Powder storage

[hornadylnl]

I'm looking for a good way to store powder in a vault room. I'd hate to store it out in the open in case the powder ever caught fire but I think if I locked it up in a gun safe it would just make a gigantic bomb. At work, we have fire safety cabinets for chemicals that are supposed to contain fires. Is there a reason one of those would be better than an enclosed steel storage locker?

 

[boredstupid]

Here is Alliants recomendations, I believe Hodgdon's are the same.

Alliant Powder - Storage & Handling

I just leave mine in the original containers on a shelf, if by chance it does catch fire the container will burst releasing the pressure before it would cause a huge explosion. At least thats the theory, not really wanting to test it. Luckily I know some guys on the fire dept that would respond and they know where the ammo powder and primers are.

 

[hornadylnl]

I'm thinking a flammable storage cabinet would be best. Cheaper than a gun safe anyway. I'm just wanting to contain a fire in case it were to happen and hopefully not burn up everything in the safe room. Thanks.

 

[IndyGunworks]

modern smokeless gunpowder (anything but BP) is a flamable not an explosive... therefore in order for it to explode as you are concerned it would have to be in something able to contain the pressure long enough to cause a catastrophic (spelling?) failure.... the containers it comes in are NOT strong enough... it would just burn very very voilently until all is burnt.... a metal storage locker should be fine provided there is nothing else in there to keep the fire burning once the powder is burned out.

 

[scheesman]

...a metal storage locker should be fine provided there is nothing else in there to keep the fire burning once the powder is burned out.

Read: Not airtight or waterproof!

 

[IndyGunworks]

Read: Not airtight or waterproof!

read more... its going to be in his gun vault which will almost definatly be climate controlled in some way.

 

[scheesman]

read more... its going to be in his gun vault which will almost definatly be climate controlled in some way.

Sorry, I was summarizing what you said, not correcting you... I agree with what you said.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Sorry, I was summarizing what you said, not correcting you... I agree with what you said.

 

[Trickpony]

I found that an inexpensive metal safe, such as a Stack-On 8 gun safe, works well. Some of my larger quanities of powder are in the safe but I need to build some shelves to make is more user friendly to hold the rest of the powders...

 

[hornadylnl]

I currently have a couple of the sheet metal gun cabinets but I wonder how well they would contain a fire. The flammable cabinets are double walled with an air cavity.

 

[Trickpony]

Yeah, I wanted something that was not sealed in case of a fire. I was going to build a powder vault out of wood but the safe works for now. Another option is one of those job site boxes... I have a friend that has a job box buried with a couple pounds/kegs of powder them... Yep, he's a nut

 

[dwordinger]

You might want to separate your powder so if one can does ignite for some strange reason it will not start the other containers. Primers are explosive so they are worth some consideration also. Most of us don't have a big enough house and enough safes or vaults to isolate storage areas the way I would like to. I've been reloading for 30+ years and with care and perhaps some luck, I've no problems yet.

Some states have adopted the National Fire Protection Act (NFPA) as code. I don't know if Indiana has or not. Even if it has been adopted, I don't expect anyone to come knocking on your door expecting to inspect the storage of your reloading supplies. Law or not, the NFPA rules may be good to follow for your own safety.

Small Arms Ammunition and Primers, Smokeless Propellants, and Black Powder Propellants

11-1 Basic Requirements.

11-1.1 In addition to all other applicable requirements of this code, intrastate transportation of small arms ammunition, small arms primers, smokeless propellants, and black powder shall comply with US Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations, 49 CFR, Parts 100-199.

11-1.2 This chapter applies to the channels of distribution of and to the users of small arms ammunition, small arms primers, smokeless propellants, and black powder.

11-1.3 This chapter does not apply to in-process storage and intra-plant transportation during manufacture.

11-1.4 This chapter applies to the transportation and storage of small arms ammunition and components.

11-1.5 This chapter does not apply to safety procedures in the use of small arms ammunition and components.

11-5 Small Arms Primers

11-5.1 Small arms primers shall be transported or stored in containers approved by the US Department of Transportation.

11-5.2 Transportation of small arms primers shall comply with US Department of Transportation Regulations.

11-5.3 No more than 25,000 small arms primers may be transported in a private vehicle.

11-5.4 No more than 10,000 small arms primers may be stored in residences.

11-5.5 No more than 10,000 small arms primers may be displayed in commercial establishments.

11-5.6 Commercial stocks of small arms primers shall be stored as follows:

(a) Quantities not exceeding 750,000 may be stored in a building if not more than 100,000 are stored in any one pile and piles are at least 15 ft (4.6 m) apart.

(b) Quantities exceeding 750,000 may be stored in a building if the following conditions are met:

1. The warehouse or storage room shall not be accessible to unauthorized personnel.

2. Primers shall be stored in cabinets. No more than 200,000 primers shall be stored in any one cabinet.

3. Shelves in cabinets shall have vertical separation of at least 2 ft (0.6 m).

4. Cabinets shall be located against walls of the warehouse or storage room with at least 40 ft (12.2 m) between cabinets.

5. Separation between cabinets may be reduced to 20 ft (6.1 m) if barricades twice the height of the cabinets are attached to the wall, midway between each cabinet. The barricades shall extend at least 10 ft (3 m) outward, shall be firmly attached to the wall, and shall be constructed of 1/4 in. (6.4 mm) boiler plate, 2 in. (51 mm) thick wood, brick or concrete block.

6. Primers shall be separated from materials classified by the US Department of Transportation as flammable liquids, flammable solids, and oxidizing materials by a distance of 25 ft (7.63 m) or by a fire partition having a fire resistance of at least 1 hour.

13-3 SMOKELESS PROPELLANTS

13-3.1 Quantities of smokeless propellants not exceeding 25 lb (11.3 kg), in shipping containers approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation, shall be permitted to be transported in a private vehicle.

13-3.2 Quantities of smokeless propellants exceeding 25 lb (11.3 kg) but not exceeding 50 lb (22.7 kg), transported in a private vehicle, shall be transported in a portable magazine having wood walls of at least 1 in. (25.4 mm) nominal thickness.

13-3.3 Transportation of more than 50 lb (22.7 kg) of smokeless propellants in a private vehicle shall be prohibited.

13-3.4 Commercial shipments of smokeless powder for small arms which has been classed in Division 1.3 shall be permitted to be reclassed as Division 4.1 Flammable Solid for transportation purposes for shipment by motor vehicle, rail car, vessel, or cargo-only aircraft, subject to the conditions stated in the U.S. Department of Transportation "Hazardous Materials Regulations," 49 CFR 173.171.

13-3.5 Commercial shipments of smokeless propellants exceeding 100 lb (45.4 kg) or not packaged in accordance with the regulations cited in 13-3.4 shall be transported in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation regulations for Class B propellant explosives.

13-3.6 Smokeless propellants shall be stored in shipping containers specified by U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations.

13-3.7 Smokeless propellants intended for personal use in quantities not exceeding 20 lb (9.1 kg) shall be permitted to be stored in original containers in residences. Quantities exceeding 20 lb (9.1 kg), but not exceeding 50 lb (22.7 kg), shall be permitted to be stored in residences where kept in a wooden box or cabinet having walls of at least 1 in. (25.4 mm) nominal thickness.

13-3.8 Not more than 50 lb (22.7 kg) of smokeless propellants, in containers of 1 lb (0.45 kg) maximum capacity, shall be displayed in commercial establishments.

13-3.9 Commercial stocks of smokeless propellants shall be stored as follows:

(1) Quantities exceeding 50 lb (22.7 kg), but not exceeding 100 lb (45.4 kg), shall be stored in portable wooden boxes having walls of at least 1 in. (25.4 mm) thickness.

(2) Quantities exceeding 100 lb (45.4 kg), but not exceeding 800 lb (363 kg), shall be stored in nonportable storage cabinets having walls of at least 1 in (25.4 mm) thickness. Not more than 400 lb (181 kg) shall be permitted to be stored in any one cabinet, and cabinets shall be separated by a distance of at least 25 ft (7.63 m) or by a fire partition having a fire resistance of at least 1 hour.

(3) Quantities exceeding 800 lb (363 kg), but not exceeding 5,000 lb (2268 kg), shall be permitted to be stored in a building, provided the following requirements are met:

(a). The warehouse or storage room shall not be accessible to unauthorized personnel.

(b). Smokeless propellant shall be stored in nonportable storage cabinets having wood walls at least 1 in. (25.4 mm) thickness and having shelves with no more than 3 ft. (0.92 m) of separation between shelves.

(c). No more than 400 lb. (181 kg) shall be stored in any one cabinet..

(d). Cabinets shall be located against the walls of the storage room or warehouse with at least 40 ft (12.2 m) between cabinets.

(e). The separation between cabinets shall be permitted to be reduced to 20 ft (6.1 m) where barricades twice the height of the cabinets are attached to the wall, midway between each cabinet. The barricades shall extend at least 10 ft. (3 m) outward, shall be firmly attached to the wall, and shall be constructed of 1/4 in. (6.4 mm) boiler plate, 2 in. (51 mm) thick wood, brick, or concrete block.

(f). Smokeless propellant shall be separated from materials classified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as flammable liquids, flammable solids, and oxidizing materials by a distance of 25 ft. (7.63 m) or by a fire partition having a fire resistance of at least 1 hour.

(g). The building shall be protected by an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

(4) Smokeless propellants not stored in accordance with 13.3.9 (1), (2), and (3) shall be stored in a Type 4 magazine constructed and located in accordance with Chapter 8.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Yeah, I wanted something that was not sealed in case of a fire. I was going to build a powder vault out of wood but the safe works for now. Another option is one of those job site boxes... I have a friend that has a job box buried with a couple pounds/kegs of powder them... Yep, he's a nut

if he really does have some buried, i highly doubt he would appreciate you telling over 6 thousand indiana natives, and who knows how many others.

 

[planedriver]

We could go into fire ratings and flash points but the bottom line is the powder is gonna burn. A non pressure contained storage unit would be best. Put the black powder in the garden shed by the neighbors house!!!

 

[slackerisme]

11-5.4 No more than 10,000 small arms primers may be stored in residences.

Doh!!