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humidity

harley7harley7 Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
edited September 2009 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Hi...Are there any issues with reloading on days with very high humidity? Should reloading be kept to days with moderate or low humidity? BT
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Comments

  • harley7harley7 Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    How do you all deal with humidity and powder weight?
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  • BGHillbillyBGHillbilly Member Posts: 1,927 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you are keeping your powder in the original container and not leaving it in a hopper except during actual reloading it can probably be ignored. Unless the environment is such that it is condensing on your equipment or you are sweating all over the place.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Gunpowder will absorb moisture so If you have 2 one pound cans of the same lot of the same powder then open one of them to the air with the air being very humid the powder will be different the question is HOW MUCH. .I have done extensive testing with 45ACP and Bulls-Eye powder and have loaded over 300,000 rounds in the last 40 years . This powder first came in sealed Metal Cans then Cardboard and now Plastic Cans . 99% of my loading has been done on a Star reloader with a powder bar "BY VOLUME" powder drop. Every time I start a different lot number of powder I retest "I buy 8 pound cans". When I fine tune my load I find more variation in lot numbers then if it has been in humid or dry conditions. If you tune your load by weight then you MAY need to keep the powder at the same relative Humidity. I suggest you do this get the largest rifle case you load buy a sealed can of powder fill to the top of the neck and weigh the powder pour the powder in a small zip lock bag seal the bag then do this two more times weigh these two also and mark the weigh on each bag open bag #2 to the air on the next really humid day and seal a small bag of desiccant in the third bag wait a week remove the bag of desiccant and then weigh all three bags and compare first weight with what each bag weight after the week. I think you will find the weight difference to be very small if you can weigh it at all . IMHO at least in pistol rounds with fast burning powder the scale has more error then what amount of water can be absorbed . Your Mileage May Vary.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I NEVER leave powder in the tube,.....I load, then put the rest back in the can.
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  • partisanpartisan Member Posts: 6,414
    edited November -1
    Empty the powder tube after every session. Keep the powder in its original container, and unless you live in the rain forrest, humidity shouldn't be a problem.
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  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JustC
    I NEVER leave powder in the tube,.....I load, then put the rest back in the can.


    +1, I also like to put small a desiccant in newly open cans as well.
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  • harley7harley7 Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the responses, As I live in phoenix we don't have real high humidity but it des go the other way. Typically I load at under 10% and the humidiy lately 35% to 40%. I was just curious what others had experienced. The test bag idea was great, I might just try that one. Thanks again to all! Mike
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