Gun Powder Shelf Life

[quietman41]

I had to back my reloading equipment away for quite a few years. I have had everthing in large rubbermaid storage containers, down the basement. All my gun powder is around 10 years old and in their original containers. Can and will this powder go bad? I would hate to miss the shot of a life time if one of my handloads were bad.
John

[Huntsman27]

I would check it to make sure. A small sample out side with a match should tell you if its ok. If you have kept them sealed tightly they should probably be good. Could also load a few cartridges to try out.
My brother ruined 8lbs of AA-3100 by leaving in the garage. Terrible waste!

[gman12]

I don't know abut smokeless powder but my buddy has a can of Goex powder from 30 years ago and he still whacks deer with his muzzleloader.

[quietman41]

thanks. I know the black powder is still good, I have been using it. Just worried about the smokless. I had already thought about the match trick outside myself.

[oaks]

Someone told me that if the powder smells real strong of ether that it is starting to deteriorate. I have bought lots of powder at rummage sales, some in old containers and have never had any that was bad. If kept sealed and dry it should last a long time. I would imagine if you posed this qeustion to a powder company they would be more that happy to give you a definitive answer.
Oaks:

[quietman41]

I have heard the smell comment before also. So I think your idea to email the powder company is a great Idea. I should have known that or did and forgot.

[Gil Martin]

Powder stored in a cool, dry place in a sealed container should last a long time. Check the condition of the cans for severe rust that make affect the contents if the integrity of the can is compromised. Powder has a smell even when new so the sniff test is not foolproof. I just loaded and shot some P-5066 in reloads in a .45 ACP and the powder was bought in 1966. All the best...
Gil

[alex-v]

Originally Posted by Gil Martin

Powder stored in a cool, dry place in a sealed container should last a long time. Check the condition of the cans for severe rust that make affect the contents if the integrity of the can is compromised. Powder has a smell even when new so the sniff test is not foolproof. I just loaded and shot some P-5066 in reloads in a .45 ACP and the powder was bought in 1966. All the best...

Gil,

Very good response. Smokeless propellants could last for 50 years if they are kept in a cool, dry place. It is the fluctuations of temperature and humidity that will cause the stuff to go bad. The match test will only tell us if the powder will stiff burn but not if it will burn properly once it is loaded.

The best way to tell if it is still good is to load up a batch of rounds and shoot them over a chonorgraph. The velocities should be close to the same velocities as when the canister was new. But, very few reloaders have the test data from when the stuff was new. So, beg or borrow some samples of the same powder but of newer manufacture and do some load testing over a chronograph. Compare between old and new. The difference in speed will tell a lot.

I routinely load and shoot handgun ammo where the powders were/are 15 plus years old and sometimes for hunting loads. It sounds like the equipment and components were stored with care so I do not think that the OP (original poster) should have a problem.

[quietman41]

Guys;
Thankyou for the responses. I guess it is time to spend sometime this weekend getting organized and start over. I am looking forward to it. I will post my results in the next few weeks if I run into anything on usual.
Thanks again

[alex-v]

The primers are still good, BTW. Really hard to kill those little buggers off. If you really want to start a discussion ask a bunch of reloaders how to build the better reloading bench. That could really get the ball rolling.

[quietman41]

Thanks again. i hear ya on the other subject. I am the closet i have been on the bench I wasnt. However it is multi purpose being used for fly tying and lure making also.