Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Old metal cans of IMR Powder, are they worth anything?

I was going through some of my reloading "stuff" today and I found some of my old cans of IMR have started to go bad. These are in the old metal cans. Are these cans worth anything or are they junk which need to be thrown away? BTW, I have already dumped the powder.

They are great for photo props

Great as mancave/gunroom decor especially the early red white and blue cans.

Yeah, which is the main reason I have some around, along with a few of the old Hodgdon cardboard powder "cans."

I still have a couple of the 8-pound IMR metal cans, but they're holding new powder. They fit better in my powder storage coolers than any of the new plastic containers, due to the rectangular shape. The plastic containers are either round, or at least rounded.

I had some 30+ ones I called Hogdon about before I tossed them, they said they have one of each can they ever made in the museum.

- I still got a bunch of 30+ year old primers I don't know what to do with.

Mule Deer,

Do you have any idea, what the cans are made from? I tried a magnet and it does stick to it.

That is what I was thinking, but my wife is having her fall cleaning mood. Looks like they may be headed for the trash or recycle bin.

I've always assumed they were steel, since a magnet sticks and they will rust!

If they've been stored properly then use them. Not that long ago I finished up a stash of 30+ year old primers and they worked great.

Thanks. I thought the same as well.

Glad this thread popped up; because I recently "rediscovered" an old metal 1 lb. IMR-4320 can, (empty) and was wondering what to do with it. Guess it can stay here for "interior decoration" purposes. It's the only metal can left around here so it could also be for that "retro" look.

Go bad? I have some powder that's been around for many a year including some in cardboard containers so what do I look for to identify "bad"?

Hanging around by the corner, always giving you the "eye" when you drive by....

Damn, I have a bunch still sealed.

and/or use the contents in a 7x57 load test.

I have primers from the 40's that are still good (FA-70 gov't primer).

My 86 year old landlord gave me a bunch of powders, DuPont and Alcan from the 60's. It was all good yet despite having been stored in a garage a lot of that time. As I emptied the cans I tossed them- have enough of that junk around! If I get anymore I'll post them here.

How about a 60 year old steel keg of Bullseye, round an red, with a bunch of powder still in it? It's still good yet too; I've been whittling away at it for years. Takes a while when your bites are only a couple grains at a time!

I remember when Hodgdon was still selling WWII surplus 4831 in cardboard kegs for around $.50/pound. My dad and his buddies would split a 20-pounder. I still have some of that powder decanted into screw top steel cans, which I use for "nostalgia" ammo now and then.

I've still got some that are sealed and full of powder. I also have some Unique & Bullseye from the 1930's that are full and still sealed from the factory.

ALL my IMR powders look like those. MOST are still sealed. SO FAR, I have not had any powder to go bad. SO FAR.

If you have metal cans of IMR powder, I'll be glad to get them off your hands. A simple PM will get the ball rollin.

Jerry

Look into the container and you will see what looks like rust mixed in with the powder. You may also see it along the walls of the container.

My IMR-4831 used to look like that isn't it just the coating of the kernels of powder? That stuff I used to burn sure wasn't bad!