Getting rid of powder: What do you do with old subs?

[cas]

I've gotten rid of plenty of old questionable smokeless powder simple enough. Either sprinkling in on the lawn or in the bushes, or even pouring it out and lighting it. But what about black powder substitutes?

I have all sorts of subs that were my own or belonged to family members no longer with us. Fairly new, to 30+ years old. Pyrodex, 777, Clean Shot, APP, maybe even some of the newer products. I no longer us it and won't again.

So what do I do with it? Same thing, spread it around? "The solution to pollution is dilution."

Maybe take it out on the water in the spring and shake them out?


Don't say "get some fuse".

[pietro]

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Dump it in a sandy area, like a gravel pit, and burn it.

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[AlHunt]

I don't know anything about black powder, but is giving it away an option? Seems a shame to waste it.

[brewer12345]

You can give it away or gradually sprinkle it on the lawn for fertilizer. I had a pound of pyrodex that I was able to give away to someone who was happy to get it. The black mz I will dispose of by shooting it.

[cas]

Much of it is very old and was poorly stored in a damp location. I don't think giving it away is a good idea.

[flyingmonkey35]

Burn it

Sprinkle it on your lawn.


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[Martin Luber]

Give it away, with a note that it's old/ unverified.

not sure it spoils.

[Harter66]

Pour it in a pan and burn it .

[rking22]

Give it away, or throw it out we’ll spread on the grass, don’t burn it. Wayne Mayes would still be alive if he had not followed that bad advice. Multi time national champion skeet shooter, died of complications of burns from burning old powder.

[Bazoo]

If it is very slightly damp, or been stored in damp, it can be dried easily enough. Might be worth the trouble to a muzzleloader fan to try a few different powders without buying a whole pound. Just have to find the right person.

[gumbo333]

Didn't you watch any old Daniel Boone movies? How they poured a little trail of black powder to blow up a keg of black powder, lit the trail and it fizzed its way to the keg. Kerblewie. Just lay out a little trail of powder, maybe a neat design, and light it. Or slowly dump it in a river.

[cas]

There's a couple cans of pellets, those I guess will need to go in the drink. I don't think spreading those on the lawn will work. lol


I've burned plenty of smokeless, pouring it out in long thin lines and burning it. The novelty wore of fast and the rest became fertilizer.

[NSB]

Don’t listen to anyone telling you to burn it. I had a person working for me one time that tried that and he was off work for weeks. He burned his face really bad and he looked like he got a fateful of blowtorch. I don’t know why anyone would tell you to burn it. Giving bad advice seems to come easy to some people.

[Beerd]

If it is very slightly damp, or been stored in damp, it can be dried easily enough. Might be worth the trouble to a muzzleloader fan to try a few different powders without buying a whole pound. Just have to find the right person.

might work with real black powder but not so much with substitutes like the OP has.

..

[Bazoo]

I never tried to dry any out so forgive my ignorance. Why would it not work if they had just absorbed moisture from the air? I am under the impression smokeless powders can be dried. With mention here several times of original unique being stored under water at the factory, with samples dried out occasionally for testing.

[Hellgate]

Members of our gun club often just set out unwanted powders, primers and bullets on a table in the clubhouse for anyone to scrounge up. I find that quite generous rather that torching it. Most people know that giveaway gear may be old and less functional but being free is great.

[country gent]

I would spread it out in a low travel area away from buildings or equipment. Another way would be to mix in water and let dissolve for a few days then sprinkle it in same areas. A pound to 4-5 gallons of water would really spread it out. I also would consider passing it along with a solid warning / description of what it is.

Burning powder especially the subs is not a good idea, to much risk of injury.

[Harter66]

I would unfortunately take it for granted that the burn option would be understood not to stand over the main well vented body of the powder mass .

If you decide to burn it , do so in accordance with all state and local ordinances .

In practice ;

Lay it out on open ground without ignitable mat'l at hand .

Use a wide shallow body of the bulk of the powder an pour a long ignition trail well out from the main body .

Light the ignition trail at arm's length from the opposite end as the main body of powder .

Once lit step back farther from the trail several feet in the opposite direction from the main body .

Do Not burn it inside the cans .

Do Not leave the cans near the main body .

Dispose of containers in accordance with all state and local ordinances .

Many areas have an amnesty disposal source that may be via FD , law enforcement , or military installation .

Dumping it in any body of water is a terrible idea for so many , it's unlikely to cause any damage , you're going to jail anyway reasons .

God help you if you shake it out on the lawn and that one neighbor with the cigarette is having an improbably bad day , because sure as Hades he'll be the one that lights up the whole lawn , flower bed , and sets off the methane in the storm drain .

Maybe you should should get a 4+ foot post hole auger and place one each open can in the bottom of each hole and let nature take its course . If you are in able to locate an amnesty disposal .

[onelight]

Don’t listen to anyone telling you to burn it. I had a person working for me one time that tried that and he was off work for weeks. He burned his face really bad and he looked like he got a fateful of blowtorch. I don’t know why anyone would tell you to burn it. Giving bad advice seems to come easy to some people.

You can't fix stupid , you don't make a big pile and lean over it to light it off.
But then you can't assume every one has common sense.

[dondiego]

Know anyone with a cannon or a mortar?