Powder Storage?

[Bluegrass]

How do yall store your black powder/Pyrodex? I currently have a little more that 2 pounds of powder around here and need to know if I should store it somewhere out of the house. I'd rather not wake up one morning to discover that half my house has been blown away. :cry: :haha:

 

[Rebel]

I wouldn't worry too much about a couple lbs of powder. When i order 25lbs. i store my share in an old nonworking refridgerator in the garage. Refridgerator are supposed to be one of the safest places to store powder. If you put a hasp and lock on it, they are pretty secure too. Much more danger in the cans of gas, coleman fuel and such in your garage.

 

[sebago]

I usually keep one each of 2f and 3f in the house but all the others (about 10 or 12 cans) live in an ammo can out in the barn. Most of my smokeless is stored the same way, I just keep the cans I'm currently using in the house.

 

[Stumpkiller]

In the cans, or a powder horn or flask. NEVER store those items in a tight container. A can of powder makes a heck of a cloud of smoke should it go off, but if it's not tightly contained it is just a big flash. I have 9 pounds in the guest room closet (no kids) and at least that much again in various horns & flasks scattered around the house. Plus at least 10 lbs of smokeless in the cellar. It is no more dangerous than the road flares you carry next to the fuel tank in the trunk of your car.

You want to worry - ever seen what happens when a propane tank from a gas grill ignites?

 

[Griz]

I currently am keeping 25+ pounds in my bedroom closet right beside my side of the bed. I had considered to take it out to my wood shop but it get very hot and humid in there, my basement is very damp and the tractor shed is damp and humid also. as long as it is in the 1# goex cans, do any of you think the moisture would be a problem? can't see spending that much to ruin it with moisture.

 

[shmrck1]

Bluegrass
i keep between 15 to 25 lbs of different grades
of powder in a spare room of the house. my main concern
is keeping it dry, so i have a dehumidifier in the room that is kept closed at all times. there is also a warning sign on the door just in case of fire so that firemen don't
enter the room without notice. again just in case,anything can happen.
I am snake-eyes

 

[roundball]

Humidity shouldn't have any effect at all as long as the cans are sealed...having said that, however, I also keep all my cans of powder sealed in large ziploc bags.

I have shelves of various smokeless reloading powders in the garage, and a couple cases of Goex in a spare hobby room in the house.

Just last night a neighbor's refridgerator died and I'm getting it this weekend to use as a consolidated powder storage unit in the garage.
Have read several posts where contents in a refridgerator usually survive a house fire so I'm going to try that...seems like it would have to be better than just having the powder sitting in open places

 

[buckknife]

I do belive if you have much quanity of blackpowder,which is classified as a explosive it sould be out of the house.Also the local fire department an the 911 emergeny should know also.If there is a fire an more than one department arives 911 will have the info to give them where it is stored.If the fire department dosnt know and no ones there to tell them an someone gets hurt you could be liable,a sign alone aint no good because in the smoke they may not see it.
At least keep it in the garage or build a hut for it,an keep it locked up.Inform the fire department,these guys will be there to save your house or garage or maybe both.Maybe even you.Their jobs are dangous enough,an sum are unpaid volunters in small comunitys.

 

[2172]

I keep 2lbs of Goex in the house (garage) , the cans from which I'm filling my horns...about another pound in various horns. Someone gave me one of those repro Winchester wooden ammo boxes, and I have about 15lbs of various grades of Goex in that box, with a hasp and lock, in my yard building, about 50' from the house. I've stored powder this way for about 6-8 years with no problems from dampness.
I also store my garden tractor, and its gas supply there, and a spare 20lb propane cylinder. I have not put a warning on the building, but the box does have a warning label, as well as the word "Winchester" writ large...I figure by the time our local rural fire guys get here, the building will have burnt down or blown up...Hank

 

[shmrck1]

Roundball
it's just me and way i was raised with some people
that concidered dryness a must. not just for powder but weapons and all else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am snake-eyes

 

[shmrck1]

ROUNDBALL
You are much more informed than myself, but i'll
be damed if i will wright a poem for you or dyrl!!!!!
I am snake-eyes

 

[No Powder]

Pickup a couple of military ammunition boxs (neighbor was throwing out) got some dessicant to put in them for moisture control. Some of you will remember I had a problem with a can of b/p that drew moisture. Anyway with the rubber seal in the top of these boxs and the dessicant have had no problem since. Musketman thes box were marked "ammunition for cannon with solid projectiles". Sorry not from the Civil war but probably the Koeran conflict. I did remark the boxs Black Powder and they are close to a door where they can be removed easily in case of fire. This is a small town with a volunteer fire dept. that I have let know where the b/p is.

 

[roundball]

ROUNDBALL
You are much more informed than myself, but i'll
be damed if i will wright a poem for you or dyrl!!!!!
I am snake-eyes

What??????? :shocking:

 

You got a lot of accurate information.
Yes you should notify your local fire inspector that you are storing black powder, the maximum amount you could store and where it is located on your property.
Not to be a p.i.t.a. about it, but if you have a fire and 1st responders get hurt from the exploding powder and you have NOT notifed them properly you ARE liable both civily and criminally.
Be advised that if you DO notify them you might learn you aren't aloud to keep as much as you might think in your area.
I think I'd call anonymously first and ask if you are even allowed to have the stuff where you live.
I have a few pounds in the shed outback.
It stores more safely than gasoline.
The Mil Spec ammo cans are a very good idea. If the lids are on tight you should have no moisture problems.
The old refridgerator is a VERY good idea if you have more than a few pounds around as the fridge is nearly fire proof, BUT if it should blow it would blow hard, kind of very big cherry bomb!
One idea if you live where you can do it is to store the fridge outside a shed or away from the buildings and cover the thing with a tarp to keep it from rusting away over time.
I doubt the fridge would catch fire if it's stored outdoors.
Maybe I'll get an old fridge and store my few pounds in it and store the fridge behind the shed out of sight and padlocked shut!
Be advised!! You can only legally keep, own, store 50 pounds for personal use. If you have more than that I'd be quiet about it. Or store anything over 50 pounds at a friends house. Like MINE!!!! :haha: :haha:

 

[Griz]

Maxi, where can I get some of the moisture tight ML Spec cans from?

 

[roundball]

Military surplus stores, gun shows, flea markets, even in supoply catalogs like cabels, etc...but I've found the best prices seem to be at gun shows where you can deal a little if you get a few cans at a time...$4-$5 each in NC

 

[tg]

I prefer to keep my practices to myself, but there are federal and local rules/laws as to how much, where , and how BP can be stored leagaly.......

 

Right now all my powder(s), both smokeless and black, are in another building about 20 ft. from the house, under my loading bench. None of which are in use at the moment. When I get our house finished it will be stored under my loading bench in the basement. Same location it's safely enjoyed for over 30 years in other residences.

Vic

 

[Bluegrass]

Well, since I just have a couple pounds of powder, I don't guess I have too much to worry about. All of it's in the original container in my hall closet except for the powder horn in my room.

So if a pound of black powder is ignited in say, a Goex can, will it just bust a hole in the can and make a huge smoke clowd? I've never set off a whole pound of bp, so I thought it would develop enough pressure to make a purdy good explosion. But don't get me wrong. I'm not goin' to be careless around bp just 'cause it may not make a huge explosion!

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

Bluegrass,

Somewhere I remember seeing a demonstration of what a one pound can of black powder can do. Someone had wired it into the back seat of a compact car - the results were spectacular to put it mildly! The car was totaly destroyed and almost unrecognizable so for your own piece of mind, you might consider keeping even a couple of pounds outside the house. Smokeless powder "ignites" and burns very hot, black powder EXPLODES!! :shocking: