Storing Powder & Caps

[user 33697]

I'm looking for some ideas and solutions for storing powder and caps. My house is single level with no basement or outside temperature controlled building or shed.. The only temperature controlled space is in my house but that's not the most prudent place to store the stuff. The only place left is my garage where I currently have Hodgdon Triple 7 and BP powders in their original plastic containers with the caps in a sealed ziplock bag with dessicant stored inside a wooden box on the garage floor. Problem is that the garage gets up to 100 degrees F in the summer. I thought about a portable air conditioner for the garage but that's very expensive plus electricity cost these days. So....I'm stuck with the garage. I think that my question is what would be the shelf life of the powder and caps given high temperatures if I continue to store the powder and caps in my garage? Any thoughts or alternative storage ideas from forum members would be appreciated.

 

[SwampBilly]

I just keep mine in the house in a cabinet that is used only for that. It is just me and my girlfriend and she is very well aware of what is stored there and to keep any potential ignition source away.

I suppose if you have children around it could be another story. I just bought some powder the other day and FedEx packaged it up like they were shipping anthrax or something.

I cut the big red caution label off of the box that said black powder for small arms, flammable solid and put it on the cabinet.

But then again I only have around 5 lb and if I had closer to 50 lb I might be a bit more concerned.

I understand some people use a powder magazine but I don't know exactly what that is so I can't speak to that.

They didn't have air conditioning back in the day and they seem to get by with storage.

I live in South Florida so I really wouldn't want to store it out in my shed due to excessive humidity.

 

[Rendezvous Valley Trading]

I store all my powder in a wooden shed on my property. It’s inside the shed and inside a set of locking wooden kitchen cupboards on wheels so I can move it around. I live in north western Wyoming. The temperature extremes don’t bother it at all, but it’s super dry here and doesn’t get really hot. Mostly low eighties are our hottest. The shed doesn’t get too bad. And the -40 in the winter doesn’t bother it. It’s slow to warm and cool. Probably has something to do with it. IDK. Has worked for a couple decades... same thing with caps.

 

[Darto]

Inside the house here (in a loose lidded wooden box). The garage is too hot. Todays temp outside was 108 F. About 78 F. inside. We also get fog in the winter which seeps into the garage, never the house.

 

[Tumbledown]

I'm looking for some ideas and solutions for storing powder and caps. My house is single level with no basement or outside temperature controlled building or shed.. The only temperature controlled space is in my house but that's not the most prudent place to store the stuff. The only place left is my garage where I currently have Hodgdon Triple 7 and BP powders in their original plastic containers with the caps in a sealed ziplock bag with dessicant stored inside a wooden box on the garage floor. Problem is that the garage gets up to 100 degrees F in the summer. I thought about a portable air conditioner for the garage but that's very expensive plus electricity cost these days. So....I'm stuck with the garage. I think that my question is what would be the shelf life of the powder and caps given high temperatures if I continue to store the powder and caps in my garage? Any thoughts or alternative storage ideas from forum members would be appreciated.

This has been asked and answered ad nauseam. And frankly, some of the answers have offered irresponsible or improper advice. You should check your local laws first, just to cover your butt for liability and homeowners insurance if you have an "incident."

Me, I'd keep the BP in the wood box in a closet close to an exterior entry, and everything else wherever convenient. NY is ok with that, so it shouldn't be much of an issue anywhere else.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Under the wife’s side of the bed.

 

[CaptainVane]

Under the wife’s side of the bed.

Best reply in long time! Keep some under her car seat?!

 

[CaptainVane]

Our house on slab, room off family room, has closet. Caps and powder in there. Not worried.
We had a serious house fire in 2014, requiring a full gut and rebuild.
No powder in flasks, modern bullets, cans of powder, caps, etc went off.
Don’t worry about it. I don’t.

 

[Griff093]

I have an old, non-working refrigerator out in my barn that I use for storing my powder, (smokeless & BP in the refrigerator section, and primers in the old freezer section. The seals are still good on the door. It's a metal pole barn. The frig sits in the workshop portion of the barn, concrete floor and has the 25' workbench that's also my reloading room. Not temperature controlled, but some of that powder has been in there for most of the 32 years I've lived here. I haven't even found any "clumping" in some of my lesser used powders. Everything, I've used goes bang. Powder is stored in the original containers, as are the primers. Caps are usually kept inside the house with my other shooting supplies, including loaded ammo.

 

[64Springer]

There's nothing dangerous about powder or primers.

Keep them in your home.

There's an old adage about guns and gun powder: If you can't live in the environment you're about to subject your guns and powder to, then your guns and powder shouldn't be residing there either.

The only other solution is to sell the guns and powder and take up the relatively safe hobby of Beanie Baby collecting.

 

[CaptainVane]

Seriously, folks, a plastic container of T7 will melt but not explode. Same with a tin of caps. None of it is under pressure. Its like pour a full load of powder in a pistol chamber, no ball no wad. Cap and fire. You will get a poof. Powder in house wont explode.

 

[michacooks]

Had a brother in law in the 70's that kept it in the freezer, no moisture problem. I just keep my in my shop cabinet, climate controlled with a dehumdifier.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yer overthinking this non-issue. Put on shelf wherever you want. House, basement, garage, etc.

 

[64Springer]

Seriously, folks, a plastic container of T7 will melt but not explode. Same with a tin of caps. None of it is under pressure. Its like pour a full load of powder in a pistol chamber, no ball no wad. Cap and fire. You will get a poof. Powder in house wont explode.

Exactly Correct.

Many studies have borne this out.

 

[necchi]

In the house is fine.
Best spot is on the floor in a corner of a closed door closet.

 

[kyron4]

I'd be more worried about all the flammable liquids found in most garages and sheds than BP in the house.

 

[Edm]

I stored powder, both BP and smokeless in a shed in my yard in MS, a garage in AR and a garage in KY. Some I got close to 30 years ago. Never had a problem with it. I do keep caps in an ammo can.

 

[Doc]

I'm looking for some ideas and solutions for storing powder and caps. My house is single level with no basement or outside temperature controlled building or shed.. The only temperature controlled space is in my house but that's not the most prudent place to store the stuff. The only place left is my garage where I currently have Hodgdon Triple 7 and BP powders in their original plastic containers with the caps in a sealed ziplock bag with dessicant stored inside a wooden box on the garage floor. Problem is that the garage gets up to 100 degrees F in the summer. I thought about a portable air conditioner for the garage but that's very expensive plus electricity cost these days. So....I'm stuck with the garage. I think that my question is what would be the shelf life of the powder and caps given high temperatures if I continue to store the powder and caps in my garage? Any thoughts or alternative storage ideas from forum members would be appreciated.

The shelf life of BP is almost infinite, however Triple 7 and other subs are not. Especially once the container is opened to air.
Doc,

 

[BackDraft]

Seriously, folks, a plastic container of T7 will melt but not explode. Same with a tin of caps. None of it is under pressure. Its like pour a full load of powder in a pistol chamber, no ball no wad. Cap and fire. You will get a poof. Powder in house wont explode.

Correct. I was more worried about aerosol cans. 2nd fire helmet I had to retire was only 4 days old. Crawling down a hallway towards a fully involved bedroom when a full can of Whiterain hairspray popped the bottom seam and came rocketing out the door trailing a plume of burning liquid (flammable propellant days). Hit me it the left temple area. Guys said I looked like Ghost Rider. After I got outside, found the entire left side was extremely melted and cracked all the way to the ballistic liner. The one thing I have done now, is I gave my local FD MSDS for my powder and caps, and told them if there’s no entrapment, “Surround and Drown” (exterior attack only)

 

[Felonious]

I keep my stuff in the house.

All BP is sealed and put in a waterproof PLASTIC box (no explosions if, god forbid, there is a fire), with a handful of desiccant packs.

Caps are stored in a separate, watertight, plastic ammo can, again, with desiccant.

If it's stored properly, away from ignition sources, I don't see storing black powder as any more dangerous than storing regular ammunition, a jug of volatile solvent, or spray paint.