powder life

[buggybuilder]

Can anyone tell me what shelf life a pound of ffg powder has? I feel that with all the high tax threats that are coming from the Wash. DC area, I think I'd better stock up.
Also, I would like to buy one of those Co-2 tools just for "piece of mind". Where can I get them?
Thanks.

 

[rabjr]

Forever... :thumbsup:

Bought my co2 shooter at Cabelas.

 

[F_Thomas]

Dumb question from a new guy

What is a co2 Shooter

 

[musketman]

Dumb question from a new guy

What is a co2 Shooter

I believe it is a CO2 ball dislodger that clears a stuck ball or bullet out of a barrel using compressed gas.

 

[musketman]

Can anyone tell me what shelf life a pound of ffg powder has?

There were Civil War cannon balls being found back in the 1980's that still had active black powder in them, as long as the powder is kept dry it should outlast us.

 

[Zonie]

It wasn't that long ago that a guy was trying to disarm one of those cannon balls.
No one is quite sure why but the powder in the ball detonated.

Needless to say, he won't be doing that again.

As was said, if the powder is kept dry it will last forever.
I read an article written by Mad Monk (perhaps the most knowledgeable person alive when it comes to black powder).
If I recall correctly, he said that if the powder is stored for long periods of time at high temperatures (above 180? degrees) the sulfur does something that isn't good for the container but he didn't say the powder would be less explosive.

Occasionally he stops by this site. If we are lucky he may give us some of his insight.

 

[sundog]

I shoot some Dupont powder from the 1970s from time to time in one of my rifles. Its 1F left over from a cannon we used to shoot.So 30 year old powder is OK.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I shoot some Dupont powder from the 1970s.

Im out of the 70s and 80s stock I had

Now shooting this shiney new 90s stuff

 

[paulvallandigham]

Black Powder has been known to last for centuries, even after getting wet, and then dried out.

But, don't confuse the infinite life of Black powder with the substitutes. Once the substitute powders are exposed to air, they begin to deteriorate, and lose their power. The chemicals used to make the powders oxidizes easily. Expose those powders to heat, and the oxidation process is speeded up.

 

[tg]

I have used some that dates to the 1920's-30's possibly a couple of decades older that went boom just fine.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

back in the early '80's I was give a near-full can of DuPont 2F that an old-timer who was giveing up shooting had owned longer than he could remember buying it. it shot fine and was very clean burning.

 

[flm_shooter]

I have several cans of late-70's 2F and 3F powder found in my Dad's old shooting box. They were pre-GOEX, still marked "Graf-Owens" or some such. They still shoot just fine.

On Edit: The price on the can was $5.50

 

[bingo1952]

That would be Gearhart-Owens. They bought Dupont's plant after it went boom one too many times.

 

[Poor Private]

At a local gun store after I purchased a 40 year old unfired 1860 army, the clerk said "wait a sec before you go, I want to offer you something". He went back to the smiths work area and came back with 2 partial cans of powder. They were both about 3/4 full, and dated 1988. One was triple 7 in fffg, the other was pyrodex RS. He said he would take 2 bucks for both containers. "sold" I said. After getting them home I gave them a try out, both worked fine. NOw I have 2 vintage empty plastice containers dated from 1988 with all the original label and price tags. The powder was fun to shoot in my Remington, and Colt. Not a single Pffftt from the chambers.

 

[tjohnson56]

Thats interesting, after reading your post I went to the gun cabinet and I have about 1/3 pound of Pyrodex P and 3/4 pound Pyrodex RS from about 1991.

I also have close to 1/2 a pound of some stuff called Black Canyon powder that a guy I knew gave me. This stuff seemed to be strange from the time I got it. It never fired with a bang, it was always with a pfff sound and the guy who gave it to me said it was all it ever did for him. The balls always came out but I have no idea how fast, now it is a gob all stuck together.

Might be fun to run some of this on a chronograph just to see if Pyrodex is as bad as some posts state.

Anybody ever use this Black Canyon powder and was it any good? Did it make any noise when it went off?

 

[Zonie]

Anybody ever use this Black Canyon powder and was it any good?
--------
Yes and No.
Yes I used some of it. No, it wasn't worth a dam.
A guy at the shooting range was packing up as I was unpacking. He looked at my guns and said, "Hey, you want some powder?"
Being a person that never turns down something free I said, "Sure."

After he left and I had fired a few rounds I thought, "Why not try that free powder." so I loaded up my rifle and pfff-bang.
As I recall the shot went low.
I then took the time to read the instructions that were printed on the plastic bottle and noted that it recommended using it in cartridges with a heavy crush so I loaded another round and rammed the ball hard. Same results so I put it in my car and brought it home after I was done for the day.

It sit on my shelf for about 8 months and I unscrewed the lid. It had turned into a solid rock like chunk so I pitched it into the garbage.

I haven't tried 777 but the Pyrodex I have doesn't seem to be affected by age very much. I should point out that I live in a very DRY area though and the high humidity in other parts of the country might weaken it after it is opened.

 

[Poor Private]

Zonie,
I don't have any idea where the stuff was stored, but since I bought it. I keep it with the rest of my powder. Down in my basement-(shhh don't tell the wife). Having not been down in the south-west U.S., and being from up here in the midwest I don't have anything to compare storage to, But I have stored powder in my unheated,unattached garage all year around with temps from -20 to +95, and I havn't had any issues with breakdowns.
I use mostly synthetic?? powder in my pistols. The only weapon I use regular black powder is in my long guns. I find that the synthetic is not as dirty as black powder and I can fire more cylinders between cleanings.
The most obvious thing I have noticed between the 2 types of powder is that "real" black powder gives off a bigger and more beautiful black cloud of smoke.
Anyone ever take a smell from the different clouds?

 

[MSW]

dustyjones

as regards your querry about BP, to guote G.F. Handel: "Forever, and ever, Hallejuala." (he went on to write other stuff, but it doesn't have much to do with shooting.)

as regards your question about CO2 dischargers, i don't use 'em, since i shoot flint, but you should be able to get one from Track of the Wolf, or Dixie Gun Works, or Cabelas.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I have used some that dates to the 1920's-30's possibly a couple of decades older that went boom just fine.

Was that Pyrodex or 777? :wink:

 

[halfstock]

I believe that the proof powder is upward of 300 years, that was from a keg from the late 1700's I believe. So to answer your inquiry it'll last a hell of a lot longer than your descendants will care about. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

Halfstock