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

Got some of this. Looks like rust mixed with the powder. It will kick up some air born brown dust when poured through the funnel. It's one of my IMR powders I still have but I don't remember which. I have been using Hodgden powders for the past five years. What am I dealing with?

Have 16 cans of IMR4350 Dad left. Says improved military rifle powder on the can. Not using it just sits on the shelf.

Seven years ago I got a case of Remington 9 1/2 primers marked 1956 on the box. They were packaged from Remington in a white cardboard box and the primers were packaged in little wooden boxes with cardboard sliders. I reloaded every one of those primers and they all went off and accuracy wasn't a problem.

As to the original question, I would say that the fact that I have a few is proof positive that they have no monetary value.

Not IMR, but interesting, nevertheless.



A good friend gave me two of those, probably bought them in 1960, and I spent one loading for a 222R and a friend's 444M. It smelled good, looked good, and performed almost exactly lime new N200.

I decided to keep this second can unopened and wearing its original seal.

Most are full. [img:center][/img]

Empty powder cans are regularly offered and sold on gunbroker and ebay, occasionally for good prices.
--Bob

Sealed cans, I would be interested in if not rusted on the outside.
Open cans, if the powder smells bad it makes good lawn fertilizer, if it smells normal use it.

Rug3,
That powder is decomposing. It is no longer safely usable. At some point in the future it can become unstable and dangerous. You should just sprinkle it out into the lawn or garden.

Here is an extremely informative link about the dangers of deteriorating powder, courtesy of DENTON:

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=157820

Sure glad this thread appeared. Looks like the lawn gets some nitrates.

Thanks men
Jim