Where do you store your powder?

[NorthFork]

Wood insulates better than steel.

 

[Griz44Mag]

The ideology of keeping the powder in a breathable storage is to allow it to cook off in case of a fire.
Powder (black or gray) when contained will cause an explosion.
Powder not contained in a tight container will simply burn off in a few seconds or in a large quantity - a few minutes.
It will not explode unless contained, ie - like in a pipe b^%b. Not a cool thing to do.
Always check local law enforcement - in the US at county level - for storage methods and max quantities.
Most localities here in Texas recommend containers with breathable joints, a burn off is preferable to an explosion.
I have watched 2 demonstrations where a sealed steel cabinet and a breathable wood box were used with 25# of powder.
The sealed cabinet exploded and the wood box simply cooked off - lots of smoke but it burned off so fast that the heavy wood only blackened and did even catch fire.

The several different counties I have lived in here in Texas have all had a 50# max per storage area.
One municipality I lived in had a 25# max.

The intumescent seal mentioned above is likely for the purpose of keeping a fire from reaching the powder. That material is structurally very weak so if the powder did actually burn the pressure would likely push through and vent instead of causing an explosion. I think I like that idea and will do some more research on it.
The intumescent tape (peel and stick) is relatively inexpensive and should be very easy to implement.

 

[Rudall]

Cant tell from your photo but does your box have the intumescent strip that my FEO insisted on?

Yes it does have the strip. That’s part of the Home Office regulations. Re the chain fixing the box down, I think your FEO needs re-educating. I don’t suppose you’ll be doing that, though!

Where in the country are you?

 

[Deep Creek Dale]

Store it in the wife's room, that way, if it blows up, no harm done. Seriously though, away from heat and moisture

 

[DUNKS]

Rudall. I am in Nottinghamshire but come under Derbyshire for firearms.
No I wont be educating my FEO if he wants the box chained down it get chained down. This same subject is being discussed on a UK forum and most FEOs insist on the box being secured!

 

[Carbon 6]

Gasoline is far more dangerous.
How many of you even consider how you store your gasoline ?

 

[toot]

Wood insulates better than steel.

right, it will withstand more heat than a metal container! think about it? metal is a great conductor!

 

[Rudall]

In the USA do you need a licence (or even a license) to buy black powder? And is there a limit on how much you can posses? I suppose like most things there it depends on the state.

 

[Greg Blackburn]

I'm sure some states tax the right to buy powder and have odd limits, etc. I have read 25 pounds is an ownership limit but I don't see how that's enforced. *A "license" is just another form of a tax.

Black powder is not as commonly sold as it used to be. I could pick it up at the local gun store in the early 1990's but now you don't see it. I think that coincided with the acceptance of inlines for hunting. It's been a long time since I looked but I think the local Walmart only carries Pyrodex pellets. Apparently there was also a reclassification of black powder away from "propellant" to "explosive" or something, which drove up shipping costs.

*It's most certainly not an "explosive." Explosives do not require containment to explode: a block of TNT does not need to be wrapped in steel to explode. TNT is an "explosive" but black powder is not. When you get stupid people or those with an agenda into positions of leadership, you get such silliness.

 

[Deep Creek Dale]

Gasoline is far more dangerous.
How many of you even consider how you store your gasoline ?

Excellent point!

 

[Griz44Mag]

In the USA do you need a licence (or even a license) to buy black powder? And is there a limit on how much you can posses? I suppose like most things there it depends on the state.

Not to buy black powder - but yes if you want to sell black powder.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Gasoline is far more dangerous.
How many of you even consider how you store your gasoline ?

One article I read stated that gasoline has 11 times more energy per gallon than 1 pound of black powder.
So a 5 gallon plastic container that breathes fumes into the air constantly is the same as 55 pounds of black powder - and is a whole lot more volatile.

 

[DUNKS]

Saw a shadow graph once of petrol fumes rolling across a filling station forecourt. Yet so few accidents.

 

[Deep Creek Dale]

Not to buy black powder - but yes if you want to sell black powder.

One oddity is that dealers can only store 25 lbs on premises under ATF rules. But some states allow buyers to possess up to 200 lbs others, only 1.

 

[Carbon 6]

But some states allow buyers to possess up to 200 lbs others, only 1.

I don't think that is correct.

 

[Deep Creek Dale]

I don't think that is correct.

Indiana allows a rather large amount to be owned, if I recall, someone said 200 lbs (quoting from memory here) my home state of Florida has no rules anyone has ever been able to find although they required a driver's license and signature last time I bought any here, and California only allows 1 lb of black and 20 of smokeless in your possession. This same discussion was had on ALR a few years back. To make it more interesting some states have rules on how much we can transport in our vehicle in case we are not confused enough.

 

[Deep Creek Dale]

I am stuck in the hospital after having an emergency surgery last night and can't download Fl statutes on my phone. But, I do know states vary greatly in what they allow. I think that is why we all cringe whenever we hear of a bombing from some nutcase and we all check, hoping they did not use black powder and bring about more restrictions

 

[Carbon 6]

Indiana allows a rather large amount to be owned, if I recall, someone said 200 lbs (quoting from memory here) my home state of Florida has no rules anyone has ever been able to find although they required a driver's license and signature last time I bought any here, and California only allows 1 lb of black and 20 of smokeless in your possession. This same discussion was had on ALR a few years back. To make it more interesting some states have rules on how much we can transport in our vehicle in case we are not confused enough.

Indiana is restricted to 50 pounds
same as federal law.

IC 35-47.5-5-1
(10) Commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not to exceed fifty (50) pounds, percussion caps, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quills, quick and slow matches, and friction primers intended to be used solely for sporting, recreational, or cultural purposes in antique firearms or antique devices.

 

[Rudall]

A "license" is just another form of a tax.

I don’t know how you work that out. In the UK a black powder licence is free. It is issued by the police to qualified individuals who are deemed safe and competent to hold such material. One must show one’s licence when purchasing.

 

[DUNKS]

Black powder licence in the UK is really just a means of keeping tabs on who has it and that it's stored responsibly.