Leaving powder in brass overnight

[timeout]

Turning the bullets upside down is a great idea.

Not if you put as much powder in the case as I do

 

[Forum Boss]

There was a (now-deleted) post in this thread: "I leave powder in my trickler for months. Also powder measures have powder in them as well for months at a time and they are not air tight."

For safety reasons we adamantly recommend against this practice.

Do NOT leave powder in tricklers and powder measures for long periods.

The reason is not primarily about humidity. It is about SAFETY. After a period of time the loader may forget what powder is in the trickler or the powder measure. H4198 looks almost exactly like H4350. But they are very different!

Hand-loaders who forget they had pistol powder in their measure or powder dispenser have suffered very serious injuries.

For this reason we always recommend that, after a loading session, return the powder to the correct, original labeled container, and then close the lid.

You only have to make this mistake once to lose an eye, lose a hand...

Some people put a post-it note INSIDE the powder measure bottle indicating what powder is inside. That's not unwise, but the better practice is to restore your powder to its original bottle promptly after every loading session.

 

[HomeSlice]

Humidity is an environmental factor as is heat to pressure on loads. It will dampen powder but very quickly dry out once the bullet is seated. The case heats up and dries the powder that was affected by the humidity. Try loading some damp powder in a case. Let the loaded case set in the warmth for a few hours and pull the bullet. You'll see how powder will be dry again.

It must be absorbed by the powder. Where else would it go in a sealed system?

 

[SBS]

Smokeless gun powder is hygroscopic (attracts moisture from the air). Besides safety, it is why we tightly cap our powder containers. It is not good practice to leave powder exposed to the air, particularly where humid.

 

[BoydAllen]

On the subject of how moisture affects powder, there was a very good article published in Precision Shooting magazine a few years back. The way that the testing was done was very straightforward and reproducible. Moisture has a big effect on velocity. There has been a lot of unscientific guessing in this thread that does not jibe with the results of that testing.

 

[Bc'z]

On the subject of how moisture affects powder, there was a very good article published in Precision Shooting magazine a few years back. The way that the testing was done was very straightforward and reproducible. Moisture has a big effect on velocity. There has been a lot of unscientific guessing in this thread that does not jibe with the results of that testing.

It only make sense if your powder has absorbed moisture your charge will be off.

 

[284winner]

There was a (now-deleted) post in this thread: "I leave powder in my trickler for months. Also powder measures have powder in them as well for months at a time and they are not air tight."

For safety reasons we adamantly recommend against this practice.

Do NOT leave powder in tricklers and powder measures for long periods.

The reason is not primarily about humidity. It is about SAFETY. After a period of time the loader may forget what powder is in the trickler or the powder measure. H4198 looks almost exactly like H4350. But they are very different!

Hand-loaders who forget they had pistol powder in their measure or powder dispenser have suffered very serious injuries.

For this reason we always recommend that, after a loading session, return the powder to the correct, original labeled container, and then close the lid.

You only have to make this mistake once to lose an eye, lose a hand...

Some people put a post-in note INSIDE the powder measure bottle indicating what powder is inside. That's not unwise, but the better practice is to restore your powder to its original bottle promptly after every loading session.

It's not an issue when you label your bottles with the powder that's in them. Capping the bottles and trickler works for keeping out debris. Not the very best solution for keeping out moisture, but it works fairly well. Obviously forgetting what powder is in them certainly is very likely when not labeled. Using common sense should be a factor. Obviously it's not.

 

[Bc'z]

It's not an issue when you label your bottles with the powder that's in them. Capping the bottles and trickler works for keeping out debris. Not the very best solution for keeping out moisture, but it works fairly well. Obviously forgetting what powder is in them certainly is very likely when not labeled. Using common sense should be a factor. Obviously it's not.

I leave the jug I'm working out of next to press
Piece of tape with date writen, tells me when I purchased.
Also write down date of last use, label on jug.

 

[pirate ammo]

I tend to pick my stuff up at the end of the day,,clean everything up,,and thats even if I'm doing the same thing the next day,,just don't like to leave stuff laying around,,

 

[JRS]

I tend to pick my stuff up at the end of the day,,clean everything up,,and thats even if I'm doing the same thing the next day,,just don't like to leave stuff laying around,,

Clean as you go.

 

[Bc'z]

Clean as you go.

That and pay attention to detail, were plastered all over the barracks and
motor pool.

 

[mikld]

Personally, I wouldn't. Unattended open charged cases are a disaster waiting to happen. I will only start charging cases if I'm positive I will be uninterrupted through the process beyond bullet seating. It may be an extremely rare occurrence but I've read of insects getting into cases. I'd also be concerned with the ambient humidity, possible condensation of the brass, etc., not to mention additional possibility of spilling. In my mind it's just a bad idea (I won't leave powder in a powder measure, unattended over night either. I put away all tools when I'm done with them and if in a situation when I'm not in my shop, I'll take along a Lee Loader)...

My daughter worked at a local KFC, and there were posters in the kitchen "C.A.Y.G.!"' clean as you go...

 

[mtang45]

I leave the jug I'm working out of next to press
Piece of tape with date writen, tells me when I purchased.
Also write down date of last use, label on jug.

Yep, I have one bottle out of the cabinet at a time and it sits right next to the powder measure. When I'm done with it, any powder left in the measure goes back in the bottle and the bottle goes back in the cabinet before the next bottle comes out.

 

[50bmg1979]

Glass vials for precharging cases. I got these from Amazon. 144 of them for around $20. And they come in their own box for transporting.

 

[divingin]

After a period of time the loader may forget what powder is in the trickler or the powder measure. H4198 looks almost exactly like H4350. But they are very different!

Each opened bottle or jug of powder I have has a piece of masking tape with the powder name written on it attached to the lid. When the powder does into the measure, the tape gets stuck to the hopper. When the leftover powder goes back in the original container, the tape goes with it. No more forgetting what's in the measure.