Great Score or Bust?

[K22]

So my long time friend and gun smith calls me this morning and informs me that he just got back from a "estate" sale of firearms / reloading equipment from the widow of a deceased shooter.

I've had my smith looking for powder (i.e. H4895, IMR 4895, Benchmark, Varget) for me for my 223 Rem's but powder has been very difficult to find around here. He's got 3 one pound canisters of IMR 4895 from the estate sale. So without hesitation I drive over to his place. At 25 grains per load that's 840 rounds of shooting - - I'm excited!

The bad news: I check the date of on the canisters - 07-21-14. Never purchased powder that old which gives me pause. The canisters have not be opened but still that's pretty old. My smith tells me that the deceased fellow's reloading room was in a first floor "man cave" in the fellow's house. That sounds encouraging.

The good news (well maybe) - when I comment on the date he offers all 3 canisters to me for $30 - at $10 a canister I figure I can't go wrong. Still I request to open a can and inspection the contents - looks ok - smells ok so I take it. Oldest powder I've ever previously loaded was about 4 to 5 years old. Did I make a great score or is this a bust?

More good news - he also has a bag of new, 223 Rem Winchester brass, 100 pieces - $30 - I take it.

Now if the election just goes our way the it will be a good day.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I would have paid that, but I’m a rookie hand-loader. Nothing left to do except load a few and see how they shoot.

 

[RegionRat]

Stored in decent conditions you are fine.

I have powder of my own that was stored for nearly 35 years that I loaded recently and it was spot on.

These canisters were not opened, and sounds like they were stored indoors. Stuff like that isn't risky when the seals have not been broken.

 

[CaptainMal]

2014 is "old". You are crazy. To me that's "new" powder.

Unless it was abused with bad storage that powder should be as new.

 

[K22]

2014 is "old". You are crazy. To me that's "new" powder.

Unless it was abused with bad storage that powder should be as new.

I've been called worse but you made me feel great - sounds like it was a "Great Score not a Bust".

 

[Kittitas George]

In the 1960's & 70's we were shooting surplus powder from WWII. The 1st powder I loaded was 4895, I payed $1.00 for a pound, primers were $0.69 per 100 and Sierra bullets .308/150 gr. were les than $5.00/100. We shot a lot of surplus 30-06 and 45 ACP also. Powder and ammo has a long shelf life if stored properly in my experience.

 

[Bill K]

I believe you made a good score.

 

[ebb]

Ive been loading unigue that has a 1967 date on it. All have shot well

 

[Outrider27]

I'm with CaptainMal in post #3; my newest powder might be as new as 2014; stored properly, not a problem.

 

[jbinpa59]

Great score!
I just paid $20/LB for 2 8lb ers of IMR 4064 from 2009 and didnt worry about age

im still feeding my garands pulldown 4895 from Talon's demil contract of the late 90's
From looking at the headstamps of brass from that demil contract the powder has to be from 70:s produciton at the newest and very likely most is Korean War Vintage older than me

I'm also still shooting wc820 pulldown from demiled 30 carbine, probably about as old

and Hirtenberg 308 loaded in 1977

 

[edwardware]

The bad news: I check the date of on the canisters - 07-21-14. Never purchased powder that old which gives me pause.

Is that Gregorian? 2014?

My man, that's not old. I've loaded thousands of rounds with powder from the 70's, with no issues.

Sniff test (acetone is good, ammonia is bad), and load.

 

[Roeder]

The only powder I have ever had to dump was 20 years old and it was not IMR. I have surplus IMR 8208 that is probably 30 years old and still smells fresh and shoots great.

 

[Walt Schmidlin]

Last year a friend was moving, gave me a bandoleer of ‘43 30-06. I knew the primers were corrosive, pulled the bullets and saved the powder. It was a winter time project.
Reloaded the powder into .308W cases with the pulled bullets, shot well with 42.5gr of ?, maybe a 10 shot 4” group at 200yds with a sling.

 

[jackson1]

Still shooting Bullseye and Unique from paper containers, no problem. Stocked up after the great primer shortage of 2008, so much of my powder is old than yours.

 

[Big Mc]

So my long time friend and gun smith calls me this morning and informs me that he just got back from a "estate" sale of firearms / reloading equipment from the widow of a deceased shooter.

I've had my smith looking for powder (i.e. H4895, IMR 4895, Benchmark, Varget) for me for my 223 Rem's but powder has been very difficult to find around here. He's got 3 one pound canisters of IMR 4895 from the estate sale. So without hesitation I drive over to his place. At 25 grains per load that's 840 rounds of shooting - - I'm excited!

The bad news: I check the date of on the canisters - 07-21-14. Never purchased powder that old which gives me pause. The canisters have not be opened but still that's pretty old. My smith tells me that the deceased fellow's reloading room was in a first floor "man cave" in the fellow's house. That sounds encouraging.

The good news (well maybe) - when I comment on the date he offers all 3 canisters to me for $30 - at $10 a canister I figure I can't go wrong. Still I request to open a can and inspection the contents - looks ok - smells ok so I take it. Oldest powder I've ever previously loaded was about 4 to 5 years old. Did I make a great score or is this a bust?

More good news - he also has a bag of new, 223 Rem Winchester brass, 100 pieces - $30 - I take it.

Now if the election just goes our way the it will be a good day.

I have powder that I got in 1966 still load it today. if stored the right way, you are good to go. Just my two cents. Tommy Mc

 

[K22]

Gee - you guys made my day


Loading up some 223 Rems with one of my favorite bullets, the Nosler 55 BT with my newly acquired IMR 4895. Going to hit the range tomorrow - weather great here in eastern PA.

 

[Outrider27]

Enjoy. Was cold and big time wind here near York Monday and Tuesday, but from today on through the next 7 days or so looks like great, unseasonably warm, shooting weather.

 

[Tommie]

Score

 

[jk80]

I still use some powder in the old cone top cans and paper containers. Some is 30 + years old. Stored properly its not a problem.

 

[Ccrider]

Guess I need to throw this away. I got 8lbs of it.