Safely dispose of blackpowder

[backpackr63]

I just acquired an old powder horn that was filled with black powder. Previous owner thinks it may have been in there for 20+ years. The powder is somewhat caked up. What is the safest way to dispose of it?

 

[smoothshooter]

Try shaking it up for anwhile to break it up. Knocking it against the heel of your hand to get it started loosening up is what I would do. Even if it has gotten damp sometime in the past, it should be ok . There are many accounts of black powder being dried out and used after being totally saturated.

 

[FishDFly]

Dispose, deposit in your front yard and water in.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Shoot it. Can be broken up by shaking or inserting a wood dowel rod. BP doesn't spoil. At today's prices don't waste.

 

[akapennypincher]

I am not an expert on the LIFE of Black Powder, but if you get it out of the Horn. Take it to a safe place, and law it on the ground. Set it off with a match attached to along stick, poof it will be gone.

 

[necchi]

Makes great fertilizer,, high in nitrogen, as already said sprinkle it around the lawn and water it in.
No lawn? Flush it down the toilet.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Makes great fertilizer,, high in nitrogen, as already said sprinkle it around the lawn and water it in.
No lawn? Flush it down the toilet.

Heresy! :nono: Black powder lasts forever. It is expensive. Use it.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

pour it on your dog's food....de-worms the dog.

LD

 

[necchi]

:haha: True that!
I kinda figured our new member isn't a BP enthusiast and just wanted the powder horn as a novelty.
A true BP nut would burn the stuff somehow, if for no other reason than just to see if it still went bang!

 

[Rick Boylan]

Just my opinion but.. if you are a BP shooter then I would pour a small amount out and see how well it lights. If it goes poof than you have good powder and you can use it in your gun.

If you have no interest in using it for shooting then you can just pour it out on the back yard and pour some water over it. It breaks down into its natural components and will become soil once again.

It's made from nature and will return to nature.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Is the previous owner sure it is black powder? Before I shot any in my gun I would put some out on the ground and lite it off. The smell will tell you. Don't hurt to be safe :idunno: Dan.

 

[Swede50]

You have a good point it may be black and powder but is it black powder or smokeless.

 

[backpackr63]

I was told it is either black powder or pyrodex. I thought it would have a shelf life and be useless and possibly unsafe to try to fire off in one of my guns.

I got the powder out of the horn, and used a dowel to grind the chunks back to powder. I will try the suggestion to touch off a small amount on the ground and if that works, I will, pardon the pun, give it a shot.

 

[bpd303]

Never use a powder that you are not sure of. Not worth the risk. Just pour it on the grass & water it in.

 

[mooman76]

Just for your info, saying it is Pyro or real BP it wouldn't be dangerous in itself just from being old. At worse case, it just wouldn't work very good. I'm in line with others, if not 100% sure, dispose of it. Some guys like to do duplex loads also mixing BP with smokeless. Crazy guys.

 

[smoothshooter]

Black powder has an almost indefinite shelf life, as far as I know. But if you are worried about it, once you get it out of the horn with a dowel, pour it out on the ground in a trail and light one end. You will see that it will still burn just fine.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I was given several 15 year old + partially full powder horns, I poured a little out, compared the granulation what I already had stockpiled and dumped it into my Goex cans. The powder was 3F and 4F, shoots just fine.

 

[crockett]

Boy are you right on that. I have 20 year old black powder I found and shot okay but I bought it and knew it was black powder- cap on tight- not caked at all. Seemed as powerful as new. But on an unknown, you GOTTA toss it. And on the new smokeless- you can light that if it is in an open tray and get a flame but on the black- I thought it BLEW UP, never light it.

 

[Col. Batguano]

pour it on your dog's food....de-worms the dog.

Keep the dog away from open flames however, or else you may have a hot dog.

 

[Rifleman1776]

if not 100% sure, dispose of it.

I'll much agree with that statement.
But if you know it is real bp, wasting is sum kinda sin, I'm sure. :wink: