BEST CONTAINERS

[user 48702]

Not at $80 to $100 a case. Then shipping and tax added... No thanks.

It takes about 10 minutes to cut and resolder and I already have the supply. Buying more would be a foolish waste of money, and I don't like round cans for powder...wastes space in box. Even my glass bottles of cleaning solution are square.

First off, one doesn't have to buy a case. Take another look at the link I posted Thermal Scientific , specifically says you can purchase a quantity of one (1). Can-Oblong-F Style (Not Round): Quantity (1) ea. $2.60 + Cap .15 cents for a unit total of $2.75, plus shipping of course. If one needed a small quantity, I would purchase a half dozen or so in order to even out the shipping cost.

 

[hanshi]

I've only found rust in one metal can containing powder over the past 55 years. It was a can of smokeless that had been around a few years.

 

[ResearchPress]

Here’s a link to a thread illustrating a 19thC solution to powder storage.

David

 

[smoothshooter]

Have shot powder from original unopened metal containers that was 25 years old w/ no problems. I like plastic as well , but warn folks to not store powder in glass containers. If dropped on hard surface , the glass might spark.

I have never heard of glass sparking with anything.

 

[smoothshooter]

I vote with TENRING and DEERSTALKER. Plastic. My old cans have rusted. I keep in sealed thick small arms surplus cans inside of larger surplus sealable thick walled cans. I worked with BP for 20 years. You don’t want an explosion in your basement without safe containment.

Sounds like you WILL have a big explosion in your basement if your house burns.
You need to re-think your storage arrangement. Big-time.
Isn’t “ containment what you want to avoid?
black powder + containment + high heat / fire = KABOOM !
black powder + high heat /fire - containment = WHOOSH !

Ideally, I suppose some sort of containment would be okay if the explosion or WHOOSH could be directed straight up into the sky through the roof or up a chimney type structure, but few users have that setup.

 

[S.Kenton]

I have my powder stored in the original cans that it came in. Some are plastic but most are metal. I have all cans stored in wooden ammo boxes.. my buddy stores his black powder in his freezer.. I may end up doing that when I get some room in mine.
For now, I leave all my powder in my house, I have contemplated putting the boxes in a storage locker in my pole barn.

 

[shorthair]

Did you ever recover any of the detonated cartridge cases after a fire? While assigned as a CID Agent at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC in the early 1980s, I had a case where two Marines were injured at a training range in the Verona Loop area of the base. A brush fire started at one of the ranges and junior troops were ordered to extinguish the fire as best as they could. About all they had to fight the fire with was a few shovels and most were just flailing the ground with shelter halves. I received a call that two of those Marines were injured and had been transported to the Naval Hospital with wounds. The MPs referred the incident to our office since it was reported that the injured had suffered bullet wounds from unspent cartridges in the fire. Upon arrival, it was determined that projectiles from unspent cartridges had wounded the two Marines, one received a 5.56 round just above the wrist, lodged between the ulnar and radius, the other Marine had a round lodged against a rib on his flank. ER Doc stated that if the rib hadn't stopped the round, it would have more than likely caused internal damage, liver, kidney, etc. I went out to the range where the incident occurred and found quite a few unfired cartridges that had detonated in the brush fire. Here is a photo of one that was recovered from the range.
View attachment 105228

If the round was chambered then it will behave like any fired slug, dropped a .22 in a fire and the case wet about 8-10 feet.

 

[DuncNZ]

I have my powder stored in the original cans that it came in. Some are plastic but most are metal. I have all cans stored in wooden ammo boxes.. my buddy stores his black powder in his freezer.. I may end up doing that when I get some room in mine.
For now, I leave all my powder in my house, I have contemplated putting the boxes in a storage locker in my pole barn.

An old , non working ,freezer makes a good powder store , it has plenty of insulation to protect the powder from thermal changes & the lid opens easily so it doesn't become a bomb .

 

[Tumbledown]

I have my powder stored in the original cans that it came in. Some are plastic but most are metal. I have all cans stored in wooden ammo boxes.. my buddy stores his black powder in his freezer.. I may end up doing that when I get some room in mine.
For now, I leave all my powder in my house, I have contemplated putting the boxes in a storage locker in my pole barn.

It will draw condensation every time it's taken out of the freezer.

 

[Tumbledown]

I vote with TENRING and DEERSTALKER. Plastic. My old cans have rusted. I keep in sealed thick small arms surplus cans inside of larger surplus sealable thick walled cans. I worked with BP for 20 years. You don’t want an explosion in your basement without safe containment.

If the powder goes, you won't have safe confinement. You have effectively made bombs.

 

[Tumbledown]

The best way to store powder is in 1 pound containers (metal or plastic) or in horns, with those in a thick-walled wood chest or cabinet. The wood offers a level of insulation and fire resistance and will not become a bomb.

Metal containers like ammo boxes only transfer heat and will become bombs. You will likely have complications dealing with your insurance and fire marshal.

 

[S.Kenton]

It will draw condensation every time it's taken out of the freezer.

He never seems to have any trouble. Next time I’m over at his house I’ll ask him ask him about it in detail.

 

[excess650]

I bought "bulk" years ago and transferred it into cans that I had emptied previously. Stored in my garage, subject to significant humidity changes, the cans have rusted over time. I've since switched over to plastic sourced from a BPCR shooter.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Did you ever recover any of the detonated cartridge cases after a fire? While assigned as a CID Agent at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC in the early 1980s, I had a case where two Marines were injured at a training range in the Verona Loop area of the base. A brush fire started at one of the ranges and junior troops were ordered to extinguish the fire as best as they could. About all they had to fight the fire with was a few shovels and most were just flailing the ground with shelter halves. I received a call that two of those Marines were injured and had been transported to the Naval Hospital with wounds. The MPs referred the incident to our office since it was reported that the injured had suffered bullet wounds from unspent cartridges in the fire. Upon arrival, it was determined that projectiles from unspent cartridges had wounded the two Marines, one received a 5.56 round just above the wrist, lodged between the ulnar and radius, the other Marine had a round lodged against a rib on his flank. ER Doc stated that if the rib hadn't stopped the round, it would have more than likely caused internal damage, liver, kidney, etc. I went out to the range where the incident occurred and found quite a few unfired cartridges that had detonated in the brush fire. Here is a photo of one that was recovered from the range.
View attachment 105228

I remember hearing about that. I was at LeJeune from 1986-1989.
One of my Marines thought it was going to be funny, tossing a live round into a tiny campfire his fire team had made...., it must've landed bullet-tip down in the fire, because when it went off the cartridge case flew up and hit the Lance Corporal right between the eyes and knocked him out for a few seconds. You could tell by the mark on his face the butt end of the cartridge hit him square.

This was brass cartridges. I wonder what will happen when some of that Russian steel cased rifle ammo goes up?

So bringing it back to the forum, I store my powder well away from my fixed ammo, as it might give the Fire Department time to douse the area of the powder or the ammo. At least they won't have a column of fire from the powder coupled with the pop-zing, pop-zing, pop- zing of the ammo cooking off.

LD

 

[Brokennock]

Interesting how in order to sell black powder a retailer has to keep it in a magazine that meets certain thickness specifications,,,,, of the metal box walls......

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Interesting how in order to sell black powder a retailer has to keep it in a magazine that meets certain thickness specifications,,,,, of the metal box walls......

If one wants to examine the silliness of laws regarding replicas of antique firearms, or the ammo components, we should start a new thread.

LD

 

[Brokennock]

If one wants to examine the silliness of laws regarding replicas of antique firearms, or the ammo components, we should start a new thread.

LD

I was more referring to all the comments by people that anyone putting their plastic bottles of powder in a metal box has made a bomb.
Not even getting into some of the other claims and ridiculous b.s. being spouted by our resident keyboard experts.

We make a pipe bomb every time we load our guns. Even if the container doesn't explode, the presence of gunpowder, black or smokeless, doesn't improve the situation of a house fire. We know the risks, we weigh our odds and cast our dice.

I agree many of the laws and rules, for many, many things, are arbitrary and not based on reality. But, can someone here provide some examples of retailer magazines blowing up in a fire,,,, better, how about some examples of metal boxes of some type being used to store powder in a home blowing up in a fire?
How about some pictures of condensation inside of a sealed metal container?
No? What? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't take my glass of kool-aid off the serving tray.

 

[Tumbledown]

Interesting how in order to sell black powder a retailer has to keep it in a magazine that meets certain thickness specifications,,,,, of the metal box walls......

Yes, and stored far away from other buildings. We are talking about occupied buildings, or those adjacent to occupied buildings.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I have some powder still in the original metal cans, which is how it was sold until just a few years ago. Some of the older cans were showing a little rust. I went over the rusty areas wth steel wool, then wiped the cans clean, then wiped them with the same chamois saturated with LSA that I use to wipe guns going into storage. This seemed to take care of the rust. Oddly enough, the insides of the cans, in contact with black powder, were as clean as could be. I checked.

Notchy Bob

 

[FishDFly]

Folks are always talking about fire, what is the statistical probability of your house catching on fire? How many houses where you live catch on fire each year?

I would be more worried about some one breaking into my house and taking my guns.