Powder Storage

Q

Quigly

CGN Regular
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Location
Southern Ontario
Hello All,

I have a question on powder storage. Is there any law that states that powder needs to be locked up. How about quantity of powder in the house? Is there a maximum amount of powder one can legally keep in ones house. That being said how dangerous is it to keep powder in ones house. Lastly how much powder do you keep in your house and how do you store it.

Thanks
 
I see it got answered while I was looking stuff up.

Yes, locked up. Not enough powder is a PITA. Too much powder is illegal. Define house. Yes, it is dangerous that's why there are rules, but so is gasoline or paint thinner or certain glues, or, or, or . . .
 
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I use this security cabinet in my reloading room.
The small compartment on the left makes it really simple to have powder, primers and finished ammo in the same cabinet because they're all separated by painted metal shelves (that should be mentioned in the nrcan explosives link above).
I have ~8lbs of powder on the top shelf, a few plastic containers of finished ammo on the next shelf, a few thousand primers on next shelf and miscellaneous non-combustible stuff on the bottom shelf. Any bulk ammo goes in the dedicated ammo vault in the garage.
Firearms are stored in the large compartment on the right and the whole thing is fixed in to the wall studs with 4" coach screws.
 
I was thinking of storing it in a metal container in an unheated shed. Thinking about that, I don't think that is such a good idea, because it would be subject to extreme temperature changes.
 
A person may acquire and store up to 25 kilograms gross mass of smokeless powder for use in a detached dwelling or a storage unit attached to a detached dwelling. This value is inclusive of all the propellant powders at the dwelling.

A person may acquire and store up to 75 kilograms gross mass of smokeless powder for use in a storage unit.

I only have about 5 pounds of powder, but if I interpret what I pasted above I can keep up to 25 kilograms in my house without having a dedicated locked storage container.
If I have a storage container I can store up to 75 Kg

Am I interpreting this correctly. This is from the Natural resources storage requlations
 
Pretty sure your powder and primers have to be locked away at all times that they are not directly under your direct supervision, regardless of the amount.
Otherwise there's no way of ensuring that you're complying with the following:

"When propellant powders, percussion caps or black power cartouches are stored in a dwelling:

they must be stored away from flammable substances and sources of ignition. People not authorized by the user must not be given unlimited access to the propellant powder, percussion caps or black powder cartouches."
 
Northernfly said:
Pretty sure your powder and primers have to be locked away at all times that they are not directly under your direct supervision, regardless of the amount.
Otherwise there's no way of ensuring that you're complying with the following:

"When propellant powders, percussion caps or black power cartouches are stored in a dwelling:

they must be stored away from flammable substances and sources of ignition. People not authorized by the user must not be given unlimited access to the propellant powder, percussion caps or black powder cartouches."
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Nope. not locked up. Just not lying around for anybody to walk off with. in a box in a locked garage is fine. Out on the front lawn, not so much.
 
People not authorized by the user must not be given unlimited access
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I authorize everyone who comes into my house to have access to my powder and primers. Is this wrong or illegal somehow? I haven't been able to find a law that says otherwise, maybe someone else can find one.

In reality, all my reloading stuff is in a locked room in my basement so only myself has access to it but I don't see how the above statement would be wrong.
 
I use two large filing cabinets and a couple shelves in my ammo closet. I've got so much powder a single cabinet just won't handle it.

Most of my shooting buddies have to go clean their pants after seeing my reloading supplies.

One thing to consider beyond the legal requirements is to contact your insurance company and find out what their policies are regarding storage of gunpowder in your home. Some companies will not cover you and others may have conditions. Playing dumb after the fire won't help you if they have a policy saying they don't cover losses from a fire if you had gunpowder stored at home.
 
Moved my 25kgish powder stores to the laundry room and oddly enough no grief from the laundry authority as of yet. ☺
 
Thank you for the responses. Based on responses, I've purchased a filing cabinet, and I will be storing my powder is said filing cabinet. The good thing with all the room in the cabinet I can justify adding more powder. No use wasting space.

Cr5. I have yet to check with my insurance company, but I will do that. Thing is I already have powder, and I don't plan to get rid of it. Oh well.
 
Quigly said:
Thank you for the responses. Based on responses, I've purchased a filing cabinet, and I will be storing my powder is said filing cabinet. The good thing with all the room in the cabinet I can justify adding more powder. No use wasting space.

Cr5. I have yet to check with my insurance company, but I will do that. Thing is I already have powder, and I don't plan to get rid of it. Oh well.
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There are several threads both in this subforum and the general firearms subforum in regards to insurance companies and firearms/reloading. I would do a thorough search first to see if you can find posted experiences with your insurance company as I know there are a number of people who had their insurance cancelled simply for calling and inquiring about stuff like this.
 
Quigly said:
Thank you for the responses. Based on responses, I've purchased a filing cabinet, and I will be storing my powder is said filing cabinet. The good thing with all the room in the cabinet I can justify adding more powder. No use wasting space.

Cr5. I have yet to check with my insurance company, but I will do that. Thing is I already have powder, and I don't plan to get rid of it. Oh well.
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Read your policy. If it's not excluded, you're good to go.
 
I found tis interesting

Q. What are the limits on the number of small arms cartridges anyone can purchase and store?
There is no change. The limit is based on the amount of 225 kilograms of explosives in the cartridges. Therefore, the number of cartridges would depend on the calibre, e.g., 2.8 million .22-calibre cartridges or 100 000 12-gauge shot shells. Amounts beyond this would require a magazine licence.

Only 2.8 million .22-calibre cartridges good thing gopher seasons coming up burn off a few to stay under the limit.
 
3macs1 said:
There was nothing in mine all 28 pages I read and they dumped me like a hot potato after a routine inspection of an electrical panel and seen my reloading gear. I was with them over 20 years and it was cooperators
Cheers
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Why were they inspecting?
 
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