Old powder, still good?

[double8]

I have come in to some old Unique...from 1980.
How to tell if the powder is viable? The can is not rusty, no evidence of contamination. It has been opened, but not for quite a while from the looks of the can.

[ultramag]

Sounds like its passed the visual inspection. Now if it smells alright load a few rounds and test it out. It's most likely fine.

[richhodg66]

If it's been stored decently and it sounds like ithas, powder lasts a very long time. I bet it's just fine.

[gwpercle]

And look for a reddish powder/ dust inside the can. I'm not sure if it's rust, from inside the can, or the powder breaking down but that red dust and the sharp acrid smell signals maybe best not to use it.
Gary

[MtGun44]

No good! Send it to me for careful and safe disposal, 10 gr at a time. . . . . . .

As said, unless clumped, discolored or smelling acrid, it is just fine. Stored properly Unique
will last AT LEAST a century. Alliant still has some of the original batch, from 1890s, I think,
and stored under water it is still perfect when dried out.

Bill

[williamwaco]

No good! Send it to me for careful and safe disposal, 10 gr at a time. . . . . . .

As said, unless clumped, discolored or smelling acrid, it is just fine. Stored properly Unique
will last AT LEAST a century. Alliant still has some of the original batch, from 1890s, I think,
and stored under water it is still perfect when dried out.

Bill

I have some ammo loaded in 1972.
Shoots as good today as it did then.

[Reverend Al]

Geez, I sure hope so ... because I have a bunch of old (and many obsolete) powders that I've been hoarding for years to shoot up in my retirement! (So far I've only run into one old metal tin of "sour" IMR 3031 powder that had turned acrid smelling and produced dusty red residue when shaken gently ... so that one became fertilizer for the back yard!)

[knifemaker]

I have about 25 pounds of H-4831 that my Father-in-law bought in 1969 as military surplus. He used it for his two Weatherby magnums. I am still using it for those two magnums that my son has now and the powder still preforms like it was new. Keep it dry and out of very high heat & away from sunlight and it will last 70 or more years.

[double8]

No good! Send it to me for careful and safe disposal, 10 gr at a time. . . . . . .

As said, unless clumped, discolored or smelling acrid, it is just fine. Stored properly Unique
will last AT LEAST a century. Alliant still has some of the original batch, from 1890s, I think,
and stored under water it is still perfect when dried out.

Bill

MtGun44,
Ya, that's what I plan to do now...10gr at a time in the 45-70, maybe sneak up to 12gr.
Thanks all

[Catshooter]

Until just recently I had never run across a powder that was past it's prime.

I have heard about the "rust" in the powder being one the sign's that it's bad, but never seen it. A friend was give about twenty pounds of powder and we went through it to see if it was good. None of it smelled badly.

One of the steel cans was rusted through in one small spot so we poured that powder into a clear plastic container to look it over. We could see a few little chunks of rust so I suddenly thought of using a magnet to clean it out.

Oh my! The magnet came out covered with the finest rust dust you could hate to see. Ran the magnet through the powder again and again, didn't matter it came out covered in the same dust.

We threw it out.


Cat

[w5pv]

I have loaded and shot some 4831 that was sold when the price was $1.40.It seems to be as good as it was when sold for that price.This was sold some where in the middle sixties.It was given to me by a friend who wasn't going to load any more rifle shells but he is casting for 30/30 as we speak.The 4831 is mostly used up and I have enough to load maybe 20 more rounds.I will do that when I get some more brass.This powder still shoot as well as it ever did.

[bear67]

I don't know what year I bought it, but I recently finished using 2 cans of 4350 that had paper tags with $1.49 on them and they still produced 3/4 inch groups at 100 yds from my old tired eyes. If it smells right shoot on.

[plainsman456]

I just finished using he last can of imr 4227,the price on the can was 2.99.

The next can in rotation says 23.00.

test a few and see.

[double8]

Price on the Unique can is $11.99. Dated 1980.

[Blue2]

Slightly off topic but a few years ago when I got my Oehler 33 Chronograph I ran tests on original H4831 and the "new" H4831` and also the new shrt grain H4831. All three were giving velocites within 10 fps of each other with the same load.

[FLHTC]

I have two red metal kegs from the 1960's. They're both eight ponders with one being Red Dot and the other Unique. Neither has gone bad so your 1980 supply isn't too old after all.

[cuzinbruce]

I have used Bullseye, 4895, 4759 and others that I had purchased in the 1960's with no problems. I have read about the rusty dust but have never encountered it. If it looks good and smells normal, give it a try.

[Kragman71]

Hello
It's good to hear from "Cheapskates" like Me.
A whiff of smoke/dust is bad news.
Any trace of slime or stickiness; or tendency to cling together is also bad.
If the powder was stored properly, age is not a big factor
Frank

[N4AUD]

I own and use Hi-Vel 2 that has been properly stored. Some of it is older because the label design on some cans is very different from the others. I have some 4831 that was probably new in the 60's. On the other hand, I had a can of 4895 that I bought in the 90's that went bad on me with all the telltale signs- red dust, abnormal smell. I tossed it.

[Lead Fred]

My Bud's Dad passed, and he brought me his reloading stuff to get ready to use.
He gave me all the powder, which is mostly from the 60s and 70s.
He seemed to think it was too old.

My primers disagree