Found in my father in-laws basement. Full and still in the cellophane wrapper.
Shiloh
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Found in my father in-laws basement. Full and still in the cellophane wrapper.
Shiloh
Wow! Now that was a find!
Was hoping it was still usable.
Shiloh
I was just shooting 2400 powder from the 1960's on Friday in my Marlin. I would imagine that powder you have is still good. To find out for sure, ask a neighbor you're not that fond of anyway to slowly unscrew a lid and sniff it. It should smell like the powders we're used to. If he doesn't keel over or disappear in a puff, you're ready for the next step, visually examining the powder yourself. I have 4831 powder from the 1950's with red stencilled ID's, Winchester 230P, and old Norma powder. I just try to be judicious in working up loads. You're an experienced shooter, so I imagine you'll make good decisions. When I'm shooting these old powders, it sends me back in time. I feel like I'm with all those old timers I use to marvel at when I was a kid that did their own loading in our area. I have American Rifleman mags back to the 1950's, love reading all the articles and ads about reloading components. Let me know if you need any load data out of the old manuals for the obsolete powders like 5066.
If they smell fine and don't have what looks like red rust dust mixed in/on the powder I'd use it in a heart beat. Likely since it was in the basement it never got so hot for that to happen. The last 444marlins I loaded up were with Dupont IMR4198 from the Delaware plant.
The only powder I ever thought "went bad" was from those old metal IMR cans. Partial cans of 4227 and 3031 -- they had a rusty dust that appeared when I poured them in a powder measure. I didn't have a lot of either so I disposed of them but now I am wishing I had shot some over the chrono just to see if they had really "gone bad". I don't recall any bad smell, though I didn't deliberately give 'em a sniff. I have a little 4831 I use for one elk load in one rifle so it'll still be here when the grandkids inventory my stash as they divvy up their inheritance. It is WWII surplus and was in a cardboard keg when purchased but now resides in a plastic Hogdon jug from some powder I used up years ago. It gives the same ballistics now it did when I bought the keg over 50 years ago (near as I can tell).
One thing I do when I get old powder besides the smell test is pour it into another container look into can and give it a good look over. About 5 years ago I was given a bunch of different powders one was bad a big keg of IMR-4831 top half of can was ok but bottom was red dust now my nose is not the best as I did not smell anything at first but when I pored some out thats when I could tell bottem of can was rusting through also.
Smelled okay, had the red dust. Hosta fertilizer and twilight powder burning. Was really hoping the 5066 was still good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moleman-
SHiloh
Safest option!
When in doubt.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Geezer in NH
Shiloh
If it still smells OK, check the red dust with a magnet. It may be rust from the inside of the can and not decomposing powder crud.