Attention all hoarders......

[Charlie-NY]

Powder is a bit more expensive than a few years ago but it isn't expensive enough for me to consider using vintage powder from rusted cans. The money you save can easily be lost on bullets, while trying to work things out. And there is always some safety concerns.

If it was me, I'd be spreading that stuff around the vegetable garden.

 

[bobm]

I got into powder cleaning today and tried the pillow case method that worked great. Pushing the magnet through the one pound at a time pile picked up much iron oxide. Closing the cloth over the pile and rubbing took care of the remaining dust and maybe a little graphite, too. I had an empty RL-19 can and the three pounds of 4759 filled it to the cap. Re labeled it for my use only. I feel comfortable and have no reservations using this powder as intended. Now, I need to clean the other cans and re package.

 

[Walt Schmidlin]

Somewhat unrelated but was interesting to me. Last year a friend gifted me a 48 round bandolier of 1943 30-06 ball ammo.
I assumed the primers were corrosive, pulled the bullets and dumped the powder in a plastic container. Looked good, smelled OK so I loaded 42.5gr in .308W brass, located some old .308 bullets and shot them in a bolt gun.
Was hunting gun accurate at 200yds.
I did not use the remaining powder, but was interesting. 79 year powder most probably stored in numerous locations under unknown conditions.
The donor was a hunter not a reloader so who knows.

 

[Jguseil]

Do you think this is ok to use? Picked up the can and my fingers went right through it. Wouldn’t burn at all.

 

[Walt Krafft]

OK, we know how to clean copper out of barrels, and we know how to clean carbon out, how do we clean iron oxide from contaminated powder out?

 

[rwj]

Do you think this is ok to use? Picked up the can and my fingers went right through it. Wouldn’t burn at all.

It’ll be fine!

 

[Louisiana Shooter]

If I remember correctly, extruded powder is surface coated with burn deterrents in order the regulate its burn rates.

Rust, rubbing perhaps other things have removed this coating. It's obviously contaminated.

I'm with others that say dispose of it. It's not worth getting injured or killed over a few pounds of powder, IMO. 11 pounds of powder are not worth the risk.

Give the kid a light show he will remember the rest of his life........Spell his name in powder trails and light it up for him. Guarantee the memory of it will last his lifetime. And no one gets hurt or killed.

 

[bobm]

I have had VV-N140 plastic containers get brittle and shatter spilling acrid smelling contents. Plastics are harmed over time by these manufacturing acids present in propellants, too.

 

[bobm]

You can see the reddish hue in this pile of IMR 4350. It still has the fresh smell of ether and is now clean like new.

 

[bobm]

If I remember correctly, extruded powder is surface coated with burn deterrents in order the regulate its burn rates.

Rust, rubbing perhaps other things have removed this coating. It's obviously contaminated.

I'm with others that say dispose of it. It's not worth getting injured or killed over a few pounds of powder, IMO. 11 pounds of powder are not worth the risk.

Give the kid a light show he will remember the rest of his life........Spell his name in powder trails and light it up for him. Guarantee the memory of it will last his lifetime. And no one gets hurt or killed.

Sweet idea, LS. .....got me thinking again.

 

[M-61]

I'm with others that say dispose of it. It's not worth getting injured or killed over a few pounds of powder, IMO. 11 pounds of powder are not worth the risk.

Yes.
The day I’m sifting powder through a pillow or passing a magnet in it, I hope I’ve realized mentally,I’ve really slipped.
I could post some pictures of what a maxillofacial surgeons work looks like or a picture of the final bill. Either would make a sane person puke. Either would probably kill this post.
So for me, and I only speak for myself, there’s no amount of ‘saved’ powder I’m shooting.

 

[DShortt]

Somewhat unrelated but was interesting to me. Last year a friend gifted me a 48 round bandolier of 1943 30-06 ball ammo.
I assumed the primers were corrosive, pulled the bullets and dumped the powder in a plastic container. Looked good, smelled OK so I loaded 42.5gr in .308W brass, located some old .308 bullets and shot them in a bolt gun.
Was hunting gun accurate at 200yds.
I did not use the remaining powder, but was interesting. 79 year powder most probably stored in numerous locations under unknown conditions.
The donor was a hunter not a reloader so who knows.

Obviously the underlying problem is the steel cans. If the storage containers were sealed and brass then the problem wouldn't exist.

Years from now perhaps we'll discover certain types of plastic have a lifespan or introduce contaminates. If reloaders are still around, that is.

Edit to add - just re-read some posts above. Looks like we're already learning that.

 

[jds holler]

Heck, If I had all that powder, I'd have to put it in the back of my cabinet so's I could use up my old stuff first. That would pretty much be considered new stock. jd

 

[DogBuster]

Now.........here are few real old cans/bottles

 

[M-61]

Looking good. Purchased maybe 1964

 

[D-4297]

View attachment 1416451
Looking good. Purchased maybe 1964

You took me back to my teens , when my Dad was shooting Bullseye Pistol and loading Herc Powders . Saw a square can of the Hercules "Bullseye" at Bruno's the other day . Correct on the early to mid 1960's .

 

[DShortt]

View attachment 1416451
Looking good. Purchased maybe 1964

Any idea when that can was emptied? Just curious.

 

[cmysix]

Just opened a 20 pound can of DuPont IMR 4350 no rust and looks and smells and shoots perfectly, got a 5 pound round can of 2400 and a 4 pound can of herco and unique and Im about to open a round 15 pound can of Bullseye, got a square 5 pound can of 700X too, so if any of you have bad powder in a can, give it here I will dispose of it properly for you.

 

[Propbndr]

Just opened a 20 pound can of DuPont IMR 4350 no rust and looks and smells and shoots perfectly

20 pounds! Can you imagine how much that would cost today?

 

[cmysix]

20 pounds! Can you imagine how much that would cost today?

I’ve got a little reloading to do before I have to……