20 year old powder?

[divingin]

I took a 30 year break from shooting. Coming back, I'm loading target pistol ammo with the remnants of a 10 or 12# barrel of Winchester 452AA I bought in the 80's. It's lasted me this past 3 years, but I'm now just about out. Have to figure out what available powder to load next.

 

[expiper]

If it was bad, would it be dangerous?

YES...it could self ignite ,,,or as I had happen ,,it can send of a cloud of acidic vapor that ruins tools and items in close proximity,,,(reloading dies,,other metal lids or cans nearby,,primers,,brass,,,etc) ,,,,it is different for each incident ,,,,,and OBTW,,I was shooting out of some bad GI-322 at the Nationals in St louis in the 90's and couldnt figure out why I was shooting so bad !!!!,,,a fellow shooter came by and asked what was going on???,,,he said let me smell your powder !!!....he knew instantly what was wrong,,,I got some fresh powder from Bruno and did well for the rest of the week,,,,Roger

 

[JohnKielly]

Keep it for another year & buy it a Bud.

 

[DRNewcomb]

If it was bad, would it be dangerous?

Powder that has gone bad can be dangerous or it can be a dud. Some powders like ball powders have a deterrent coating that helps it burn progressively. If the outer surface of the grains is broken or deteriorated it can cause too fast of a burn rate and dangerous pressures.

As others have mentioned, powder that's just old is not necessarily bad. I'm about to use up the last of a lb of Bullseye I bought about 44 years ago. Perfectly good, altho when I replace it, I'll need to recheck my loads because I'm not sure new, fresh Bullseye will load exactly like the old stuff.

 

[spencerhenry]

I finally gave up a surplus jug of IMR 4895. In 308 the starting load with a 150g would flatten primers. 2 grains below the reloading manuals looked safe. Velocities were within reason but extreme spreads were astronomical. Tried in 3 different rifles. Looked good and no abnormal smell. Purchased in the late 80's to early 90's, 8lbs, white jug with generic style label.

I've got some of that too, bought it in 1997 I think. I still use it and it still shoots great. For years I kept it all refrigerated, the last few years just in a cabinet, but the temp stays around 60 all year.

 

[hillbillydruggist]

I just found a unopened canister of UNIQUE(20 yrs old), since it is unopened is there a better chance of it being OK?

 

[DRNewcomb]

I just found a unopened canister of UNIQUE(20 yrs old), since it is unopened is there a better chance of it being OK?

Maybe, because humidity can't get into it. But I think it has more to do with the conditions under which it is stored. Not in the un-air-conditioned attic.

 

[rogn]

Just looking at the basic chemistry of propellants tells us that the oxidizers are the nitrates. So if we see alot of the brown "dust" or fumes we can probably assume that the oxidized is being lost. This would reduce the potential energy release, so the deteriorated powder is probabbly less potent than normal.
Deterent coating do need to be respected though.