Powder gone bad

[PinkyPlinker]

What a shame. That rug really tied the room together.

 

[Andy]

I had some of the OEM H4350 I mentioned in post #4 go bad in loaded 30-06 ammo. I had the ammo well documented, so
when I discovered that my stock had gone bad, I pulled down all the 30-06 [about 50 rounds] that I had loaded with it.
The brass cases were a dead loss. Most of the bullets I cleaned up and used, but their bases were very green/blue Some
of the powder was clumped, and would not come out of the case, some had droplets of acid in them. A real mess!! Dave.

I'm asking because one would think that ammo more or less hermetically sealed and in complete darkness in a cartridge would qualify as "perfect conditions" unless it is stored in high temperatures.

I'm also thinking that there was something wrong with the powder before it was loaded and it had already started on the road to ruin.

I have some very old ammo that I've pulled down and while some primers had gone dead, the powder was still fine, and will I suppose remain so for some time.

 

[Eagleye]

I'm asking because one would think that ammo more or less hermetically sealed and in complete darkness in a cartridge would qualify as "perfect conditions" unless it is stored in high temperatures. [Storage was cool, dry, dark, so no issue there, Dave]

I'm also thinking that there was something wrong with the powder before it was loaded and it had already started on the road to ruin.

I am thinking this is what happened, Andy. While there were no visible/olfactory signs when I loaded the ammo, it could be that the deterioration
had begun, but not enough to notice. It was some time later when I became aware of the powder's degradation. Dave.

 

[Philthy1]

I've had 40 year old red dot go bad......never seen anything like this though.

 

[Sun_and_Steel_77]

What a shame. That rug really tied the room together.

 

[Dogleg]

I've only had two pounds go bad; oddly both were IMR 3031 which isn't something I every used a lot of.