Blackpowder storage life

[stormywyo]

Hello everyone--I have several one pound cans of BP I have had for 25 years or more. They have never been opened. What does everyone think about this as a safety issue. Does BP deteriorate??

thanks

 

[jtmattison]

Welcome to the forum!

Stored properly BP is good forever.

HD

 

[stormywyo]

Thanks-It was stored with some smokeless powder that had been opened and it was in good shape. Have 8 lbs of H4895 that is 40 years old and is in good shape (stored in a paper bag in cardboard). I guess I will give it a go.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

As long as it`s been kept in a sealed container so it can`t absorb moisture it will be good for a LONG time. Old original muzzleloaders are sometimes found still loaded with charges more than 100yrs old, and the powder still burns.

 

[Zonie]

I agree.
While smokeless powders complex compounds of nitrocellulose and other strange things can and will deteriorate over time (often giving off rather nasty smells), Black Powder is just a simple mix of ingredients. No chemical bonds to break down so, it will last forever if it is kept dry and at a temperature under about 180 degrees F.

I once read an article written by Mad Max which explained that the sulfur starts doing things above that temperature.

From a practical point of view, even on a 115 degree day here in Phoenix the inside of a cars body, setting in the sunlight with the windows closed doesn't get quite that hot.

 

[nw_hunter]

Gets rather loud if you store it above 300

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Finished up a can of Dupont 3f this fall that was given to me by a fellow worker who said he bought it in 1964. Worked just fine.

 

[musketman]

Hello everyone--I have several one pound cans of BP I have had for 25 years or more. They have never been opened. What does everyone think about this as a safety issue. Does BP deteriorate??

thanks

The black powder will out last the container it is sold in. Every once in a while you still hear of American Civil War cannon balls being found with "live" charges in them.

 

[stormywyo]

Hey --thanks everyone--all this is pretty amazing to me!

 

[MSW]

ayup- if you don't burn it up, it'll last a good long time... one of the neat things about this whole deal is that it serves to remind us, on several levels, that simpler is often better, or at least a good bit more durable.

after all the i- pod gadgetry comes and goes, you'll still know how to whistle

 

[Poor Private]

Musketmans mention of civil war ordinance blowing up ties in to what I was goin to post. One of current leading pactitioner of disarming civil war shells died this past summer when he was unarming a artillary shell in his driveway- BLOOOWWEEEY took out him and portion of his property. There is accounts of it happening off and on.

 

[renovato]

In just the last couple years, I've shot black powder that had sat in a hot storage shed since the '70's. It worked as well as new powder. No difference at all. No worries, shoot it and have fun! Save the can if it's a rare one. Some are becoming collectible.