A question for Junior

[Beekeeper]

This is not to rag on you, it is to ask a serious question.
I read in on of your posts that you freeze your powder until you use it and then thaw it in a refrigerator for a day before using it!
Why? Is it due to you living in the south where there is high humidity?
Is there purpose for it that I need to look at?
I recently (a year ago) moved from Nevada to California. In Nevada I stored my powder in a large ammo can in a dark cool place in the garage. Some of it I have had for 20 years,looks and smell still good, but the climate is different here in Ca. so I am trying to provide the best conditions I can.
I would appreciate any help you can give.


beekeeper

[Old Ironsights]

You got it right. Frost-Free Freezers/Refrigerators are Low Moisture and hold a constant temperature... both necessary for optimal powder life.

The Cold doesn't HURT the powder and a freezer is also a decent mostly-fireproof container ta boot.

[44man]

Why thaw it? Powder can't freeze unless it has moisture in it. It just gets cold! :drinks:

[Old Ironsights]

Temperature Tempering. Take 0 deg powder out of a freezer and put it on a table and you will get condensation all over your powder.

Warm it up slowly in a frost-free enviorn and you won't have that problem.

[Phil]

I store photographic film in the freezer. Double bag it in freezer bags, x many rolls per package depending on how many rolls/sheets of that particular film I use at a time. When I want to use it, I take it out of the freezer, put it on the counter and let it set for a day before opening the freezer bags. The film will stay good way past the expiration date as long as its frozen. I don't know why the same principle wouldn't work to preserve powder.

Cheers,

Phil

[Junior1942]

Beekeeper, the guys above have it right. It stays at a constant low temp and low humidity. When I pull a jug of powder, box of primers, loaded ammo, etc., etc., out of either the freezer section or the lower refrigerator section, I wrap a towel around it for insulation and take it off the next day. If you don't let whatever it is slowly come to room temperature, moisture condenses everywhere.

I keep the extra refrigerator on my back porch, and it is almost full of powder, primers, primed cases, boxes of loaded ammo, shotgun shells and last but not least . . . beer and wine!

[Beekeeper]

So do you think I will need to do the freezer thing here in Southern California?
The humidity is a little higher than in Nevada but still nothing like southern Texas.
Only ask as if I need to do it got to talk SWMBO out of her freezer, maybe get her a new one, hmmm might work.

beekeeper

[Ricochet]

Humidity's not a problem for smokeless powder. High temperature is.

[JohnH]

Beekeeper, the guys above have it right. It stays at a constant low temp and low humidity. When I pull a jug of powder, box of primers, loaded ammo, etc., etc., out of either the freezer section or the lower refrigerator section, I wrap a towel around it for insulation and take it off the next day. If you don't let whatever it is slowly come to room temperature, moisture condenses everywhere.

I keep the extra refrigerator on my back porch, and it is almost full of powder, primers, primed cases, boxes of loaded ammo, shotgun shells and last but not least . . . beer and wine!

Ah yes, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. To quote a renowned redneck sage "Sounds like a weekend where I come from" ;)

[shotman]

fire proof ,if you can put a lock on it.

[AZ-Stew]

Find an old (working) 'fridge at a yard sale and put it in the garage. As Junior says, it's also handy for beer. You might even score a couple extra points with SWMBO by getting your suds out of HER 'fridge.

My old Navy Gunner's Mate training says freezing powder is going overboard. If we had gotten freezing temperatures on any of our daily magazine temperature measurements, there'd have been some reporting issues to deal with, and requirements to return some items to the depot. I keep mine in the refrigerator section. It only takes an hour or so for it to come up to temperature for use. As long as the original container remains closed during warmup, there is NO worry about condensation.

I keep my photo film in the freezer. Again, as long as it remains in the original factory packaging during warmup, there is no worry about condensation. When I need a roll, I put it in my pants pocket for a half hour or so. Warms it right up!

Regards,

Stew

[Phil]

Hi Stew,

Yeah, All my film is in the original sealed packaging, then in a freezer bag, then in another freezer bag. I know your method works just fine, I'm just anal (read paranoid) about my treasured FP4 and HP5 in 120 rolls and 4X5 sheets. Still mad that I didn't know they quit making Tech Pan, I'd have sure stocked up on that!

Heck, if you can warm it up in your pocket, that means you have blood pressure. Went to the VA last month and the doc always checks my feet due to diabetes. He said "your feet are freezing!". I told him I knew that, by all rights I shouldn't be alive. The only reason I hang on is because it aggravates so many people. (:>)

Cheers,

Phil

[cobbmtmac]

Beekeeper,

I live in Northern California, I don't refrigerate or freeze my powder and have never had a problem. You might ask "Buckshot" or "9.3X62AL" as they both live in Southern California. :coffee: