Old powder issue??

Pinecone said:

What came in fiber cans recently? I have not bought anything in fiber cans since the 70s. I still have a few fiber cans of powder. IMR came in a can like paint thinner can. I am thinking that Hodgdon already had plastic containers, I was buying H335 by the pound.



The 80s and 90s were round metal cans, at least for WW, which is most of what I shot (WW231 for pistol and WW748 for .308). Hodgdon was definitely round plastic by the 90s.

Click to expand...

K-43 said:

So what is your threshold for squibs? When will you determine the powder is past its useful life? Will you be back asking if it's still safe to use when you get to 1 in 100? Are you really looking for an answer as to when the powder should be condemned or seeking affirmation of a course you've already picked? Not trying to be an a-hole, but it's deteriorating. Dump it and move on.
1 Squib every 200 - 300 rounds would condemn it in lot testing.
When in doubt, pour it out.

Click to expand...

bigcountry said:

Powder breaks down and rots. If its bad, it should smell like rotton eggs. I too have thrown out unique. Because i only use 5gr for some stuff. And only 10gr for 44mag. so it take years to use up.

The big danger is getting a bullet stuck in the barrel, and then shooting another round behind. But shotgun, shouldn't be an issue. Especially for an over under or side by side.

Click to expand...

Biggfoot44 said:

So how are you velocities, and stanfard deviations ?

Click to expand...

Biggfoot44 said:

* If you have done the sniff, visual , etc * , my intuitive thought is that powder is fungible within it's container. There by all the powder would have the same potential issues , and failures to ignite properly would be frequent . Primers can be individually contaminated without effecting other primers .

To expand on the chrono refrence , I would load a test batch of pistol ammo , and chrono ( while being alert for hangfires and missfires .

If the powder was compromised to the result it was on the ragged edge of barely igniting , it would show up with possibly lower than expected vels , and definitely a major increase of velocity spread .

Click to expand...

Moorvogi said:

First, thank you. Sometimes these things need to be said for the good of the community. You're not being an a-hole, you're being a teacher. If i didn't care, i wouldn't ask for feedback. Now that i think about it... i think I was really looking for for a confirmation of my course i'd already picked. Hadn't thought of it that way until you mentioned it.

I have decided to not use it in a pistol round at all because it's not safe and is much harder to clear a squib than it is to clear one from a shotgun. I dont shoot slugs, only 6-9 shot.

As for when i feel it's no longer useful... i would be at that point now... if i didn't have a shotgun. It's.. about $300 of powder that so far doesn't seem to present any DANGER as long as it's used in shotgun loads and i'm mindful of shot and wad clearing the barrel.

Click to expand...

K-43 said:

$300 worth? Ooh. Painful decision.
I'd probably stick to shotgun and be patient too. However, at 20 grains a load, it's gonna be with you a long, long, time.

Click to expand...

Biggfoot44 said:

I believe it's SAAMI that has a checklist of signs of deteriorated powder, and probably also every powder mfg/ distributor .

That said , how old is old ? If nothing else the style of container will indicate the era . If stored under halfway decent conditions, powder will last a long time .

Click to expand...