Old Black Powder

[old_mikee]

Howdy All

Newbie to your forum with a question related to the age of Black Powder.

I am just getting back into BP firearms, and wanting to shoot an 1858 Remington 44 cal pistol I just bought from Cabellas.

I want to take my wife shooting and will purchase a new can of powder, but I found I have an approximately 30- 40 year old pint size can of FFF black powder that has been kept in a cool dry area for all this time. (I had an old Flintlock rifle back in the 70's, that was a hoot to shoot, and want to get back into shooting BP, but want to do so safely).

With safety in mind I ask is there a simple test to determine if this powder is still good? If it is not, how do I properly dispose of it? I want to be safe and would rather error on the side of safety. I am sure you understand.

Thanks in advance for your replies

mike

 

[BrownBear]

If it's cared for, it simply doesn't go bad. I'm currently shooting some dated 1973. No sweat.

 

[jaw69]

Im shooting some 4f 1976 vintage. it goes bang better than new

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu will have absolutely NO safety issues. Black Powder doesn't Get "OLD" like smokeless powder does. If you kept it cool and dry it will shoot as well today as it did the day it left the factory. Enjoy. :grin: :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[sundog]

I still have some 1F Dupont from 1975 that I sometimes shoot in my .58.
Good stuff burns real clean.

 

[reddog97]

I shot up an old can of Du Pont last fall that I've had since back in the seventies-it was dated 1924 and it went bang every time.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

You might want to save that 1924 can for it may have collector value :hmm: . One of my friends gave me some 4F from around the same time period and he told me it had collector value......

Dave

 

[TFoley]

I shot up an old can of Du Pont last fall that I've had since back in the seventies-it was dated 1924 and it went bang every time.

When a local pub was being restored the owner took an old P53 off the wall where it had been sincea photo was taken in 1897.

It was loaded.

He called a couple of us shooters up to clear it for him.

Tying it up to a handy gate-post pointing it into a ditch, we capped and pulled the string.

It went bang.

Some of the stuff that came out were shreds of newspaper wadding dated April 1897 - Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee.

tac

 

[Mulebrain]

Black powder from the Civil War still works. As long as the powder is dry, it will go bang!

 

[David W.]

Since all the ingredients of black powder are natural products, it will no deteriorate with age as long as it has been stored properly. If it will pour without clumping, it will be fine to shoot in in any muzzleloader.

 

[old_mikee]

Great, thanks for all the replies. Good to know it is safe to use, and I do not have to deal with properly disposing of it. I am looking forward to shooting it "all gone."

thanks again for all your replies,

mike

 

[paulvallandigham]

Save that can the powder comes in. It has collector value.