Powder Hopper Discoloration

[TimP]

Quote from: dmickey on Yesterday at 03:47 PM
One thing that the others have forgotten. Never, never, NEVER leave powder in a powder thrower where the powder resides in a plastic hopper! The acids in the powder will melt the plastic, getting plastic coated on the powder kernels. This can (and will) cause ignition problems.

In the past I have left powder in my Redding powder measure for a day or two without even thinking about it. I recently bought a Harrell's measure and filled it with Vit 550. I was checking/getting use to throwing charges with it and left the powder in it for a number of days. Until I noticed the hopper was discoloring. Today most gun powders are packaged in plastic containers. What is the difference. I would like to think that the people selling these items know their intended use. Should I throw away the hopper and the powder that was in it?

dmickey I hope you don't mind my starting a new post with your quote.

 

[fdshuster]

TimP: By leaving the powder in the plastic hopper it is also being exposed to picking up any moisture that you may have in the immediate area.

I fill the hopper, put the lid tightly back on the unused powder in the can, throw the powder from the measure, and immediately dump the unused powder back in the can & screw the lid on tight.

It's also a good idea to keep it away from any bright lighting, like those that might be over the loading area, another reason for not letting it remain in the clear plastic hopper of the measure.

 

[amlevin]

My problem is that I'm loading frequently enough and running so much powder through my powder measure that it discolors anyway. I don't store my powder measures on my dillon quick change tool heads with any powder in them but the one I use most is still discolored.

 

[TimP]

When I saw dmicky's post I was concerned about my powder and the problems he mentioned. I was able to contact Kevin Thomas from Lapua today and was told this is not an issue. The Harrell's hopper is made from the same material as the containers the powder is packaged in. I don't typically leave powder in my hopper and if I do it is topped off and covered for a day or two at most. Thanks for your replies.

 

[skeeljc]

There is a fellow that makes Pyrex glass replacement tubes for various powder measures. Pyrex glass is not affected by the nitrates in powder.

I make Pyrex powder reservoirs for the shotshell reloaders.

 

[Skeet69]

Call me ANAL maybe, but I have been known to forget that I left powder in my hopper and then got up at 0230 to go to my reloading bench to put it back in the original container.........

Another time my co-workers told me that same thing just because I looked like I had missed some sleep as I had I thought about my TORQUE WRENCH at about 0200 and got up to go out to my shop to reset it to zero....Some folks just have NO appreciation for attention to detail! Go figure, huh??

They have very effective medications for that these days...
Mike B

 

[243winxb]

Nitroglycerine in double based powders damage the plastic.

Any "HDPE" marked bottles in black should be ok to use. HDPE is on the bottom of some Hodgdon smokeless bottles i have. Black is to keep the sun off the powder.