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<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  Powder Shelf Life?
putz463
PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 6:06 am  Reply with quote
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Location: West MI

MSM2019's response in another thread prompted a search for Powder Shelf Life but nothing came up. So...

In figuring out an issue with some of my 10ga loads (and dialing in a 16ga 1 3/8oz Biz load) I've learned of an issue with the evolving energy levels of Alliant Steel Powder through it's time in the marketplace and how some reloading data needs to be scrutinized and retested almost w/each new lot#.

Then the other day I went to purchase some Steel Powder and the born-on date is 9/98 Lot#005. I think current lots are in the high 30's low 40's. The store owner offered a generous discount since it was so old and I picked up 3 "new" 1#'ers.

Question; what if any is the shelf life of shotgun powders? Do they loose significant energy over time?

I will be searching the web beyond our forum but look forward to learning from our knowledgeable members.

Thanks in advance...

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MSM2019
PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 6:29 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 1819
Location: Central ND

If the powder is in it's original sealed container and it has been stored in temperatures that are 50's to 70's, the powder will be just fine. I have and I still am using some lot#5 of Alliant Steel and it performs just as it did when I first bought it. That powder has always been kept in the 60's to low 70's with the humidity held at 50% or less. Powder will last for decades if properly stored.

Hi temps, in the 90's and higher, high humidity, and unsealed containers are conditions that accelerate deterioration of smokeless powder. How fast it deteriorates is anyone's guess. Bad powder has an acrid aroma and will look brownish instead of dark gray.

Alliant Steel was/is not changed with every lot number, but it was changed once possibly twice since it was introduced.

The change(s) happened after Lot #5, but I do not have any idea what lot numbers were involved. The change, at least from my view, was to slow the powder down a bit, to allow more powder to be used, which produces more powder gas for higher velocities at the same or slightly lower chamber pressures than the original lots.

The issue is, if you use old data the loads will not perform as well with the new powder lots. This is NOT a dangerous sitiuation, but the velocities will be lower than published.

For Lot #5 you would want data published in the late 1990's and/or before.

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rkittine
PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 7:05 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Sep 2014
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I have pounders that are 30 years old, partial cans, that still are just fine. As long as they haven't gotten wet.

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df
PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 8:39 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
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Not sure it’s a perfect comparison, but in the 1970s, I used lots of WWII surplus powder in rifles. It worked great.
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oldog
PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:45 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 22 Feb 2019
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I recall a story about Hercules Unique that is stored at the Alliant plant . It is under water a sample is dried and tested every so often. the powder still performs as it should even though it is over 50 years old.

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putz463
PostPosted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 2:19 am  Reply with quote
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Truly appreciate the input, kinda what I've heard through the years, nice to have the confirmation. The powder doesn't have that nice acetone smell of brand new but certainly not acrid and is chalkboard grey so should be good to go.

I do have reloading data of similar vintage so will be building some test ammo from this 005 as a comparison to the rest of my lot 025 and current data. Will be sending this stuff over my xmas gift in the form of a Caldwell chrony so looking forward to this added dimension in my reloading hobby.

I've read on other forums that it is common practice to mix/blend succeeding lots with older lots as a way to attenuate the differences in energy.

Thanks again...

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Stack16
PostPosted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 3:46 pm  Reply with quote
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Putz Wrote'
The powder doesn't have that nice acetone smell of brand new but certainly not acrid.

If you shake it up you will get the solvent or acetone smell that you are looking for that it is good.

Griff

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Bobshouse
PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 3:27 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Oct 2005
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putz463 wrote:
I've read on other forums that it is common practice to mix/blend succeeding lots with older lots as a way to attenuate the differences in energy.

Thanks again...


Never mix powder lots....disaster waiting to happen.
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Bobshouse
PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 3:27 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Oct 2005
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putz463 wrote:
I've read on other forums that it is common practice to mix/blend succeeding lots with older lots as a way to attenuate the differences in energy.

Thanks again...


Never mix powder lots....disaster waiting to happen.
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onefunzr2
PostPosted: Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:30 pm  Reply with quote
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Over the years, the writers of Handloader magazine say that, double-base powder has an almost indefinite shelf life.

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4setters
PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 4:50 pm  Reply with quote
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Attached is an interesting read about Hodgdon Powder Co., which got its start buying, repackaging and selling surplus WWII H4895. The article doesn't say how long they sold this surplus powder, but I suspect it was for a number of years. I have used a number of older containers of powder (~20-40 years) through time--still using some. As long as I know the source or the package is unopened, I trust it. No problems to date.

http://ns.hodgdon.com/history.html

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megasupermagnum
PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 3:48 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 11 Dec 2017
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Bobshouse wrote:
putz463 wrote:
I've read on other forums that it is common practice to mix/blend succeeding lots with older lots as a way to attenuate the differences in energy.

Thanks again...


Never mix powder lots....disaster waiting to happen.



Why? As a shotgun reloader, it's not like we work up loads to where they start loosening the primer pockets after a few firings like some rifle shooters. What difference does it make if I mix the 1/2 lb of 10 year old unique with the brand new unique rather than load it separate? It's going to be fired with the same load data anyway.
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