Oldest 2400 powder canister I have seen

[curt48mauser]

OK, this may not work out too well, I don't have a great camera and I may not be able to upload the picture here, but I have recently came across a container of 2400 that has red stamped numbers "2400" and lot #122 hand written in fountain pen on what could best be described as "grocery sack" paper wrapped around a one quart turpentine can. (Maybe a pint turpentine can) Any
information on this can would be appreciated. If the picture comes through, the container on the right was purchased this week, and the canister on the left is the typical late 60's early 70's.

[shredder]

Wow really neat. Can you tell us what the label says, I can not read it.

[fecmech]

Here is one I found a few years back. Powder was/is still good!

[Shiloh]

I have an empty of that one fecmech.

Shiloh

[curt48mauser]

Hi Shredder, To the best of my ability, "This lot of 2400 should be loaded 1 1/2 to 2 grains under to start with for small rifle and 1 to 2 grains under for large rifle loads. Fecmech, that is another can I have not seen either, thanks for sharing. I'm still interested to find out if anyone can approximate a date on this one. Lot #122 can't be too far into its production life. Time to do some Googling.

[labradigger1]

Fwiw, it looks like a IMR can that someone applied a label to. Possible the origonal can got rusty and they changed it.

[Ben]

I've had this one a LONG TIME.

I wonder just how old it is ?

[462]

I've one exactly like Ben's, but lot number 256.

I don't know how old it is, but it pre-dates zip codes.

[curt48mauser]

labradigger1, Maybe it could be a transfer to another can, but just looks like it was a blank can that someone may have filled from a bulk lot from the hardware store, maybe someone can shed some more light on it. I have written to Alliant to see if they can help.

[VintageRifle]

This is my old container that I load from. Lot number is 679 from what I can tell. Has alliant powder sticker applied as it was produced or in inventory when hercules was sold to them. I know its not that old.

[L1A1Rocker]

I've got one of the square cans, still sealed.

[retread]

In about 1960 I use to buy 4831 in that style can with just a plain paper label like that on it for a dollar (one pound). The guy in the local sporting goods store said it was surplus military powder some outfit had bought and they were filling these cans and selling it cheap. At that time most one pound cans were that same configuration and sold for about $3 a can (red and white dupont cans I believe).

[runfiverun]

I just finished a can of herco like ben has there.
I was letting the girls play with trying to figure out how to open and close the pop-top.


oh yeah,,, you have to punch a hole on the side of the can right under the rim to get all the powder out of them.
I poured the remnants from the metal can into a new fiber drum I opened.

[fecmech]

I've had this one a LONG TIME.

I wonder just how old it is ?

I know they were still available in the late 60's.I was buying Red Dot for skeet at the time and that is what it came in.

[Gee_Wizz01]

curt48mauser; I used to get cans like that in the late 60's or early 70's. The gun club I belonged to, would order large kegs of powder and transfer the powder to that type of can to resell to members.

G

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I was given four cans of powder like the one pictured by Ben except mine were painted grey. One of the powders was 2400. Two containted a powder called lightning. I forget what the fourth can contained. The date on the cans was Nov. 39. I only tried the lightning and that was in a 30-06. It worked fine but it looked funny. The powder granuels looked like little doughnuts. It didn't burn very clean though. I gave all the cans away along with all the other old cans of powder I had during my move last year. There is not enough room in are new digs to store something I will never use. Actually there isn't enough room to store what I do use.

[curt48mauser]

Thanks everybody for the followup, Gee Wizz1, Probably was an interesting can at the gun club that they were filling from.

Actually there isn't enough room to store what I do use.

Gopher Slayer, I bet many of us here have the same problem.

[USMC87]

I have some old cans myself but have yet to open and use any thinking they may be worth more unused someday.

[LeftyDon]

I've got an old 3 lb Hercules Red Dot in a pop top canister like Ben's 2400. Lot # is 72! I inherited it from my B-in-L and don't know it's history except he was very meticulous with his storage and load data and so I trust that it is Red Dot. Plus it smells fine and has red dots of powder in it.