Old IMR 4064

[Old Grey Fuzzy]

I have an OLD can of Dupont 4064, that I paid $3.50 for-( told you it is old). The can has never been opened, the seal cap is still in place.
The big question: do I use it for fertilizer or can I go ahead and load some .223 rounds with it?

 

[uncle-buck]

I have an OLD can of Dupont 4064, that I paid $3.50 for-( told you it is old). The can has never been opened, the seal cap is still in place.
The big question: do I use it for fertilizer or can I go ahead and load some .223 rounds with it?

If it has been stored in a dry, temperature controlled environment, I would be inclined to load a handful of test rounds and see how they perform.

 

[gambleone]

I wonder how old this really is being it was only $3.50? How much was
powder going for in the 20's?

 

[areaone]

I wonder how old this really is being it was only $3.50? How much was
powder going for in the 20's?

Probably mid to late 60'as

 

[Tiratore]

If you open it and a red cloud rises, dump it. Had it happen to a similar can ...

 

[snowpro440]

Smell it to see if its good.... I would still use it if its ok, but it will be hard to duplicate with the next batch of newer powder.

 

[AckleymanII]

Pour a cap full, if there is any brown kernels, it is bad.

 

[dsinfour]

empty the can out and look on the inside of the metal can and see if rust shows up and give it the smell test...Be safe

 

[jds holler]

At $3.50 a pound I'd estimate seventies. Sealed up, I'd bet it's just fine. The brown dust is a pretty good way to judge. I've never had it happen in a sealed can, but I live in a pretty cool climate. I'm still shooting old powder from the fifties or older. jd

 

[SSL]

All of the above is very good advice. Sealed, it is probably fine. Do be sure to work up your loads carefully since powder formulations change over the years and today's data might be too hot for your generation of powder. I have a bit over 4 pounds of IMR4064 from the early 70s that is just fine.

 

[nmkid]

In the late 60's, (in my tourist trap town) I could buy old H-4831 for $2 a pound. IMR powder $6 a pound

 

[ireload2]

If the inside of the can is rusty or there is brown dust and the smell of nitric acid it is trash.

If the powder is clean and free of rust and smells like ether it is good.
I shot WWII 4831 up into the 1990s so it is probably ok.

That price is about right for the early to mid 1970s. You might find 2 digits on the lot number that correspond to the year of manufacture.

 

[Lightload]

If you open it and a red cloud rises, dump it. Had it happen to a similar can ...

Me too......can was from the 60's. Don't know why but I still have it.

 

[Zebragun]

Smell it to see if its good.... I would still use it if its ok, but it will be hard to duplicate with the next batch of newer powder.

Had a older sealed plastic can of VV given to me, was told it was stored in a garage. Smelled ok, but dumped a little on the ground to try to light, was all I could do to get it to light. Needless to say, the rest was dumped, and had the same trouble burning. Have had other older sealed cans do great as well.

 

[JimPag]

Like dsinfour said, the big thing with those old cans of Dupont powder is that they rust from the inside out.

 

[dcali]

Two reasons not to use it. One, who knows how good it is - why chance it. Two, if you do use it, it will certainly be the finest, most accurate powder that has ever graced the chamber of your rifle, and you will not be able to get more just like it. A craze of "aged" powders will take over, and someone will be accused of being a hipster. It all goes downhill from there. Pitch the stuff. It's not worth it.

 

[mic2377]

If you get the red cloud of dust, it probably isn't good. If the can has been tightly sealed, it may still be OK.

That being said I inherited several cans of old 4064 and 3031. The 3031 gave off the red dust. That being said, I was curious. I loaded up a bunch of 223 for plinking with it. It actually did go bang and accuracy was reasonable for what the ammo was. It cycled the AR fine.

I can't recommend repeating this experiment. I did use up a bunch of ball powder of the same vintage that looked and smelled new, and worked great.

 

[Nature Boy]

Two reasons not to use it. One, who knows how good it is - why chance it. Two, if you do use it, it will certainly be the finest, most accurate powder that has ever graced the chamber of your rifle, and you will not be able to get more just like it. A craze of "aged" powders will take over, and someone will be accused of being a hipster. It all goes downhill from there. Pitch the stuff. It's not worth it.

Yes! The fear would be that it works exceptionally well. Ignorance is bliss. DON'T USE IT!

 

[Lone Hunter]

Yes! The fear would be that it works exceptionally well. Ignorance is bliss. DON'T USE IT!

If you don't use it the can may be worth something to those that collect such stuff.

 

[M-61]

I can't think of a reason to use it. Any doubt in my mind and 'no way'. If you didn't have some concerns you would not have asked.
Then again I've always erred on the side of safety.