Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Does smokeless gunpowder have a shelf life?

Gents,
I received a number of boxes of old hunting gear and equipment that came from a 90 year old man cleaning out his basement.
It included a number of sealed 1 quart glass jars with different rifle powders in them. They are all labeled with maker, type, and the date it was stored. It's been kept, dry,cool, and out of the sunlight (I asked). It was put in storage between 1967 & 1969!

It's 4831, 4320, & 3031, and only amounts to a few pounds.
Would you use it?

It's probaby still good. Sounds ike it was stored correctly.

Give it a sniff. If it has an acrid, burning-your-nose type smell, it's bad. Take a look at it. If it has a powdery brownish look to it, it's bad. If it still smells like gunpowder should (sniff a new can for reference?), and looks good, go ahead and load a few rounds to try it.

Storage conditions makes the difference. ColdBore gave you the usual tests - check it out as he indicated. If it smells fine and looks good try it and see. I have tested one lot (5 lb red can) of Hercules 2400 that was made in 1968 (lot #288). It fires identical velocities through my chronograph when compared to Alliant 2400 lot #698 (all other components being identical and fired from the same gun on the same range session). Old age hasn't made it lose a thing, not even a few FPS!

A pound of gunpowder rarely lasts very long on the shelf above my bench, but just last week I found a container that got shoved to the back and I loaded some ammo with it. Everything worked fine, and that sucker had been there for two and a half months.

I wouldn't load any of them to max data to start..

I had some powder that I pulled out of surplus WW 2 30/06 loads, the cases were marked 1939 to 1942... I pulled the FMJ bullets off of them for an older guy I know who wanted to load the bullets in his 300 Win Mag...

He let me keep the brass and the powder, I did about 30 or 40 rounds..

the powder evidently was IMR 4895 or similar burn rate...

I loaded it up in 22.250 cases using about 10% less than max load data.... that surplus 4895 actually turned in tighter groups than regular new IMR 4895...

it wouldn't bother me to use it..

I'd load up a round or two and fire them just to make sure the powder hadn't gone flat... but if it was kept dry it should be good to go..

Alliant had a bunch of 100 y/o plus, Unique.. some was pulled out of the container and tried and it works like a champ..

Thank you guys,
I'm gonna give it a go, and see what happens...
Will post results FYI.

Michael

The fact that the labeling isn't factory would worry me a bit though. But, that's just me.

If it passes the color and sniff test, get with it. I just used the last can of Dupont 4320 that I purchased in 1963. Run it through the wife's 6mm. I need to recheck, but I believe the price tag said $2.50.

Powder that cheap you should keep forever.