is it ok to store black powder in crawlspace?

[gun_collector]

Thinking about storing black powder in the crawlspace. it is a cool place. I would keep it off the ground in a wooden container. is this a good ideal?

 

[Phil Coffins]

As long as powder is kept cool and dry continually it will be fine. I would think plastic would be better then wood.

 

[FishDFly]

It might be in your interest to contact the manufacturer of your powder to see what the manufacturer recommends..

Seems to be lots of variation in knowledge of what is best.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Thinking about storing black powder in the crawlspace. it is a cool place. I would keep it off the ground in a wooden container. is this a good ideal?

Cool and dry is the key for keeping the powder stable. You did not say where the crawlspace was. If it is under your house, I would have second thoughts.
Be safe!
Flintlocklar

 

[fleener]

Dry and secure.

Fleener

 

[TNGhost]

As said as long as it is cool and dry. The lower the humidity the better

 

[hanshi]

As was said long ago, "keep your powder dry".

 

[user 43911]

Guy Fawkes would approve as a legit storage area.

 

[Bob McBride]

I prefer to store mine in a climate controlled space but it would probably been fine assuming you were careful about sealing the cans up tight. I do like the wooden boxes but then I'm 7th generation military and a traditionalist so mine goes in wooden boxes inside a big wood chest. i also leave my horns filled and hanging on a peg, I just make sure the plug is tight. Don't overthink it. Dry, cool, safe from sparks, and not teetering on the top shelf anywhere.....

 

[nhmoose]

Black powder storage just needs dry. Attics will work Dry is the needed part. It will not break down from heat or cold.

Smokeless needs cool and stable temps. Don't get confused by the smokeless guys ideas.

 

[Tumbledown]

Check local laws. As an example, NY requires it in a wood box, half inch thick walls, painted red, with white or yellow letters at least 6" high saying Low Ex. Said box can only be stored in a basement or on the ground floor, within 10 feet of an exterior door.

 

[Bob McBride]

Check local laws. As an example, NY requires it in a wood box, half inch thick walls, painted red, with white or yellow letters at least 6" high saying Low Ex. Said box can only be stored in a basement or on the ground floor, within 10 feet of an exterior door.

Jiminy Christmas....

 

[SDSmlf]

Thinking about storing black powder in the crawlspace. it is a cool place. I would keep it off the ground in a wooden container. is this a good ideal?

I guess if dry, ok, but would think there are better choices than a crawlspace. I envision little furry critters gnawing on wooden container until you have problems. Moisture barrier on dirt floor would help keep dry. Question as to why you would store in crawlspace?

I have metal blackpowder cans from the 1960s that still have good usable powder in them. A little surface rust, but obviously intact. No doubt that they were stored in a dry environment or they would at best just be rust spots. Agree that temperature doesn’t seem to bother blackpowder itself and in a metal container should last ‘forever’ for our practical purposes. The new plastic containers, I’m not so sure would survive temperature extremes, particularly heat. I have seen enough plastic containers crumble because of the environment they were kept in. Something to think about.

 

[tenngun]

I just keep mine in a wardrobe in the man cave. Black on the bottom shelf, lead ingots next to it. Fake powder on the next shelf casting stuff next to it. Gun tools next shelf home defense ammo. Knives and random ‘possibles’ top shelf.

 

[Semisane]

I just counted - 8 pounds of GOEX and 3 pounds of Swiss sitting on the top shelf of my man cave closet right now. It started off as 20 lbs. & 5 lbs. last Christmas.

 

[TNGhost]

Check local laws. As an example, NY requires it in a wood box, half inch thick walls, painted red, with white or yellow letters at least 6" high saying Low Ex. Said box can only be stored in a basement or on the ground floor, within 10 feet of an exterior door.

Do they allow any of it to be 4f?

 

[gun_collector]

attic gets hot. crawl space is exposed to outside air, the crawlspace will have no spark source, garage has sparks

 

[Bigbore]

Black powder storage just needs dry. Attics will work Dry is the needed part. It will not break down from heat or cold.

Smokeless needs cool and stable temps. Don't get confused by the smokeless guys ideas.

The wife of a friend of mine gave me his supply of BP when he died suddenly. I was wondering if I could use one of those food vacuum sealers to suck out the air in the bag and then seal it up, and put it in a large insulated plastic cooler and bury it in the back yard away from the house. I remember reading Lewis and Clark"s journals and how they used to bury supplies of powder in wooden kegs for the trip home.

 

[Tumbledown]

Do they allow any of it to be 4f?

Nothing about grade. BP is BP when it comes to fire/explosive hazard.

 

[Tumbledown]

I guess if dry, ok, but would think there are better choices than a crawlspace. I envision little furry critters gnawing on wooden container until you have problems. Moisture barrier on dirt floor would help keep dry. Question as to why you would store in crawlspace?

I have metal blackpowder cans from the 1960s that still have good usable powder in them. A little surface rust, but obviously intact. No doubt that they were stored in a dry environment or they would at best just be rust spots. Agree that temperature doesn’t seem to bother blackpowder itself and in a metal container should last ‘forever’ for our practical purposes. The new plastic containers, I’m not so sure would survive temperature extremes, particularly heat. I have seen enough plastic containers crumble because of the environment they were kept in. Something to think about.

The plastic used for BP is HDPE and won't degrade. It's actually safer than metal containers as the plastic will rupture or fail before metal will and be less of a grenade or bomb.