually adding and using up some of it on a weekly basis at least. I do keep my press covered with a dark cover (an old crib sheet!) which keeps out UV light.

Other than UV exposure, I'm not really sure how a powder could be damaged by storage for six months in the plastic measure versus the plastic bottle; the seal isn't that much more airtight on the bottle. Outside of six months, humidity might be a problem though.

But even then, people shoot vintage milsurp ammo thats 50-60 years old and not always stored well, so maybe you could get away with storing it indefinitely.

I think the biggest risk is the risk of misremembering what powder you had and making a kaboom with ammo that's misloaded.