Storing powder in the freezer

powder is supposed to be stored at a constant mid temp. i can see freezing to be a bad thing in the long term. put it in the bottom of a closet.
 
No need anyways. No house gets hot enough to damage powder. I have 70 year old ammo (8X63 Swedish) that's as good as the day it was made that spent 30+ years in the Dominican Republic, and it was not in a freezer.
 
Andy said:
No need anyways. No house gets hot enough to damage powder. I have 70 year old ammo (8X63 Swedish) that's as good as the day it was made that spent 30+ years in the Dominican Republic, and it was not in a freezer.
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Thanks
I was under the impression it can deteriorate rapidly in a warmer environment. FS
 
Old man Hogdon stored tons of surplus powder in heavy, waxed cardboard barrels, 4x50lbs in an unsealed wooden box, under open sided sheds for close to 50 years, in temperatures ranging from 15F to 130F. To my knowledge, it all went bang consistently and the most famous stuff was first called 4831 until IMR started to produce a similar powder and they renamed it H4831. They stored it from the WWII to the mid nineties when they finally ran out and called the new stuff "Newly Manufactured H4831."

I still have what remains of a 50 pound drum, marked 4831. I wish I hadn't thrown the drum away but the darn thing was just always in the way and much easier to handle in 2 quart milk containers. Now, it's all in tins I've collected.

Bought those drums for $25 each. A lot of money back then but I figured for a lifetime supply of powder it would be cheap in the end. It might just make it to the end of days. We'll see.
 
Fassteel said:
Thanks
I was under the impression it can deteriorate rapidly in a warmer environment. FS
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I would not worry about the temp but I would worry about how tight a freezer is and heaven forbid there was ever a fire. Could have some form of a bomb on your hands that firefighters would be unaware of
Cheers
 
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Opened up some old IMR 7828 this winter that is so old it was packaged in the rectangular steel tins...It has formed some red dust but still smells fresh...Loaded up 7mm Rem Mag and .338 Lapua rounds...Stuff still workes great...I have other IMR varieties and Winchester ball and flake powders that are much much older, 30+ years, that still show no signs of deterioration...My bench and supplies are in the basement where the temperature is fairly stable year round.
 
Sorry to be slightly off topic but this thread makes me wonder. I have some 22 and 223 ammo stored in an unheated shed, been there all winter.
Question is, will the temperature changes and condensation affect the powder or primers?
Thanks in advance,G
 
gerard488 said:
Question is, will the temperature changes and condensation affect the powder or primers?
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Of course they will. Just not in any manner that you are likely to notice or be able to measure.

If you are getting condensation, you have a moisture problem that you really need to deal with, as your garage is gonna rot off. If you meant humidity, you likely won't notice any change in your components from airborne moisture unless you actually do get condensation (the water forms sweat beads or a fog film on your stuff). Condensation damage/moisture damage to cartridges shows as green corrosion on brass. It's worth watching for, but, in my opinion, not worth stressing over if the place is dry enough to leave tools or other stuff that you would normally have in a garage.

Stable dark and dry, is the optimum. I figure if an apartment gets hot enough to cause powder to deteriorate, that the powder was on it's way already. And, a new apartment should be the order of the day. On the shady side of the building.:)

Cheers
Trev
 
When I think condensation, I picture opening the powder can in a hot humid environment for some loading. To close it up with warm humid air, and then freeze the can, seems like it would invite condensation on the interior. Enough to do damage? No idea.
My thought is that I don't see storing it in a freezer as offering any significant advantage over a warm closet, but some possible disadvantages (whether significant or not).
Besides; who wants to load with powder that smells like a bag of smelts that's been sitting next to it? (damn; forgot how to put those smiley-thingies in)
 
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