Container ideas for bulk powder?

redhead

redhead

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Folks,
A group of us at the local club bought a bunch of powder from Higginsons. Since Hig stores it in bulk, they measure it out into bags, box it up, and ship it, according to your order. Now I have a number of 1, 4, and 8 lbs boxes of bagged powder that I'd like to store in a more airtight and moisture proof fashion.

I spent some time walking through Walmart and the Dollar store looking for appropriately sized containers with screw-on lids, but didn't find anything that I liked.

Any ideas out there on containers with screw on lids that are going to hold 1-8 lbs of powder? I'd thought about using old pop bottles (1 or 2 litre), or maybe mason jars. Your thoughts?
 
It needs to be kept from light. It may degrade some forms of plastic.

Get one old powder container and work out of that leave the rest in the double bag and cardboard box it came in.

ALL HAIL AMMO MART- ALL HAIL HIGGINSONS POWDERS
thanks Tom
 
If you know someone that goes to the gym and takes protein powder, they come in nice, big plastic jars with screw tops. Usually in 2 or 5 pounds jars, they would be perfect for that.
 
Instead of the risk of contaminating or mislabeling your powders, wouldn't it be simpler to get an appropriate sized tupperware tote box. They are water proof and relatively air tight. Just leave to powder in it's origional cardboard box and bag inside the plastic bin.

Or, stop loading in a wet smelly dungeon.
 
redhead said:
Folks,
A group of us at the local club bought a bunch of powder from Higginsons. Since Hig stores it in bulk, they measure it out into bags, box it up, and ship it, according to your order. Now I have a number of 1, 4, and 8 lbs boxes of bagged powder that I'd like to store in a more airtight and moisture proof fashion.

I spent some time walking through Walmart and the Dollar store looking for appropriately sized containers with screw-on lids, but didn't find anything that I liked.

Any ideas out there on containers with screw on lids that are going to hold 1-8 lbs of powder? I'd thought about using old pop bottles (1 or 2 litre), or maybe mason jars. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

What ever you do, DONT store powder in a glass Jar! In the event of a house fire you don't want glass shards flying about!

I would recommend leaving the powder stored the way you got it. I know the Higginsons bag in a box is not as nice looking as the other companies packaging, however it works and it is moisture proof (tie the plastic bag off with a twist tie). Despite what most people think, moisture is not a big issue when it comes to storing smokeless powder (black powder is a whole other issue). Ball type propellants are basically waterproof. Moisture from the air will do no more particular harm to them.

I once stored some powder in a plastic kitchen type container - within a few months it had deteriorated to the point of being unusable. Other powder from the same batch that was in the original container was still fine. Apparently there was some reaction going on between the powder and the plastic. It's no fun having to destroy seven pounds of powder ($). Powder companies use containers made of plastic that do not cause such problems.

Another problem with repacking powder is identifying it properly. Not to mention that putting powder in un approved containers is a no-no according to Energy, Mines and Resources (I didn’t know that fact when I repackaged that powder years ago).
 
so it was you that put the unique in the maalox containers?- i thought it was kind of appropriate,given it's a crappy powder
 
troutseeker said:
I was wondering that as well... So the plastic in hte protein powder jugs will not affect the powder?
Click to expand...

As far as I know the plastic bottles that the gun powder comes in is just "regular" plastice, nothing special. It should do just fine.
 
I know squat about gun powder but I do know that you can identify plastic containers by the recycle number on the bottom.
So it would make sense that if you use a plastic container with the same recycle number as say a hodgdon plastic container it should be fine.
Just a thought.
 
The bottom of my Hodgdon containers and my protein powder containers have the exact same markings. The recycling triangle "2" and "HDPE" on both.
 
A group of us at the local club bought a bunch of powder from Higginsons. Since Hig stores it in bulk, they measure it out into bags, box it up, and ship it, according to your order. Now I have a number of 1, 4, and 8 lbs boxes of bagged powder that I'd like to store in a more airtight and moisture proof fashion
Click to expand...
I have a friend who has had powder in the original bag\box combo for a number of years, no problem. Don't fix it, it ain't broke;)
 
Store your powder in little brass cases sealed with a lead plug, they seem to work pretty good.

Oh Come on PEIslander, I bet you found a way to enjoy destroying 7 lbs of powder... it must have still been flammable!!

I store all of my powder in the original container BTW.
 
bcsteve said:
The bottom of my Hodgdon containers and my protein powder containers have the exact same markings. The recycling triangle "2" and "HDPE" on both.
Click to expand...
I found the exact replica of the Hodgdon powder containers in a hobby shop.
They are white, made of HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene) and they accept the exact same covers. The Hodgdon powder funnel fits them to a "T".
So, looks like a duck, swims like a duck...
PP.:)
 
Been down this road myself.
I was fortunate to aquire numerous empty powder cans from many low volume reloaders so that worked great. The other thing that worked for me was 1 litre plastic sample bottles from the local oilfield supply shop. I just painted them black for the UV thing and they work great. (just let the paint dry for a day or two). Another buddy used a Folgers coffee can (red plastic) the 7lb lots of Higginson powder drop right in plastic bag and all.
BTW: I use part of my tax refund every year to do a stock up order, and usually get a pile of the guys from the Club to jump in so we get the freight charges down.
Thanks in advance Andrew.
 
Just scoop some of the wife's empty vitamin tablet containers.:) They're all HDPE #2 and work fine. Like most others I keep Higginson's bulk powder in the original packaging except for the stuff in current use. That goes into the smaller containers 'til the run is finished, then goes back into the bulk pack.

A long time ago when I was younger and even dumber than now I bought a good part of a 50# keg of surplus H4831 from a guy that quit handloading. Those kegs were large and cumbersome, so I put about 20# into clear plastic mickey bottles for easier handling. Even those didn't degrade the powder in any way, but the static cling was something to behold! It never hurt anything---as in no explosions---but it sure scared the crap out of a couple of guys that I gave some of the powder to. Borrowing some cling- free from the laundry helped.
 
bill c68 said:
Store your powder in little brass cases sealed with a lead plug, they seem to work pretty good.

Oh Come on PEIslander, I bet you found a way to enjoy destroying 7 lbs of powder... it must have still been flammable!!

I store all of my powder in the original container BTW.
Click to expand...


Yes I did. It burns quite nicely. Poured it out on the ground a pound at a time and lit it. Woosh! Gone.

Decided I would take the last pound over to my friends place 'cause I figured his sons might like to see a pound go up. We decided to burn it in a 45 gal barrel. I found out it burns about 10 times faster in a barrel than it does in the open! Quite a flash.
 
Thought I'll be the first with a smart remark but C68 beats me to it. He is quite right, the best storage containers for powder is in cartridge cases. Storing loose powder sitting in paper bags or re-labelled cans is just asking for trouble. The possibilities of mistake are endless.
 
There are rules that apply to storage of powder. I would use 1 lb containers
that you may be able to get local from a gun dealer, gunsmith, or local club. Warnings are on the cans, and you may even find some to match the powder, if not a match , mark what the powder is on the can with a marker.
Sounds like a waste of time to some, but its the way to go.
Frank
 
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