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Annother Gunpowder Question

playthingsplaythings Member Posts: 168 ✭✭
edited April 2004 in Ask the Experts
On an earlier post I inquired about the stability of 40+ year old blackpowder and I appreciate the good responses to that inquiry.

One of the responses stated, "blackpowder does not deteriorate with time like modern smokeless powder does". That made me dig into the closet again. I also have a lb. of Dupont, improved military rifle powder (used to reload 8 mm Mauser) andabout half lb. of Dupont, bulk, smokeless powder. That can indicates "for use in shotshells", but we used to add a small amount to the blackpowder charge in rifles to reduce fouling.

These two powders are also 40+ yrs of age. Are they any good? Should I get rid of them?
Thanks in advance for the help once more.
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Comments

  • TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,292 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When in doubt, throw it out! Smokeless will break down. Are your guns and body parts worth the price of a pound of powder? Are they worth the price of mixing smokeless with black?
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree don't take the chance.throw it out
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    On smokeless use the sniff test. If it smells like solvent, it's good.
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  • PinheadPinhead Member Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Smokeless powder is different than black powder. It "can" become unstable with age but the gentleman was right about the sniff test. Smokeless powder has active ingredients(chemicals) in them that are not completely neutralized as is black powder. If they are stored in a can that has a metal top that has rusted or corroded, give them the heave ho. I have some powder (Hogden 4831) that was packed in cardboard cans with metal tops in the 60's and it still is good and potent as I recently shot some loads with it in 30/06. The main enemy of smokeless powder is light. It tends to weaken it. Neither blackpowder or smokeless are very forgiving if you get careless.
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  • 1KYDSTR1KYDSTR Member Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As an added bit of advice...I don't reccommend mixing smokeless and black powders in any amount. This can get a bit dodgy. i know it has been done by many people for many years but is an inherently dangerous thing to do. I would use some of the black powder substitutes that are touted as being cleaner burning and make do with that!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • boltthrowerboltthrower Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    dont get it wet
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