Silica Gel Desiccant packs??

[Rice-n-Beans]

Hey folks, complete noob here. I just set up my reloading table and propped up a brand spankin' new Lyman #55 powder measure. I plan on stokin' her half full of 2400. Now, heres where my question comes in. I live in Miami and I feel the humidity in my reloading room, actually all over my apt. I was thinking I could throw in a packet of silica desiccant on "top" of my powder inside the #55 hopper, and another packet inside the actual powder can. Do you guys think that would be ok, or would that somehow not be a good idea around gun powder for some type of moisture reasons, like it might over dry the powder??

These are the packets Im talking about.




Thank you guys

[WildmanJack]

Rice and Beans,
I live over in Punta Gorda, the humidity is just as bad over here, maybe a little worse as we don't get the sea breeze like u guys do. I don't leave my powder in my Lyman 55 or any of my Dillons for any longer than it takes me to load. Once I finish my last round I put the powder back into the can and store it in a safe. Now in the safe you could use a large metal dessicant unit or a bunch of those little ones. But even back in the 70's when I lived in West Palm and my powder was bullsEye in cardboard I never had a problem with humidity. Just my humble opinion...
Jack

[dragonrider]

Do not put anything in with the powder, dessicant paks absorb moisture, that's true, but they eventualy leak moisture.

[Rice-n-Beans]

Thanks WildmanJack, Im thinking that would be a better idea, just dump out the unused powder back into the can. Ill keep the lid closed tight on my can too.

I was thinking that maybe those desiccant pouches might over dry the powder in the hopper, and that might not work in my favor.

Thanks again WJ.

[winelover]

+1 on the way WildmanJack does it! It's safer also. I don't want to rely on my memory as to what kind of powder in the hopper after a period of time has passed!!

Winelover

[Rice-n-Beans]

Do not put anything in with the powder, dessicant paks absorb moisture, that's true, but they eventualy leak moisture.

Thanks DragonRider, I'm scrapping that plan, I plan on dumping the powder back into the can. I don't want to ruin the powders composition.

EDIT:Winelover, I plan on takin' a trip to office depot and buying one of those hand label maker things, that way I could label my ammo boxes and hopper. I cant read my own chicken scratch, the label maker will make reading my labels MUCH easier.

[94Doug]

I do put those in my mould boxes though.....

Doug

[Rico1950]

Leaving powder in the #55 hopper for an extended length of time will discolor the plastic reservoir.

[jmh54738]

It will also soften the inside like chewing gum.

[Rice-n-Beans]

Leaving powder in the #55 hopper for an extended length of time will discolor the plastic reservoir.

It will also soften the inside like chewing gum.

Thanks for the heads up. This is all great info for me since I'm new to the hobby.

[wiljen]

Talk to your pharmacy, all their shipments come with great big versions of those little desicant packs that they are usually more than willing to give away. I get a couple a month when I refill prescriptions and rotate them in my gun safe and powder locker.

[lgsracer]

You can reactivate the bybaking in a low temp oven for a few hours. See details here:

http://www.jakesmp.com/csd_silica_ge...tml#silicainfo

They can be reactivated numerous times. Get some humidity indicator cards to let you know when to reactivate.

http://www.jakesmp.com/csd_silica_ge...ica_005_M.html

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

What lgsracer said, but make certain to pre-heat your oven for 20-30 minutes before putting in the dessicant packs. Otherwise, the temps during pre-heat may rise high enough to melt the packaging that the dessicant comes in. Ask me how I know this.

[Bad Water Bill]

I have several 1 gal bottles that have been re dried MANY times over the last 35 years or so. Yes it still turns BLUE as it dries out on the designated COOKIE TRAYS

Take baby food jars fill 1/2 way with S J then drill several holes in the lid. Cover the top of the jar with a fine cloth and screw the lid back on. The jars are ALMOST indestructible in an ammo can full of moulds even with the handles on.

[JIMinPHX]

I've kept a Lee powder measure full of Bullseye for years now. That's the only powder that I ever put in that particular dispenser, so I'm not worried about it getting mixed up. I haven't had any problems. Naturally, since I live out int the desert, I don't need to worry about humidity here. If I were going to do that in a place like Miami, I'd probably tape a desiccant pack to the inside of the powder hopper lid & stick a moisture indicator card in there too. I wouldn't sit the desiccant pack down in the powder because I'd be concerned about it affecting the way that the powder meters out.