Anybody ever had a Powder Explosion?

[Krogen]

You are so right, K22! I miss the days of trying a pound of this, a pound of that and knowing I could buy more if it worked for me. Plus there weren't that many powders to try. Now with supply constrained and manufacturers discontinuing relatively new powders. I find myself not trying new powders and sticking with the old one. Those, I buy in bulk and probably don't "need" as much as I buy.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Many Many Thanks @DLT, I’m a believer!
Get rid of it guys. This was shut up in a mtm utility box. Puff of green smoke came out when I opened it up and look at the discolored label on the other powders. Got to go to work now, but will talk about it later.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

4451 seems ok, thank goodness.

 

[LVLAaron]

I have one pound of 4166 that’s been sitting next to this XBR for many years. Thought I’d go check on it. The bottle is certainly off gassing something! You can see the film on the gold label. The 4166 jar looks like it’s got something shiny and crystalline on it. I can’t get it to photograph it but there’s absolutely something wrong with it

 

[LVLAaron]

Holy chit - I opened it outside, and a brown/copper colored gas rose out of it!

Whatever it is, smells very bad, almost like bleach.

Most important, there is obvious heat coming out of the bottle!!!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Holy chit - I opened it outside, and a brown/copper colored gas rose out of it!

Whatever it is, smells very bad, almost like bleach.

Most important, there is obvious heat coming out of the bottle!!!

View attachment 1558215

Freaking Scary. Going to dump nearly nine pounds now!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Wondering how safe my 22-250 rounds and 223 are that are loaded?

 

[LVLAaron]

Freaking Scary. Going to dump nearly nine pounds now!

I would at least go check it... outside. Don't breathe the gas... it burns

 

[n.c.outlaw2024]

Powder explosion? Nope but I I did have a box of bullets go boom when accidentally fell into a small bonfire. Lol.

 

[LVLAaron]

 

[Murray Brook]

@DLT
This is a great thread that rises awareness on our powder reserves and how they should be regularly checked. Judging by the posts you most certainly have probably saved someone's home if not some lives. Good on you

 

[DiffEQ]

Many say it burns the lungs and smells like chlorine.
It's possible that the decomposition in the sun produced both hydrogen and chlorine gas. As soon as light hits it (when the top popped), it will react energetically, making HCl gas (we see flame, but it's not "burning" per se).
The yellow sludge is a secondary reaction that happens on a slower pace under normal conditions.
The only powder I've had go bad was a single jug of VVN140.

@KMart, my heart goes out to you and your family. Godspeed to your son, taken so early.

 

[robert8904]

Trying to learn something here. Do you think the smell of the powder you checked today changed a lot from when it was new?

It was a completely different smell than any other powder I've ever smelled. It was unmistakably wrong. Each powder smells different, from the wonderful sweet smell of H4350 to the slightly sour smell of even fresh AA powders. The smell of my 4166 would have gagged the Devil. I don't remember what it smelled like new but I wouldn't have used any that smelled like this. It wasn't clumped and only slightly brownish.

I dumped it in used kitty litter to knock down the stench...of the 4166.

 

[jelenko]

I have one pound of 4166 that’s been sitting next to this XBR for many years. Thought I’d go check on it. The bottle is certainly off gassing something! You can see the film on the gold label. The 4166 jar looks like it’s got something shiny and crystalline on it. I can’t get it to photograph it but there’s absolutely something wrong with it
View attachment 1558214

The 8208 is ok? It's IMR also and, I thought, IMR had called it part of their Enduron line. [I have 3 8lb jugs of it - all seems ok now, but I'm wondering if I should get on with using it up]

 

[LVLAaron]

The 8208 is ok

Yes. The film on it is from the 4166.

 

[Bill Norris]

Yes. The film on it is from the 4166.

Dang, bout had me checking my 8208 there for a minute.

 

[jaybray]

Those brown fumes coming out of the bottle in the video sure look like decomposing Nitric and Sulphuric acids as I believe that's what nitrocellulose\Smokeless powder is made from.

 

[n.c.outlaw2024]

Those brown fumes coming out of the bottle in the video sure look like decomposing Nitric and Sulphuric acids as I believe that's what nitrocellulose\Smokeless powder is made from.

yes.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Those brown fumes coming out of the bottle in the video sure look like decomposing Nitric and Sulphuric acids as I believe that's what nitrocellulose\Smokeless powder is made from.

Is that getting close to combustion?

 

[jaybray]

I am not a Chemist but for sure that is a bad sign and probably catch fire very soon. Seeing that makes me wonder about my own powder supply as it's getting on in years. I will be checking it out very soon.