Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Powder storage questions keg

I am at the powder storage limit in my home, i.e. 25 lbs, and over the weekend purchased an 8 lb keg of Ramshot TAC and also an 8 lb keg of H4350, from a going out of business sale. So now I have to find a way to store. I had planned to store in an outside shed unheated and the temperatures will get down to 25 below or colder. I had understood that freezing does not hurt powder but subsequently have been told that freezing does change the burning rate as follows:
Powder does contain some moisture. When it freezes that moisture turns to ice, and when that ice melts in the spring parts of the kernel of powder break off, and the now smaller kernels or grains of powder will burn at a slightly faster rate. I may have missed some of the details but that is the principal of what was outlined. Is this a fact or am I safe to store outside. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If you're worried about it, don't let it freeze. Run a small heater or burn a couple of light bulbs to keep it above freezing.
My powder storage is in my garage and I run AC in the summer and heat in the winter to keep temps between 60-80 F.

Never heard that one. Heat is bad, obviously, as all chemical reactions speed up exponentially with increasing heat - the exponent depending on the material. Here's what SAAMI recommends: Smokeless Powder Properties and Storage They say nothing about freezing. Beyound that how about e-mailing a manufacturer? Info directly from the Source!

I have stored my canisters of powder for many years inside plastic coolers in my unheated garage. It probably freezes and thaws several times a winter. Never have noticed the slightest change in burn-rate.

I have had only 2 one pound cans, 700x, given to me that were deteriorated. My bud had them in his garage, they had been his dad's, then his, then to me over years of time. This is Colorado, so pretty dry area. I would think the temperature swings would be a concern, but maybe it was the summer that did it in. And you will have to open them letting in different humidity air at different times. I have read of double base powder chaanging at low temps. We do however carry ammo in the cold when hgunting. There surely are more savvy people on here; I am a "gun reader".

As a follow up to my original question and to pass on the information , I did phone hodgson powder and they did confirm the moisture in powder theory, in fact I just asked if powder could be frozen and the individual opened with the moisture is in powder and it should not be frozen because the burning rate could change. I did however get the impression he didn't think it was too big a deal. However I will ensure from this point on none of my powders will be stored wheel they can freeze.

Thanks for posting on your follow up.

People actually worry about some 25lb limit?

Mmmm - probably should. Could be an insurance issue if you're unfortunate enough to have the house go up in flames.

Have yet to have anyone I know with a house fire ever be asked that question post fire...

Want to be the first?

Depends on what the particular policy says of course. Maybe something like knowingly violating fire code regulations? I don't know but worth considering I think. You're talking about bucks "bigly."

I think the 25# limit is for storage in the basement next to the green beans and tomato sauce. If you build a wooden box with 1" thick sides and a "blowout" panel (a "powder magazine")you can go higher. I'll see if I can find the particulars.

I did considerable research on local fire codes a couple years ago, and they vary considerably. Many are in the 200-pound range.

I consider 25lbs a good start. BTW, mine sits on a couple of shelves and a homemade cupboard.

More follow up. I checked with the explosives Branch of Natural Resources Canada who actually administer the Act and although I thought it used to be 10 kilograms i.e. stretched to 25 lbs, it is now 25 kilograms(55 lbs) in a detached home, or 20 kilograms in a home where there are common walls with a neighbour, or 75 kilograms if I want to get a license, which costs $70 per year and I would have to have an inspection of the construction and placement of the magazine. I think I will live within the 55 lbs limit. Also for for the storage of loaded ammo, the limit is 225 kilograms i.e. 500 lbs of powder within the loaded ammo. So I could store in excess of 50,000 rounds of loaded ammo. I have still have at least 49500 to go. Hope this helps some of you.

Yes, they do vary and mucho. The 200 pound limit you found probably comes from the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) which seems to be the gold standard on fire protection. Our state inspectors and fed inspectors (at least in part) require compliance for commercial operations. The part on smokeless powder is reprinted in the SAMMI pamphlet that I linked to in a post back a few.

For property insurance it all depends on what the insurance contract says of course. If you have an agent maybe he could help decipher your policy. But I doubt he even thought about the matter before.

That's all I know, never had enough powder in the basemen to be anyway near anyone's limit.