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How to store powder, primers

jwhardingjwharding Member Posts: 2,897 ✭✭
Was wondering what's the best way to store powder and primers. Also how much powder to buy at one time. I would like to buy enough powder and primers to last for awhile.
Thanks
JW

Comments

  • BGHillbillyBGHillbilly Member Posts: 1,927 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I put my primers in 30 and 50 cal ammo cans with desicant and keep them in the house away from sources of heat and moisture. Reserve bulk Powder is stored under my bed in original containers.
  • NordicwargodNordicwargod Member Posts: 102 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would not store primers in an ammo can, can you say "fragmentation"? If you want guard against humidity the easy way is plastic wrap or vacume packing. I use saran wrap and keep them in a cool and dry place in their original packaging. Look at the post on this forum about bulk primers in a jar and some of the responses!
    Powder also in a cool and dry place. Powder stores very well. I have used very old [mid 80s] pistol powder with no issues. Just keep the lid on and "keep your powder dry".
  • goodgunpartsgoodgunparts Member Posts: 103 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Primers in there box are not a hazard in normal conditions. Now if your house was on fire maybe, however I think you have other things to worry about the being blown up by that ammo can full of primers.

    Good luck stocking up right now. Was at a local store just yesterday and all the good powder was gone and no primers left on the shelf. Lots of shotgun shells, no 22, handgun, or popular rifle ammo left. Lots of 17 something or other though.

    From what I heard, the manufacturers are busy with government contracts till April at least. 22 will go up at least a buck a brick. I figure more then that as it went up last time the shelves were cleared.

    Anyone remember $9 bricks of hp 22 and primers at $17 per 1000?
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    FWIW, there are laws about how much powder you can store in your house, the type of container needed, etc.
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I keep my primers in their boxes, and then put the boxes in a coffee can with the plastic lid. I write the ID on the can (small pistol, large rifle, etc) so I know which can to pick up when I reload.

    I am sure there are lots of better ways to do it, but so far my inexpensive little system keeps them cool, dry, dust free, etc.
  • NordicwargodNordicwargod Member Posts: 102 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Jonk, where can we find out about these laws? Also what does FWIW mean? Not all of us are avid "texters" LOL!
    Goodgun parts: If an ammo can full of say, 4000 primers was to get heated up and they detonated it would be about as powerful as a grenade, maybe more powerful. You can easly do some research on this forum or others. A friend and his sixteen year old son were reloading and about forty Federal primers detonated from static electricity or some other reason. Several surgeries later, one of them is blind in one eye and several fragments had to be taken out of their faces. 4000 primers in an ammo can close by will probably kill you. I store them wraped in plastic high up on a shelf. If they do go off by fire or some other reason the explosion will have room to expand and not be close to anyone [hopefully]!
    All of us have heard horror stories about primers. Please be careful with them.
  • AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,158 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    FWIW = for what it's worth
  • BGHillbillyBGHillbilly Member Posts: 1,927 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by goodgunparts
    Primers in there box are not a hazard in normal conditions. Now if your house was on fire maybe, however I think you have other things to worry about the being blown up by that ammo can full of primers.

    Good luck stocking up right now. Was at a local store just yesterday and all the good powder was gone and no primers left on the shelf. Lots of shotgun shells, no 22, handgun, or popular rifle ammo left. Lots of 17 something or other though.

    From what I heard, the manufacturers are busy with government contracts till April at least. 22 will go up at least a buck a brick. I figure more then that as it went up last time the shelves were cleared.

    Anyone remember $9 bricks of hp 22 and primers at $17 per 1000?
    When I started buyon my own ammo I tried to catch 22's on sale at Fred's for 7.50 a brick. When I started reloading shotshells 209 primers were under 1.50/100, rifle and pistol primers were about $1, 99 cents some places, high of about 1.25.
  • rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was under the impression that many cities and town have at least fire ordinances on how much and where powder can be stored in a residence, total amounts, distances from occupied structures for bulk powders, types of storage containers, etc.

    FWIW, I keep my bulk powder stored in a locked container with a blow out side panel in my shop that is 25 yards away from my house.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Nordicwargod
    Jonk, where can we find out about these laws? Also what does FWIW mean? Not all of us are avid "texters" LOL!

    As Ambrose said, FWIW is For what it's worth; I hate texting, but it is pretty standard bulletin board and discussion forum shorthand, well worth knowing.

    As for storage rules, check page four of this from SAAMI:
    http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/SAAMI_ITEM_200-Smokeless_Powder.pdf
  • goodgunpartsgoodgunparts Member Posts: 103 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Nordicwargod

    Goodgun parts: If an ammo can full of say, 4000 primers was to get heated up and they detonated it would be about as powerful as a grenade, maybe more powerful. You can easly do some research on this forum or others. A friend and his sixteen year old son were reloading and about forty Federal primers detonated from static electricity or some other reason. Several surgeries later, one of them is blind in one eye and several fragments had to be taken out of their faces. 4000 primers in an ammo can close by will probably kill you. I store them wraped in plastic high up on a shelf. If they do go off by fire or some other reason the explosion will have room to expand and not be close to anyone [hopefully]!
    All of us have heard horror stories about primers. Please be careful with them.


    Storing them in factory boxes and having them out to reload are 2 totally different things. If you are worried about static setting your primmers off why wrap them in plastic? Plastic is a very good source of static.

    I am sure everyone has a horror story of primmers exploding. I have never heard one that involved primmers properly stored in the factory boxes. Hauled many thousand primmers to guns shows for sale in ammo cans. Never had a problem and never heard a primmer go bang at a gun show either. Did hear a few gun shots in my career. One was from a guy that got upset about having his gun checked at the door and pointed it up and pulled the trigger to show it was not loaded.

    You store your primmers in plastic, I will store mine in ammo cans.
  • NordicwargodNordicwargod Member Posts: 102 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    FWIW: to each their own!
  • lksmith03lksmith03 Member Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I store my primers in the original boxes on the shelf. Powder is stored on the shelf and in an old tool cabinet.
    Because of the hazmat charges, I typically buy primers every few years 5-10k at a time. The last ones I bought were about 17per thousand in March 2012. prior to that I think I paid 15 per K in 2008.
    Powder is the same way, I typically order 15+ pounds at a time of powders that I like and use. When experimenting I just buy 1 pound locally since even though it is more than ordering a pound I can buy just a pound and not pay haz mat. Last bulk buy I did was 8# of HP38, 6# IMR4064, and 6# of H322 in 2008 and I am just now getting to the last pound or so of the 4064 and H322 and have most of the HP38 left.
    I also bough 16# of WC872 in 2009 or 2012 for $39 per 8# jug and just started on the second jug.
    As a comparison powder is running $25+ per pound and primers are about $30+ per K now if you can find them, which is about double what I paid.
  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 13,734 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I buy primers in 5K increments and powder usually in 8# containers. and store them in ammo cans inside nonworking fridges in a shed set about 100 yards from the house.
  • ChalklineChalkline Member Posts: 90 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would not store primers in an ammo can. That lead styphnate and the newer diazodintrophenol (DDNP) is quite powerful if it ignites in a tightly-closed container like an ammo can snapped shut.

    Somebody here on the forum recently had just one go off while reloading and had to clean out his underwear afterwards. Think what several thousand going off in a metal ammo can would be like!

    EDIT: Typo
  • longspur riderlongspur rider Member Posts: 2,620 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought a used firepoof file cabinate for $35 to store my primers & powder in. The thing weighs 350 lbs.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by longspur rider
    I bought a used firepoof file cabinate for $35 to store my primers & powder in. The thing weighs 350 lbs.
    If it is fireproof, that suggests it is, while perhaps not airtight, close too it.

    Congratulations, you've just made a helluva bomb. Million to one chance a primer does spontaneously ignite in a sealed container and set off the rest, where does the pressure go?
  • rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jonk
    quote:Originally posted by longspur rider
    I bought a used firepoof file cabinate for $35 to store my primers & powder in. The thing weighs 350 lbs.
    If it is fireproof, that suggests it is, while perhaps not airtight, close too it.

    Congratulations, you've just made a helluva bomb. Million to one chance a primer does spontaneously ignite in a sealed container and set off the rest, where does the pressure go?


    Hence a blow out panel. The used refrigerator sounds almost perfect, a long as the door isn't locked closed.
  • goodgunpartsgoodgunparts Member Posts: 103 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Go to SAMMI and read what they say about storing primers.

    I do it wrong and will always do it wrong.

    Saying all of us that do it wrong are making bombs just shows how ill informed we all are. I have never heard of a primer spontaneously igniting in factory packaging. I have heard of primer tubes having stack explosions and even loose primers going off. If you do read what SAMMI has to say you will find that anyone with a progressive press is breaking the rules. They say you should single feed primers when loading. No smoking or open flame, and only one tray of primers in the loading room at any one time.

    So to all of you that say we are making bombs by storing primers in ammo cans, fridges, gun safes, or fire proof file cabinets, are you following the rules of safe primer handling and not removing a single primer from the trey until you are ready to insert it in an empty case?

    Bet you have progressive loaders with primer tubes. Bet you also load multiple tubes when you set down to a loading session. I bet even some of you have tubes with left over primers setting in them from time to time.

    The next guy that says a primer can go off in a factory package in storage better have verifiable proof. And I am not talking about primers that where crushed in an earth quake, or were in a fire, or miss-handled. Just a normal box of primers setting in storage like the many millions that are stored by end users to stores to warehouses.

    In answer to post below. Again not following the SAMMI guidelines and miss information! Who says anything about storing primers in a hot environment. SAMMI says not to store primers in a hot environment! SAMMI says not to store primers in a wood box. SAMMI says not to use primer feed devices.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by goodgunparts
    Go to SAMMI and read what they say about storing primers.

    I do it wrong and will always do it wrong.

    Saying all of us that do it wrong are making bombs just shows how ill informed we all are. I have never heard of a primer spontaneously igniting in factory packaging. I have heard of primer tubes having stack explosions and even loose primers going off. If you do read what SAMMI has to say you will find that anyone with a progressive press is breaking the rules. They say you should single feed primers when loading. No smoking or open flame, and only one tray of primers in the loading room at any one time.

    So to all of you that say we are making bombs by storing primers in ammo cans, fridges, gun safes, or fire proof file cabinets, are you following the rules of safe primer handling and not removing a single primer from the trey until you are ready to insert it in an empty case?

    Bet you have progressive loaders with primer tubes. Bet you also load multiple tubes when you set down to a loading session. I bet even some of you have tubes with left over primers setting in them from time to time.

    The next guy that says a primer can go off in a factory package in storage better have verifiable proof. And I am not talking about primers that where crushed in an earth quake, or were in a fire, or miss-handled. Just a normal box of primers setting in storage like the many millions that are stored by end users to stores to warehouses.
    And, reloading companies also say not to put more than 30-50 primers at a time in your progressive reloader, so if something DOES blow, while quite nasty, it won't (hopefully) kill you.

    I have never heard of a primer spontaneously going off, but I don't doubt it can happen in a closed container in a hot environment; maybe, maybe not, but for just that reason I prefer to keep mine in factory storage in a wooden cabinet, but to each his own.
  • jwhardingjwharding Member Posts: 2,897 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Im new to reloading is the reason I ask about powder and primers. After reading all the post seems the primers are more dangerous than the powder. Is this correct?
    Jw
  • goodgunpartsgoodgunparts Member Posts: 103 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Both are safe if handled correctly. Google SAMMI and read and learn.

    Here is the link for those that will not google. http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm?page=pubs
  • NordicwargodNordicwargod Member Posts: 102 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Progressive loaders are deadly!
  • distinguisheddistinguished Member Posts: 62
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Nordicwargod
    Progressive loaders are deadly!


    So are guns if you don't know how to use and CLEAN them correctly.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I leave them on a shelf on the load bench. if you have HVAC (heat pump) then your air has much of the humidity removed by the units. The temperature at which you keep your home will also be perfect for long term storage.
  • pulsarncpulsarnc Member Posts: 6,217 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I store my powder in an old igloo cooler under the bench .Primers are in a separate cooler on the other side of the shop.So far no problems ,I just started on a brick of CCI pistol primers which has a $13.00 price sticker on it .So far they all go bang.
    cry Havoc and let slip  the dogs of war..... 
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