Opening a new 8lb jug

[DLT]

I can’t find the thread, there was a fairly recent one started about opening up and keeping your powder fresh. The seal on my jug tore trying to get it unstuck. Can that material be bought ? Recommendations

 

[Downeast]

I have some "shrink wrap for jars" that I use. Do a quick search on Amazon.

 

[Bill Norris]

I can’t find the thread, there was a fairly recent one started about opening up and keeping your powder fresh. The seal on my jug tore trying to get it unstuck. Can that material be bought ? Recommendations

The thin white 3/4 " insulation tape works well for sealing the cap.

 

[jpx2rk]

Could rummage thru all of those shipping boxes everyone keeps and see if there is any suitable packing material is still in good shape. I've read of people putting saran food wrap over the opening and then putting the screw on lid back on.

 

[mmcu]

I cut a piece out of a heavy duty zip-lock freezer bag, place it over the opening and screw the cap down tight. Works well for me.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I am shooting a lot of N133 in my 6PPC that has 1998 on the tag.

I bought it out of the late Ralph Council’s estate. One had been opened. , but the little rubber cap they used back then was tight. It smelled fine.

Shoots great.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

That seal is not stopping the humidity change. Dont worry about it. I used to intentionally leave powder exposed to local air. If you want to control the humidity Bovida packs in the jug. How do you pick the humidity%? Another rabbit hole.

 

[CJ6]

I dislike the factory "seal" on powder jugs as they seem to be brittle. I discard them after opening and use thin gray gasket material from any auto store. Does it matter? Probably not, just something I do.

 

[Rocky Mt High]

Just spitballing here; how about Teflon tape, the white plumbing kind,
wrapped around the lid threads? Cheap and everyone has some.

 

[M-61]

Never did anything except screw that small metal cap back on years ago with that cardboard piece in it.
Now, big tops, that gasket in place, I just screw it on. Never a problem. I will mention once I’ve filled my dispenser, top goes right back on. I don’t let it sit open.
Helps? Who knows. I’m happy with my groups.

 

[Bill Norris]

Never did anything except screw that small metal cap back on years ago with that cardboard piece in it.
Now, big tops, that gasket in place, I just screw it on. Never a problem. I will mention once I’ve filled my dispenser, top goes right back on. I don’t let it sit open.
Helps? Who knows. I’m happy with my groups.

I also get the cap back onto the container asap. I do not let it sit open period.

 

[Will Henry]

I recently looked at some surplus 4831 a friend has. About 5 pounds remaining of what was a 25 pound keg. It looked and smelled fine. He also has an unopened keg of the same powder. What I have to wonder is, how does this old powder stay so fresh when new powders do not? WH

 

[Clancy]

I think that was my thread. I ended up using wax paper

 

[DLT]

I think that was my thread. I ended up using wax paper

It could have been. I can’t find it for the life of me.

 

[Clancy]

It could have been. I can’t find it for the life of me.

I used wax paper sealed with a simple Elmer’s glue stick.

I checked it after a month or so and the acetone smell was back.

I don’t think you’re going to stop the humidity transfer, but it definitely did something for freshness!

 

[TTE]

Just spitballing here; how about Teflon tape, the white plumbing kind,
wrapped around the lid threads? Cheap and everyone has some.

interesting/simple idea ..... wonder if it would work ?

Survey says ?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

interesting/simple idea ..... wonder if it would work ?

Survey says ?

Not pertaining to powder, but I found the yellow gas type Teflon tape is the only one worth using.

 

[David Christian]

This may be controversial, but here goes. I have a stable temp/humidity reloading room in my house where I also keep my powder. I open all of my common lot jugs of powder at the same time and let them climatize at once (a few hours). I then close those that I am not using and then get to work with the initial jug. IME, I don’t see speed differences when I move from jug to jug. Is it because my room stays stable or that I opened them all at once? No clue…

 

[MikeRu]

Parafilm is used in labs to seal around lids of chemicals, one roll will last a lifetime.

Amazon.com

 

[Fire Dog]

Not pertaining to powder, but I found the yellow gas type Teflon tape is the only one worth using.

That is because it is thicker so as to not need so much wrapping to get a gas proof seal… Also solvent vapour loss resistant and that may be more important than the humidity gain/loss.
I wonder how much humidity change is likely with a quick open, fill, close routine… Anyone?
As far as using food wrap, a printer friend told me years ago that the only one that he used was “Saran Wrap” as all the others allowed enough air penetration to have the ink can that had been opened to skin over.
Has to do with membrane thickness I would imagine.