I normally remove all the powder out of my hopper after every loading session. Well I loaded one night and was planning on loading more of the exact same thing the following day. Well life got in the way and after about a week I got by to reloading. My question is that powder ok that I left in the charge master. Would there be too much humidity absorbed by it??? Will it be ok but not as consistent?
Powder left in charge master
- Thread starter BULLET 05
- Start date
If the lid was on it it should be fine.
What is the environment in your reloading area?
Depends on the room humidity? Just for fun weigh about a 1/4 cup of powder then lay it out in the sun spread on paper for an hour then reweigh it. Some moisture content is normal. Shoot agroup and see what it does.
Yeah, you are fine. I keep powder in my tricklers all the time, I just put a lid on them. I also run a dehumidifier in my gun room and keep humidity below 50%. I've never had a problem.
Also, I tell this to everyone who will listen. If you don't already, think about getting a line conditioner to plug your charge master into. Since you are running a dehumidifier, when that thing kicks on it will cause a power spike and will effect the scale. With a line conditioner you will hear it click when the dehumidifier turns on...its keeping the power stable. I typically turn my dehumidifier off when I'm reloading because I don't want air moving around, but other things effect the quality of power as well and digital scales are sensitive to it.
Also, I tell this to everyone who will listen. If you don't already, think about getting a line conditioner to plug your charge master into. Since you are running a dehumidifier, when that thing kicks on it will cause a power spike and will effect the scale. With a line conditioner you will hear it click when the dehumidifier turns on...its keeping the power stable. I typically turn my dehumidifier off when I'm reloading because I don't want air moving around, but other things effect the quality of power as well and digital scales are sensitive to it.
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Geronimo Jim
Gold $$ Contributor
I left powder in a shotgun reloader for 8 years. Yep, 8 years. When I started
loading again, loaded a box and shot them and saw no difference.
Was in my basement which is air conditioned and heated.
loading again, loaded a box and shot them and saw no difference.
Was in my basement which is air conditioned and heated.
I’d say about 40 years ago there wasn’t much climate control associated with reloading and there was good shooting gear.
DRK
Silver $$ Contributor
Wise man, very true words.
We have tensile testers at work and there is a power conditioner feeding them. All it takes is some noise to make electronics go haywire.
tmwinds
Gold $$ Contributor
Leaving powder in the dispenser does not worry me . What does worry me is leaving it in the dispenser if you have no way of identifying it.
I make it a habit of only having only one powder at a time on my loading bench and the container stays next to dispenser until it is emptied.
I make it a habit of only having only one powder at a time on my loading bench and the container stays next to dispenser until it is emptied.
Even though my pistol round are loaded with a a different press and thrower from my rifle loads, I make sure only the exact powder I’m using at the time is the only one on the bench.
DRK
Silver $$ Contributor
I go so far as to use a Brady labeler and label the cap w/contents. Masking tap & a sharpie will work too.
Texas Solo
B.S. High Master
Each of my powder jugs has a small piece of paper taped to it identifying it.
I take that note and stick it on the hopper when I fill it. I ALWAYS know what's in the hopper.
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
Your powder should be just fine. The question is really whether it absorbed enough moisture to give you slower velocity through slower ignition. The easiest way of knowing is to shoot a few rounds over a chrono if you have one and see if your velocity has changed notably. When I was 14 and new to reloading, I once left some Red Dot in the hopper for about a month (maybe longer?). when I went to go shooting, it was like shooting black powder - big cloud of smoke with every shot. And cleaning the gun was like cleaning black powder as well. I believe some of the modern rifle powders, being coated, are much more resistant to moisture absorbtion?
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