Powder magazine

[zimmerstutzen]

My house burned in March. Several cans of powder, stored in a ft locker upstairs did not ignite. In fact I am using it. Small propane cylinders for the blow torch and camping lantern blew with bits flying off (judging by the remnants I found) Aerosol cans blew. Much of the ammo was found intact in the ashes. The powder may have ignited but just bulged the case mouth enough to release pressure. The cooking oil and shortening in the kitchen caused more problems.

Modern refrigerators with their styrofoam insulation offer little protection from fire. They do offer a loose vented metal container around the cans if they do ignite to keep can shrapnel from releasing into the rest of the area. No locks on them refrigerators. Darn steel beam fell on the gunsafe and cracked it just open enough that the contents were burned up. Fire was so hot, that cast iron in the Basement melted. metal beam was warped. Brass and aluminum "puddles" were found cooling in the ashes days later.

Modern residential sprinkler systems are not designed to stop fires, just to slow them some to give you extra time to get out.

 

[ol vern]

If you are handy with money, Main Powder House sells a
magazine that is compliant with the federal regs.

 

[hunts4deer]

I had read that "Fireproof" safes actually have sheet rock wallboard as the main insulation. Apparently the heat necessary to burn through the sheet rock and heat up the inside of the safe gives that time delay that the safe manufacturers reference, such as good for 2000 degree exposure for 45 minutes, etc.

So maybe you can make a storage box with layers of sheet rock as a safe storage bin.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here's some fun reading:

https://www.atf.gov/explosives/explosive-storage-requirements


But before you hire the contractor also read this:

https://www.atf.gov/explosives/qa/black-powder-subject-regulation-under-federal-explosives-laws

If you have less than 50 pounds on hand there is no required method of storage or record keeping.

 

[jamieorr]

Great video, these guys know how to party! Would like to see someone burning some black powder. Might even be worth wasting some to find out what happens.

Jamie

 

[Zonie]

Folks thinking an ice chest or one of the newer refrigerators will keep BP from igniting better check out what they plan on using.

Most if not all of the modern ice chests or refrigerators use one of the expanded foams for their insulation.

It's light weight and cheap to install.
It works very very well at keeping things cold (or warm).

The thing it does not do is to survive in a fire.

It is a plastic and it melts, loosing all of its insulating properties in the process.

Really old ice chests and fridges used fiber glass.
It didn't do a real good job at keeping things cold but it was the best they had at the time.

Fiber glass will take the heat of a fire pretty well before it melts but finding something that uses it is almost impossible today.

As for locking it up, I understand the thinking.
We don't want kids or others getting into our explosives. That said, firmly locking up black powder in a strong container will turn a mild explosion into a violent one that can do massive damage.

 

[necchi]

Didn't watch the video did ya?
Believe me friend, 95% of us here are conservative by nature and back that Thin Blue Line 100%,
But this BP storage issue has been beat to death for over a decade here. Common sense and reasonable safety considerations are always due within this topic. The fact remains there are many commonly available items in homes and garages that present just as much a hazard as BP that folks care little to nothing about.
Too many to list,