Old Powder

[beech18]

Any of you run into this? Last night, reloading just a few odd balls getting cauhgt up, the powder can was pushed to the back of the cabinet and got overlooked for quit some time. Thought I should use it up, esp with the reloading shortage in supplies these days. I loaded a few and quit with that powder, it just doesnt seem right. Ive reloaded alot and never came across this.

What I noticed was this in comparison to a new can:
1)Smell was stronger in the older. However, the can was less full so that might have contributed to that.
2)Color seemed to be the same though that I could see.
3)Powder had acouple of small "clumps". Broke apart very easy though.
3) Powder charge seemed off, could have been my imagination though. Comparing a exact reload with good powder vers the one in question, seemed the old powder took more volume to get the same desired weight. Just what I could tell my the sound of shaking the bullets side by side.

Just curious if any of you have ran into old powder before and if so, do the signs I listed, you guys think its not good or usable? What of the reloads I did load before quiting, are they usable or what can I expect from them?

 

[mtmuley]

How old was it? Clumps could indicate moisture. mtmuley

 

[beech18]

Age of can is approx 4-7 years old. Not exactly sure. Judging by the price tag of where it was bought and when I started doing my shopping there.

 

[NoDoe]

Normally old powder does not smell as strong as new powder.
Don

 

[mtmuley]

Maybe it would pay to be cautious and dump it on the rosebushes. mtmuley

 

[RELH]

It having clumps bothers me. Does indicate that moisture did get into the can. I would dump it. I have about 10 pounds of H4831 that my father-in-law received in 1969 by buying it as military surplus in 8 pound carboard kegs. He put the powder into 1 gallon anti freeze plastic jugs and it is still good.
I did velocity checks with that powder compared to new H4831 and no difference in velocity or accuracy.

RELH

 

[deadibob]

When powder goes bad it usually gets an acidic smell and in the one case I had some IMR4350 go bad it got a red powdery dust to it. It was 15 years old and had spent 5 of those in a St. George storage shed. Keep it cool and dry and it will outlast you. I still have ammo from ww2 that shoots fine.

 

[Gator]

Put that in your prepper kit for when SHTF. LOL
Should be use for making other things.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
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[beech18]

Thanks for the replys. Gator, thats funny.

 

[Pre64]

On the other hand. I've got some IMR4350 that's about 20 years old. It does not shoot as fast as new IMR4350. I use it for plinking loads.

 

[deadibob]

The fact that it doesn't shoot as fast doesn't necessarily mean that it has deteriorated. Lot variations can account for that as well.

 

[Pre64]

Not this much. I believe it was stored poorly.

 

[deadibob]

How much slower is it?

 

[dirtygrass]

I have fired a couple rounds through a chrono, from a Winchester 348 that were about 70 years old. The velocity was 50 fps slower than my hand loads. I was a little nervous pulling the trigger, but everything seemed OK.

 

[Pre64]

I wish I could find my numbers, so I'll have to go from recall. It was a .257 Roberts which usually runs at 2750 fps with 115 gr partitions and 42 grains of IMR 4350. I switched scopes and used some older powder as sight in loads. As I recall I lost about 100 fps. Switched back to newer powder and velocity went back up to where is should be.

 

[RELH]

That could be normal. Anywhere between 25-100 fps can be encountered when switching from one lot to another of the same powder. It also could be the result of a chemical makeup of the powder as they change the recipe from time to time.
Try increasing your old powder by 1gr, and see if it brings it up to the velocity of the new powder without any visble signs of pressure increase.

RELH

 

[Pre64]

In this case I'm going with improper storage and/or age. At least in part. Old dusty powder. I think it was stored in hot/dry conditions. The label says it cost $14.15. I'll never know for sure, but my thinking is that these factors play a part. To your point, I was given a box of old powders and this is the only one that has any velocity loss. But it is one old, faded, can of powder.

Kills jacks in the 30-30 just fine.

 

[greyghost]

As far as old powder goes, I was given a 50lb cardboard keg of H4831 about 10 years ago. I am sure it was old when I got it but I use it today and have no problems with it.