Storing black powder in a shed

[Sam squanch]

yet they have no problem storing propane tanks in their basement & garage

Yep. Safe clean burning propane….

 

[sheriff john]

I've had smokeless eat it's own can. Still shooting black powder from the 1960's from oval DuPont cans. Gasoline's more dangerous than black powder.

 

[French Colonial]

And acetylene and oxygen and Mapp gas and 30 or so pounds of smokeless and 5,000 primers etc. etc.

 

[Philo]

I have several pounds of black powder in storage in my basement workshop. After a paper towel caught fire recently while doing some soldering at my work bench, I had an epiphany that maybe I should find somewhere else to store the powder. I don’t have room for it anywhere else in the house, so my question is:

Would storing BP long term in a shed (no climate control) be suitable if I placed each container in a vacuum sealed bag, the kind that are used for food?

I live in PA where temperatures in the shed get below freezing in the winter and 90s in the summer, but the vacuum sealed bags should at least protect against humidity. Thoughts?

 

[Onojutta]

Philo, you don't say?

 

[45man]

I believe the Fed requirement for storage is 5# or less, any more and a remote bunker is needed.

 

[45man]

I knew a guy that was scared of BP and kept his cans out in the weather on a picnic table, well you can guess how metal cans fared.

 

[ZUG]

I believe the Fed requirement for storage is 5# or less, any more and a remote bunker is needed.

I think that is for a commercial business - the Feds don't regulate how you as an individual stories your powder - the state or your insurance company would do that.

 

[SDSmlf]

I believe the Fed requirement for storage is 5# or less, any more and a remote bunker is needed.

What country do you live in? US ATF says you can have 50 pounds.
https://www.atf.gov/explosives/black-powder

 

[Philo]

I've had smokeless eat it's own can. Still shooting black powder from the 1960's from oval DuPont cans. Gasoline's more dangerous than black powder.

Storing blackpowder in Sweden:
When I first began shooting blackpowder weapons e in Sweden about 30 years ago, I was living in an apartment with my family. I went into a blackpowder gun store in Stockholm and asked about storing this stuff in an apartment. He told me that smaller amounts - 4-6 lbs- could be stored in what looked like a heavy lockable attache case. He told me that the reason the powder will not explode in case if fire is that the case was completely lined in foam plastic. It seems that in a fire, the plastic foam liquifies and mixes with the powder, nullifying its explosive effect. Since then, Swedish bp shooters have built their own bp storage boxes by lining a smaller cardboard box with sheets of one to two-inch thick foam plastic, stuffing their black powder inside, and storing it under their beds. I’ve kept my attache case but have never experimented with foam plastic. If a member has a sizeable backyard where, you can dig a one-foot-deep hole. Experiment with a small taped-together foam plastic container of blackpowder, Start a fire and carefully kick the container into the fire. I can report your result to my Swedish colleagues positively or negatively if they can sleep soundly or not.

Philo

 

[earlwb]

Black powder is a mixture of substaces that are relatively stable on their own. Thus you can store it in a shed without temperature control. They still come across old buried artillery shells, buried grenades and antique loaded guns that are over a 100 years old that still have active black powder in them.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I have been storing my black powder in my 8' x 12' shed in my back yard for over 20 years with no harmful effect. The powder is in its original metal or plastic containers in a locked plywood box.
View attachment 320442

Nice shed! Bet that isn't a 20 year old paint job!!
Larry

 

[ZUG]

Nice shed! Bet that isn't a 20 year old paint job!!
Larry

You are correct Larry -- I had the shed re-sided and re-roofed a month ago. As you can see the facia boards and some of the trim needs to be painted yet. I built the shed in 1998 when I moved to CA from NJ.

 

[gray fox]

First and foremost is to see what your state and local laws say. If you ever DO have a "problem," the legal and insurance issues could be costly.

Last time I checked five gallons of gasoline or five pounds of gun powder were the limits. London Ontario.

 

[Onojutta]

Last time I checked five gallons of gasoline or five pounds of gun powder were the limits. London Ontario.

Therein lies the problem.

 

[Eterry]

My Surplus powder lives in the garage, non temp controlled. It's dry, and some had been there over 20 years. I keep a pound of ffg and fffg in the house for filling my horns.

By the by, I've Never had any of my powder, black or smokeless, go bad in the dry climate. I think a higher humidity may cause problems.

It's worth noting, 50 odd years ago, at the old Du Pont plant, a cigar box was found in an office with powder rolled in newspapers. The powder was tested compared to modern powder and just as powerful.
The newspapers dated the powder to the mid 1800's.
If the lid is tight I see no benefit of vacuum sealing the containers.
I had a can of Du Pont ffg from the early 80s I found on a box 10 years ago. It shot fine.

I think a bigger concern is the shelf life of THE SHOOTER! Lol. IDK if I have another 40 years in me.

 

[flconch53]

I believe the Fed requirement for storage is 5# or less, any more and a remote bunker is needed.

If you have a Federal Explosives license. For Private individuals there is no storage regulations

 

[springfield art]

Mine's in a shed in a heavy metal box; zinc, I think. I better check it now that you got me thinking about it, that it's not a "sparky" kind of metal. It's an old safe box. Thanks, guys!!

 

[Shotgunblast]

Last time I checked five gallons of gasoline or five pounds of gun powder were the limits. London Ontario.

Our laws are in metric. So 5kg in house and 50 kg in outbuildings.

 

[1sgt]

I do not store any powder in my house. My powder is stored in my small barn, 16 x 24, in a wooden crate on a shelf up off the floor. I have room to do my cleaning and a gun safe for rifle and pistol storage. Powder is not in the gun safe. No heat except when I am cleaning/working then I have electric heat. I also have air conditioning for when it gets hot and humid. None of that has an effect on the powder. The heat and air conditioning is for me.