powder storage

[irishtoo]

hi, i want to store my excess powder (black and unique) in an outside storage building. the summer heat is what concerns me. is that an issue? i live in southwest pa. opinions? thank you irishtoo

[farmerjim]

I have a 4 lb can of unique that was stored in an Louisiana attic ( 140 to 20 deg F ) for 45 years. It is still good.

[dverna]

I store my powder in an outside building as I have too much to legally store it in the house. No problems so far.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

No problem at allcr with black, as long as it is tightly sealed against humidity. Smokeless varies, including in ways that don't conform to rational prediction. In general it isn't too bad, and is very unlikely to make pressures dangerously high. But I wouldn't leave it in very high temperatures for a long time, and I would look for any unusual acrid smell or crumbling when it was opened. I have never heard that double-base powders, containing nitroglycerin, are liable to dangerous sweating like some industrial explosives. But I would, perhaps irrationally, put more trust in a single base powder for standing up to hot storage.

[SciFiJim]

I live in a desert area and store my extra powder in an out building. I store it in an old ice chest that has a layer of lead ingots in the bottom to act as a heat sink to even out the heating and cooling cycle. If I have to get into the storage during the hot summer months, I do so in the cool of the morning before the outside air heats up.

[Blackwater]

One of the problems with storing powder outside is the rate of temp change, which can cause condensation inside the can. To help prevent that, you can store it in the cheap all foam ice chests. This slows the rate of temp change considerably if you get the high compression ones. I need to store some outside myself, and I've been considering building a powder magazine just for the purpose. Just make sure you don't seal it, so that if it were to be in a fire, it can open easily instead of being contained and building up pressure. Without being contained under pressure, it just burns like any other fuel, but it does it at high temps. Contain it, and it's liable to explode with enough force to do damage for a significant radius. These are two of the most important considerations. I've also considered just getting an old freezer that doesn't freeze any more. One with a magnetic lock would open easily in the event of the fire, and the metal exterior would aid a bit at least in insulating it until MAYBE the fire could be put out.

If firemen know there's any quantity of gunpowder in a home, I believe most just sit at a distance to ensure it doesn't cause any transfer to other houses, and just let it burn. For a bunch of powder to ignite inside an old freezer, it'd have to reach a temp inside the house where it'd be totalled already, of course, so I can kind'a understand the FD's actions on this.

A friend was burned out once, and he had over 100 guns burn up in the house fire, and plenty of canisters of powder, plus lots of ammo. The ammo would pop as the powder inside reached ignition point, which is quite high, and the expanding gasses would pop the ctg. like a champagne bottle, and the case, being lighter than the bullet, would often go whistling off as it tumbled through the air. Nobody was injured and it was like watching a non-choreographed fireworks display. When a bottle of powder ignited, there'd be a whoosh and a brief spike of flame, and it would die down very quickly as it all burned up. I'm sure this elevates the temp of the fire briefly, during its burn, but by the time temps reach a level that can set off a canister of powder, the fate of the house and its inhabitants has already been sealed, I think.

Keeping it outside, though, requires some thought, and the best idea I've come up with so far is the old freezer PROVIDED it has a magnetic lock, and doens't latch. If it latches firmly, that might allow enough pressure to develop fast enough to make for an interesting display of its ability under pressure. That's all I really know about the matter. Hope it helps a little?

[MT Gianni]

I would get an old refrigerator and leave it plugged in. Let the powder warm to room temp before using. Should prevent temperature loss and condensation.