Black powder storage

[ffffg]

I need the infinit wisdom of the forum... I finnaly got off my @$% and bought a couple of those big oversized ammo cans to put my bp in.. Im moving it out of the house and am embarrased to say how much of it i was keeping in the house.. My question is -- Am i going overboard to put the all the powder horns in the cans? It would be pain on the butt, but have you ever heard of someone regretting keeping thier charged powder horn in the house?.. (the kids are gone,,,) dave..

 

[Johnny Tremain]

My Horn and bag hang off the rack where my rifle is in the living room.

No one smokes, and you cant see it form the outside.

 

[Ridge]

If your horn holds a pound and half or less then I'd say it's overkill to keep it outside.

 

[nchawkeye]

I've got 2 hunting bags and full horns in the clothes closet in my bedroom, never had a problem in 30 years or so...I have a couple pounds of assorted black powder in my wall cabinet down in the garage (under the bedroom)...I've told the wife and kids if the house gets on fire, get the heck out!!!

 

[ffffg]

I should say every gun has its own bag and horn, thats partially full thats about 3 pounds of powder for chamber and primer (in the horns).. It just occured to me i have a cigar box full of antique percussion caps.. some of them(boxes) are kinda neat.. I guy came to my store one day, and said "this belonged to our grandpa, and he died and we dont know what to do with this" a cigar box full of old primers some maybe 100 years old, and 3-4 pounds of older goex powder.. He was glad to get it out of his house, i was glad to have it.. So maybe that should go out of the house too.. I think im going to need another ammo can.. :grin: Dave

 

[Leonredbeard]

ffffg,
I have my cans in two plastic five gallon buckets. I have maybe five or six cans with powder in them. I put the buckets next to the overhead garage door on the outside edge of the attached garage. I figure if a fire started they would not be ignited until the place was about burned down. I would have plenty of time to get them out before the firefighters get there. When they ask if I have any gunpowder in the house I will take them over to the edge of the yard and point to it. Then they can go in and fight my fire. I also have gasoline in my garage in an approved container. It is much more likely to start and fuel a fire than my powder.
volatpluvia

 

[roundball]

Thats the way I feel about it...if a case of Goex can travel across the country in a cardboard box and be left sitting on my front porch, it's good enough for me to set that same box at the bottom of a closet in a spare bedroom where nobody goes except me...I average a case to a case and a hlaf in there at any given time...like you, I'm far more worried about gas cans and propane tanks in the garage or on the deck

 

[ffffg]

Thats right,, roundball, iv got map gas in the center of the basement in a closet..A galon can of alcohol under the basement sink for gun cleaning, IM doomed.. This place is going to go up like a rocket even without the bp.. :grin: I actually think carpet is quite flamable also.. dave

 

[roundball]

Well, if you believe in statistics, here's the way it works...

When a house burns down, occupants usually die of smoke inhalation long before the house is engulfed in flames so by the time the gas cans and various reloading powders & ammo start cooking off, it's a moot point...or the people aren't home at the time and it's a moot point in that case too.
So I sit mine on the floor of a downstairs closet and forget about it...just my .02 cents

 

[sidelock]

Hay fffg where is your store? I may come in sometime. :thumbsup:

 

[dry ball john]

:cursing: If its gonna happen it will!! I had six pounds of 3f along with two large powder horns full of powder in a metal locker that was locked. I also had four rifles, tools, two pistols
ect. A mean mouse bit through some wireing and the whole thing burned to the ground. The black powder was a little exciting though, soo no matter what precautions taken (I took many)just try to be safe as possible Dry Ball

 

[guncobbler]

I found a broken fire resistant/insulated safe about 5 gal capacity. Filled the combination holes with plaster of paris and just lay the door on the open top. Don't have much more than 8 pounds of powder in it.

It would not be too difficult to make a fire resistant box out of plywood. Make an inner and outer box separated by 2 or 3" and fill the empty space with plaster of paris. Make the lid the same way. Wood and plaster are pretty resistant to heat.

GC

 

[kayja]

you should do a search and find out if your state has their own regulations. my state wants the cans stored in a wooden box at least 1" thick that can be locked.painted red and a sign on it saying LOX--EX.... powder stored in steel containers are sometimes turned into bombs.
I made mine out of 2X8 Fur divided space for each can and lined it with 1/2" sheet rock and it is stored near a door, it's not a large box as we're allowed just five pounds at a time. the code says it has to be stored within 10 ft of a door.

 

[LFC]

have you ever heard of someone regretting keeping thier charged powder horn in the house?..

Nah--all the ones who really regret it are dead. :grin:

 

[paulvallandigham]

The only guy I know who regretted keeping his powder horn in his house made the mistake of putting it in his microwave oven-- just once! :shocked2: