Gun powder....

[Bowling_R]

So I was talking to a buddy of mine about getting into reloading and he just stopped by and dropped off a bunch of powder he came into on a deal and had no use for.

The issue I am having is that it looks to be older powder.
The containers are in really good condition, most are unopened.

Is their a shelf life for powder?

I have :
H322
H4831
IMR4227
IMR4198
IMR3031
IMR4895
IMR4064
IMR4320
IMR4350
IMR4831
some Winchester
blue dot
Hercules
Hodgdon
and a few more numbers.... so ya think this stuff is still ok??

all together i have around 40 pounds of the stuff.....now I REALLY need to get into reloading.

Thanks for the help.
Ray.

 

[CarmelHP]

As long as they were stored well, there shouldn't be a problem. Powder does not deteriorate quickly. I wouldn't be worried about it.

 

[Boiled Owl]

I only had trouble with powder once. It was in an opened IMR steel can. It must have drawn moisture and actually had red rust dust in it when I poured into the powder measure. It was only a few ounces so I didn't use it for reloading.

 

[Robert Richardson]

If it smells bad throw it on the flowers,if not use it.

 

[indyjoe]

No, you don't throw it in the flowers, You pour it in a line and use it to light something. Just like the cartoons.

I've used some of Dad's 40 year old powder that was stored in the dry basement with no issues. Just don't immediately go anywhere near max loads with the given powder.

 

[XtremeVel]

The unopened containers will be fine. The opened ones will be fine also as long as someone thru the years didn't have a dumb a** attack and returned powder to the wrong container.

 

[sloughfoot]

If you decide that you don't want it, I will drive a maximum of 200 miles to come pick it up.

 

[Bowling_R]

Sorry, but I have been wanting to get into reloading for awhile now so I'm not looking to give it away.

But it never hurts to ask!!

I might try to trade some of this stuff for other reloading equipment.....

 

[mwilson]

get a good reloading manual and read it all the way thru before you reload anything. looks like youve got mostly rifle powders.

 

[snuffy33]

Not knowing if someone returned the wrong powder to the cans I'd dump the opened ones.
Better safe than sorry, especially since the powder was a freebie.

 

[ghitch75]

i have some opened 20 years ago IMR4227 steel can that i loaded some 22 hornet's last week and they shot like i bought it yesterday......keep it dry and it will be good....

 

[Delmar]

So I was talking to a buddy of mine about getting into reloading and he just stopped by and dropped off a bunch of powder he came into on a deal and had no use for.

The issue I am having is that it looks to be older powder.
The containers are in really good condition, most are unopened.

Is their a shelf life for powder?

I have :
H322
H4831
IMR4227
IMR4198
IMR3031
IMR4895
IMR4064
IMR4320
IMR4350
IMR4831
some Winchester
blue dot
Hercules
Hodgdon
and a few more numbers.... so ya think this stuff is still ok??

all together i have around 40 pounds of the stuff.....now I REALLY need to get into reloading.

Thanks for the help.
Ray.

You better not take any chances. I really should come pick it all up and dispose of it for you. A few grains at a time

 

[reload4ever]

go ahead and use it i have some of my dads powder thats really old but was cared for properly and I still use it.

 

[4TheResistance]

Use it up if you know it was kept dry, I got 4.5 pounds in a deal awhile back that had been in ammo cans for twenty years along with a bounch of primmers too(in different cans of course) and it all worked great.

 

[68kidd]

i am thinking of getting into reloading also. i heard the price of powder has jumped recently... even had someone tell me it might not be worth it

 

[SSGSAD]

i am thinking of getting into reloading also. i heard the price of powder has jumped recently... even had someone tell me it might not be worth it

You still save between 50-75%, depending on how you load, Mag., hollow points, are most expensive, lead low power, makes brass last longer
and cheaper too...