Something smells rotten.......

[bobm]

....at my place. Last January I picked up a 2 lb. used container of VV N133 at a local shop for $10.00 Seemed like a good deal at the time for almost full. It has a 2002 date code on the container. I loaded up 50 test rounds of .222 and it shot very well with Hornady 50 gr. SX's. Upon opening it I got a faint smell of chlorine , like Clorox bleach. I did not give it much thought at the time. Based on the good results of testing I loaded up 200 rounds of .222 with it.

Yesterday morning I opened up the can and was hit with a very strong smell of chlorine again, so strong it made my nose sting. I know chlorine and brass do not get along well so I did a little experiment. I thoroughly de greased a twice fired 7-08 case, a new blued allen wrench and pressed them deep into the powder in the can. I used a paper clip wire inside with them to pull them all out.

After only 36 hours immersed in the closed can of powder the case and wrench were badly corroded by the fumes. The wrench developed rust and the once shiny brass was matte dull and darkened. Even the paper clip was effected. The bad news is the 200 rounds still loaded with this obviously gone bad propellant.

 

[Catfur]

The odor is nitric acid, not chlorine.

Sometimes it happens that the excess nitric acid used to make nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine is not completely washed away in the powder manufacturing process. When this happens, the powder degrades, and releases nitric acid. This is bad, nitric acid is bad.

When modern smokeless powder is properly washed of the leftover nitric acid, it lasts for many, many decades. If it isn't it goes bad fast (on a scale of years instead of centuries). Toss the powder (or burn it), and the rounds.

 

[dkhunt14]

It could be that it was improperly stored. Heat is a big enemy of powders. Once it starts to break down it becomes dangerous. I've heard it can even self ignite. I would pour it out and burn it in small piles. Matt

 

[R.Morehouse]

Sorry to hear about your powder issue.....But I would like to thank you for bringing here to the community. The info shared with you is a GREAT need to know for me and I am sure others as well.......Rick

 

[bobm]

Well, the N133 is a distant memory now. I was at the range today, a fitting place to incinerate this powder gone bad. Rather than burn little piles as suggested, I lit up the entire 1.3 lbs at once. This does make me wonder about any surviving powder from this lot scattered around the globe. I will next pull apart a few loaded .222's for a look see inside. What a shame I may have to trash hard to replace WW .222 brass.

The stuff still had plenty of piss and vinegar and sounded like an F-18 Hornet taking off.

 

[ireload2]

I have had that happen with WWII surplus 4831. I had a lot of cases crack around the base of the bullet when fired. It was ammo that had been loaded for several years. This was stress corrosion cracking. Then I noticed the smell of nitric acid coming from my powder storage. When opened the 5 lbs of 4831 gave off the iridescent brown and purple fumes of nitric acid. My fire was in front of the house where the kids could watch.