Thoughts on storing gunpowder

jimmcgeh@lisco.com

Where and how do you store your powder?I am thinking about building
something outside and away from the house

bpost

I have all of it above my reloading bench in my reloading room. If the house catches on fire, burn baby burn. Powder should be stored in a cool dry place. My dehumidified basement stays 65-75 year round.

BGHillbilly

The problem with something outside and away from the house is that usually means it is not a controlled environment and if it was you most likely will not check its conditions daily. You could wire alarms that indicate it has gotten wet,hot or exceeded some other conditions but that is an added expense. The dehumidified basement sounds ideal so long as it gets visited frequently. My bulk powder storage is under my bed which I think stays relatively cool and dry in contrast to conditions on top of the bed.

Mk 19

Ikeep my powder in the closet under the stairs of the house, being centrally located in the house it stays cool and dry along with never recieving any sunlight

sandwarrior

The best thing you can do is keep it cool and dry as the others have said.

All you need understand about this is the warmer it gets, then the more chemically active the powder is. That doesn't mean the powder could go off at any minute it just means that is more quickly 'de-activating' itself by combining the different elements and compounds that make up powder. I've seen huge changes in fresh/properly stored powder vs. powder that was left out in the shed and got hot.

Generally speaking if powder stays under 70 deg., it'll be okay. Personally, if there was a way, I'd keep it between 50-60, like my basement in Minnesota. Humidity isn't a problem for sealed cans of powder. It is a big problem for open powder over long periods of time.

Powder is like a sponge when it comes to humidity and you will definitely see a difference between winter and summer with loads loaded up in humid conditions. Keep it as dry as possible and you'll have less problems. You can load in humidity, but do smaller amounts so as not to leave the powder exposed to the humidity.

Ambrose

And, to go along with what Sandwarrior posted, do not leave powder in a measure for any longer than necessary. It will not deterioate in a short space of time but if you forget it and it sits there, it might--and it will also discolor the plastic hopper used on some measures.

As far as "building something outside and away from the house", it's gun powder, not dynamite, it's flamible but not an explosive like the gas used in your furnace. Considerably less of a fire hazard than gasoline.

A dynamite story: My father was a great one for using dynamite for any excuse he could think up. He had a few sticks left over from some project so stored it in an outside shed. Some time later, I noticed it out there and the "juice" had started cooking out of it. I buried that stuff veeeery carefully!

instrumentofwar

I didn't even think about the temps! I keep mine in my garage, which can get fairly warm sometimes here in OK!

Mobuck

I've seen powder ruined by long term storage in an attic. Guy brought it to me because it had a "funny odor".
I had to move my powder/primers out of the house for insurance reasons-the agent said they would drop me if I didn't. Now, I only keep the containers I'm using inside. The rest is kept in a remote location in old refers and freezers(not working). The temps stay in an acceptable range.
One of the big distributers in the midwest used to keep their powder stock in old refer trailers parked in a back lot. I know those got almighty hot in the summer. The thing about that is-they didn't keep it for 20 years. The stock rotated out fairly regularly.

Navybat

I never have to store my powder more than a year, as I go through the 8 pound tubs rapidly. But when I do store it for that long, it goes in a metal job box, in my garage. At my next house (next month when I move to Virginia) it will go in the job box which will be in my "prepper room", in my basement. Air conditioned, humidity kept at a comfortable level.

nemesisenforcer

someplace dry.

Inside your house or a structure with some insulation or temperature control of some sort.

Kept dry and away from temp extremes, powder will last pretty much forever.

One of the first cans of powder I used was a 30+ year old can of 3031 that was open (but sealed tightly) for most of that time.

JustC

left side compartment. Your HVAC system is the best temp control and humidity control available.

Navybat

quote:Originally posted by JustC


left side compartment. Your HVAC system is the best temp control and humidity control available.


Nice looking setup! [:D]