How old is too old?

[Rp-]

I received a pound of green dot powder still in a cardboard container. Obviously this thing is old but it's still sealed. Is there a point where it's not safe anymore?

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[ascast]

it's either good or bad, "old" is relative.

[Milky Duck]

I would use it.....unless its wet or smells funky...and even then would give it a try in something pretty bomb proof....
in these times of shortages.a sealed container so you know its true to label is gold....

[Winger Ed.]

It it looks & smells OK, and you still see the little green dots--- it is OK.

[Rp-]

I haven't opened it yet. It's sealed.

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[Castaway]

There’s some Unique powder that’s been sitting in a jar of distilled water for 123 years. Periodically, some is removed and tested against current powder for consistency. Age doesn’t make it deteriorate, the conditions of storage will.

[Kosh75287]

Use a starting load for .38 Special, but fire them in a strong .357 Magnum. Chronograph it, if at all possible.
I'D bet 20:1 that you'll be fine, but this is the safest way I know of to test it.

[HWooldridge]

I have a can of Green Dot in the cardboard tube; it’s probably at least 35 years old and still good. Of course, I kept it in a controlled environment.

[15meter]

Read through this thread on old powder:


https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...74-Old-red-dot


I'm still using powder that I'm 99% sure is left over WWII stocks.

I've reloaded 1937 powder that I've pulled down from loaded 30-06 that I didn't want to fire with corrosive primers.

Now if I could only figure out how re-stuff cordite in the.303's I pulled it from

[Harter66]

That's no older than 1977 ........I have opened cans of Red Dot and Unique from confirmed 1967&8 lots I've been using up for 20 years. It goes a long way at 900-2000/lb in 15# kegs .

[pworley1]

I am sure there is a point when powder gets too old, but I have not found it yet. That can is no where near that point in my opinion.

[Rp-]

The cardboard feels pretty sturdy still and doesn't have mushy spots or snubbing so Im assuming it's been stored properly. I was thinking of giving it a go for some new shotgun loads I found. I'll try it out and let you guys know what happens but it might be a couple months.

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[Iowa Fox]

Heck! That green Dot is pretty new.
Old powder is the stuff you saw the old guys measuring out of the 100 Pound kegs into your brown paper grocery bags on their scale. Those were the days. We will never see them again.

[ascast]

"not safe" means it may not push a bullet out the barrel.
possibly a follow shot causes a bulge barrel.
shake it up good and test a couple
I have never heard of old powder blowing up a gun, a 2nd shot in a plugged barrel might.

[dale2242]

Powder is not too old until it goes bad.
If it smells and/or looks bad toss it.
Otherwise use standard precautions.
Start low and work up.
I have been given a lot of 'old' powder through the years.
I have found that none of it has gone bad.
Maybe I am just lucky.

[beemer]

I was given a unopened square can of BE with a price sticker at $2.65. Sold the can, still using the powder. I have a opened square can of GD, it looks right including the green dots and smells right. I will probably use it but proceed with caution.

When my Father passed I pulled eight boxes of Union shells out of his closet, #2 shot heavy loads made in Mexico. The heads were corroded and would crack when fired. I broke it all down for components, everything was good. After weighing powder and shot I went to several loading manuals. Best I could find the loads fit Unique, it looked like Unique too. I have been using it and the primers for light loads, especially popper loads for the 410. Have a nice bottle of #2 shot as well.

Kosh75287 has it right.

Dave

[15meter]

Heck! That green Dot is pretty new.
Old powder is the stuff you saw the old guys measuring out of the 100 Pound kegs into your brown paper grocery bags on their scale. Those were the days. We will never see them again.

Around here, the bags were blue double walled with the wire attached across the top, fold over the top of the bag and fold the little wire reenforced widget to lock it closed.

Last gunshop around here still pedaling bulk shotgun powder was forced out of business during clinton's war on "kitchen table gun dealers". He was in a residential neighborhood and had been there for 40 years. Operated out of a remodeled garage by word of mouth only. If he didn't know you or the person who sent you, you probably weren't buying much.

If I had to guess, his accuracy rate on refusal of sales was probably higher than the national background check.

[Duckiller]

I have shot gun powder from the 50s. Dupont bulk. Not sure what to do with it. When in high school I loaded lots of shells. My load some paper hulls.

[Frosty Boolit]

Heck! That green Dot is pretty new.
Old powder is the stuff you saw the old guys measuring out of the 100 Pound kegs into your brown paper grocery bags on their scale. Those were the days. We will never see them again.

This gets me wondering. I recently acquired a 1 gallon chlorox jug that was marked IMR-4895. It looked like the newer can grade IMR-4895 I have on hand so I made light load in .30-06 and test fired it. Recoil was light as expected and I will work up from there. The jug has a screw off lid and it isn't childproof so I assume it is at least 30yrs old. I'm thinking it was surplus powder that someone moved from a paper bag to a plastic jug, or did people just bring their own jug of choice to the gun shop in the old days?

[15meter]

This gets me wondering. I recently acquired a 1 gallon chlorox jug that was marked IMR-4895. It looked like the newer can grade IMR-4895 I have on hand so I made light load in .30-06 and test fired it. Recoil was light as expected and I will work up from there. The jug has a screw off lid and it isn't childproof so I assume it is at least 30yrs old. I'm thinking it was surplus powder that someone moved from a paper bag to a plastic jug, or did people just bring their own jug of choice to the gun shop in the old days?

In the last 10 years I've seen surplus powder being peddled in the white "Clorox" plastic jugs at Camp Perry. Don't think they worried about child proof caps.

Just wish I had bought a couple of jugs of it.