Storing Powder

[EWaugh]

Hi Folks
I believe the powder label reads store in a cool dry place. I just wanted to hear about your method for storing powder.
Thanks

Thank you for replying!

 

[amlevin]

I like an old refrigerator that still runs. Set the thermostat so it just acts like a dehumidifier. If you don't want to run it then just put a plastic container filled with crystaline cat litter on the bottom shelf and drill a bunch of 1/4" holes in the lid.

The refrigerator might even provide brief fire protection with it's insulation.

 

[Joe Salt]

You also might want to shake the powder every month or so just to keep it from clumping together. When it does that get rid of it!

Joe Salt

 

[Preacher]

If your powder is clumping together, your sure not storing it the correct way...
I have 20 year old powder that is still as new, but it was stored in a air tight magazine.....

 

[Joe Salt]

Preacher Some of us don't have the luxury of an air tight magazine, and yes I've had powder probably longer but I do keep tabs on things. I believe there was a distributor that had a Magazines and lost everything because it went up in flames. So better safe than sorry. Oh I believe it was 50 BMG that I had that went bad, some powders maybe worse than others.

Joe Salt

 

[amlevin]

If one has powder go bad from sitting too long then they're not shooting enough 8)

Not a problem in this house.

 

[watercam]

I purchased a small, lockable powder magazine (24"x15"x12") - essentially a metal box lined with plywood or sheet rock. They are designed to allow any pressure build up to escape easily (ie not sealed). I keep silica inside as I keep it in the garage and I live in coastal oregon. Works well and holds more powder than we, as private citizens, are allowed by Federal law to store at home (25 Ibs.).
The old fridge sounds good so long as the door is not held closed by any mechanical device.

 

[harv50]

Watercam what federal law are you referring to about the 25# max on powder?? Never heard of it before..

 

[JRS]

Your local fire marshal might say less than 25#. Check with them first Storing it in a fridge is nothing less than a bomb. Don't risk the lives of your loved ones Make a cabinet from plywood.

 

[tonedaddy]

Your local fire marshal might say less than 25#. Check with them first Storing it in a fridge is nothing less than a bomb. Don't risk the lives of your loved ones Make a cabinet from plywood.

Best idea yet, and check with your ins co, my Nationwide agent said my home would not be covered if I had more than 25 lbs on the premises and the place burned down!

 

[amlevin]

Storing it in a fridge is nothing less than a bomb. Don't risk the lives of your loved ones

You must be thinking of the 50-60 year old refrigerators that had locking handles on them. Today's have only a magnetic strip around the edge and any pressure buildup in the refer is released almost instantly.

As for my Insurance Co. as long as I comply with state law they could care less and here it's 50# of smokeless powder and 25K primers.

 

[JRS]

Storing it in a fridge is nothing less than a bomb. Don't risk the lives of your loved ones

You must be thinking of the 50-60 year old refrigerators that had locking handles on them. Today's have only a magnetic strip around the edge and any pressure buildup in the refer is released almost instantly.

As for my Insurance Co. as long as I comply with state law they could care less and here it's 50# of smokeless powder and 25K primers.

If you are storing gunpowders in a fridge, you certainly are not complying with State, nor Federal law. There is a very good reason the required storage is made from plywood, not sheet metal or steel, whether one, or sixty, years old.

 

[EWaugh]

Lots of good comments from everyone and I appreciate that. Currently I have my powder stored in Flammable Safety Cabinets. That’s the best that I could come up with. These cabinets are inside my Safe Room (tornado shelter) and this room is made out of ¼ armor plate. So the powder is safe from fire. My main concern is that the temp inside this room is much warmer than I’d like. Maybe I would put a frig inside the room and call it done. Thanks again! E.

 

[Syncrowave]

If you are storing gunpowders in a fridge, you certainly are not complying with State, nor Federal law. There is a very good reason the required storage is made from plywood, not sheet metal or steel, whether one, or sixty, years old.

It's not the laws that matter so much in most places, it's NFPA. And it's not plywood – it's wood at least 1" thick, because wood chars and acts as an insulator (and doesn't allow pressures to build, which would cause an explosion).

SAAMI quotes NFPA in its powder storage recommendations:

11-3.7 Smokeless propellants intended for personal use in quantities
not exceeding 20 lb. (9.1 kg) shall be permitted to be stored in original
containers in residences. Quantities exceeding 20 lb. (9.1 kg), but not
exceeding 50 lb. (22.7 kg), shall be permitted to be stored in residences
where kept in a wooden box or cabinet having walls of at least
1 in. (25.4 mm) nominal thickness.

 

[JRS]

I mentioned plywood due to it's availability and reasonable cost
Laws matter much more than you might think. Ask your local fire chief. Read the statutes on what is "illegal".

 

[EWaugh]

Good recommendation JRS. My neighbor just happens to be a retired fire chief from one of the Mid-Cities. I'll see what he has to say about it.

 

[amlevin]

Good recommendation JRS. My neighbor just happens to be a retired fire chief from one of the Mid-Cities. I'll see what he has to say about it.

The worst offender locally is a retired fireman. Probably has three times the "sane" limit of powder and primers stored in his home.

Makes me think that firemen just might not be the best source of information.

 

[Rollis]

For what it is worth & without getting into quantity discussions, some of the powders I, just started using in the last couple of years have been stored in less than ideal conditions, and are well past the 20 year mark. I do like running a cheap $10.00 fan from Wal-Mart* on it just for the heck of it. *For those who are offended by the word Wal-Mart please replace it with Family Dollar, or Dollar General.

 

[jelenko]

Instead of opening a new thread, I thought it would be better to tag onto this one.

How about storing unopened [i.e., in the factory container] powder outside under a rain cover and something to keep the container off the ground? For example, under a 55 gal, light colored trash can on 2X4's.
Thanks

 

[M-61]

Temperature control?