Powder storage...

I built a wooden box that is secure, its 16x24 with proper ventilation and a secure steel door. Some people may refer to this as a garage, I call it my storage unit.




Acquisition and Storage for Personal Use:

Propellant Powder 0-75kg (storage unit)
Ammunition- Reasonable Amount (storage unit)
 
IIRC correctly the rules were derived from the same guidance they give to pyro guys:

From here:

If you keep your gun powder at home then you must keep it in a 'suitable container', away from other inflammable substances such as paint, thinner, lighter fluids, other ammunition and it can be removed if there is a fire. The container shall not be of steel or iron, it must be kept locked except when being accessed, and only gun powder and primers are to be kept in it. Suitable materials are wood and copper. No iron or steel fittings. It must be scrupulously clean. The word 'Explosives' in large contrasting letters must be on the outside. A box of 3/4" plywood is recommended. This is what I call the 'locked box'.
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When I started getting into reloading I decided that I wanted to comply with the letter of the law, since I live in a multi-unit dwelling. I built myself a box out of 3/4" particle board, etc-- one for powder and one for primers. I have virtually no woodworking tools at my disposal but was able to knock it together by having the guys at Home Depot cut wood of appropriate length and then just screw them together.

You can see my summary post here

After I took those picture, I spray painted the box black with red lettering, and added a brass lock.
 
You only need a magazine if you have a whole bunch of powder. There's a specific amount mentioned in the stupid laws. Forget the actual number, but it's far more than the average reloader will ever have.
 
The actual law said 'locked substantial container', and it's require for *any* amount that you are storing.

OP is confusing the language a bit. The 'magazine' does in fact refer to a separate concept. But, in short, if you're storing powder in your house or in something attached to your house (a garage, for instance), you need to have a locked box that is not made of metal, or some other suitable container.

I don't think the 'locked substantial container' verbiage appears in the new regulations. It talks about 'storage units' and makes a specific distinction for a class of storage unit called a 'container'. I believe there are still very different regulations that apply to you if you have (for instance) a shed at the bottom of the garden but I haven't researched them since I live in a small cement box in a major urban centre :)

Here are the relevant sections of the regulations. NOTE: I AM NOT A LAWYER, but this seems to be the right section. You should go and read the regulations yourself here. Bolding and underlining below is mine.

Again, I am not a lawyer and this doesn't constitute legal advice :) but, but if you build yourself a nice box or two from 3/4" MDF from Home Depot or whatever, keep your powder and primers separate, put the 'no smoking' sign described below on it and keep it locked you are probably OK.

EDIT: As FallGuy point out below, I originally quoted the rules for sellers here instead of the rules for users. The rules for users are pretty much the same but there are a few differences. Please read below, and see the entire document posted here.

Storage

Licensed user

297. (1) A user who holds a licence must store their propellant powder, percussion caps and black powder cartouches in the magazine specified in their licence

Separate storage

(2) A user must not store propellant powder and percussion caps in the same magazine.

Unlicensed user

298. A user who does not hold a licence must store their propellant powder, percussion caps and black powder cartouches in a dwelling or a Footnote *storage unit and ensure that the requirements of sections 299 to 304 are met.
Note: Subsection 279(2) provides that users must store small arms cartridges in accordance with sections 280 and 281.


Percussion caps

299. (1) Percussion caps must be stored in their original packaging.
Note: These Regulations do not limit the number of percussion caps that may be stored in their original packaging in a dwelling or a Footnote *storage unit.

Smokeless powder

(2) Smokeless powder must be stored in its original container or in small arms cartridges.

Black powder

(3) Black powder must be stored in its original container, in small arms cartridges or in black powder cartouches.
Return to footnote *Terms preceded by an asterisk are defined in section 6.

Maximum quantity

300. The maximum quantity of propellant powder that may be stored by a user at any one time under sections 301 to 303 is reduced by the quantity of any propellant powder that the user is storing under section 375 and any quantity that they are storing under section 389.

Detached dwellings

301. The maximum quantity of propellant powder that may be stored at any one time in a detached dwelling, or in a Footnote *storage unit attached to a detached dwelling, is 25 kg of which no more than 10 kg may be black powder.
Return to footnote *Terms preceded by an asterisk are defined in section 6.

Other dwellings — smokeless powder

302. (1) The maximum quantity of smokeless powder that may be stored at any one time in a dwelling other than a detached dwelling, or in a storage unit attached to a dwelling other than a detached dwelling, is
(a) 20 kg, if all the smokeless powder is in containers that hold no more than 1 kg; or
(b) 5 kg, if any of the smokeless powder is in a container that holds more than 1 kg.

Other dwellings — black powder

(2) The maximum quantity of black powder that may be stored at any one time in a dwelling other than a detached dwelling, or in a storage unit attached to a dwelling other than a detached dwelling, is
(a) 1 kg, if the black powder is in containers; or
(b) 3 kg less any quantity that is in containers, if the black powder is in small arms cartridges or black powder cartouches.

Detached storage unit

303. The maximum quantity of propellant powder that may be stored at any one time in Footnote *storage units that are not attached to a dwelling, whether in a single unit or in several, is 75 kg.
Return to footnote *Terms preceded by an asterisk are defined in section 6.

Storage requirements — dwelling

304. (1) When propellant powder, 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.

Storage requirements — storage unit

(2) When propellant powder, percussion caps or black powder cartouches are stored in a Footnote *storage unit,
(a) the storage unit must be located in a dry place, away from flammable substances and sources of ignition;
(b) the storage unit must be constructed and maintained to prevent unauthorized access and to protect the contents from weather;
(c) if the storage unit is a container, it must not impede exit in case of fire;
(d) if the storage unit is not a container, all exits must be kept unobstructed;
(e) any shelving in the storage unit must be made from a non-sparking material (for example, wood or painted metal);
(f) nothing other than small arms cartridges may be stored with the propellant powder, percussion caps or black powder cartouches;
(g) propellant powder, percussion caps, small arms cartridges and black powder cartouches must be stored separately from one another (for example, on different shelves or separated by a wooden barrier);
(h) the storage unit must be Footnote *attended when it is unlocked;
(i) the storage unit must be kept clean, dry, organized and free of grit;
(j) any spill, leakage or other contamination in the storage unit must be cleaned up immediately;
(k) precautions that minimize the likelihood of fire in or near the storage unit must be taken; and
(l) a sign that displays the words “Danger — Fire Hazard/Risque d’incendie” in letters at least 10 cm high and that prohibits smoking using letters, or a symbol, at least 10 cm high must be posted on the storage unit in a clearly visible location.

Manufacture

Age

305. (1) A person who Footnote *manufactures small arms cartridges or black powder cartouches must be at least 18 years old or under the supervision of a person who is at least 18 years old.

Requirements

(2) A person who manufactures small arms cartridges or black powder cartouches must ensure that the following requirements are met:
(a) the place where the manufacturing is carried out must have a means of escape that will permit all people in the place to leave it quickly and easily in an emergency;
(b) precautions that minimize the likelihood of an ignition must be taken;
(c) all containers of explosives must be labelled to identify their contents and must be kept closed when not in use;
(d) no more than 2 kg of smokeless powder may be within 1 m of the loading area;
(e) no more than 500 g of black powder may be within 1 m of the loading area;
(f) the small arms cartridges must not include an incendiary or similar military component or device; and
(g) no more than 150 percussion caps may be kept in the loader mechanism of the reloading equipment.

Classification of explosives

(3) For the purposes of transporting small arms cartridges or black powder cartouches manufactured under this Division, the small arms cartridges are classified as UN 0012 and the black powder cartouches are classified as UN 0014.
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Specific definition for 'storage unit' as referenced above:

“storage unit” means a building, structure, place or container in which Footnote *explosives are stored and that is not licensed. However, it does not include a dwelling or any structure, place or container in a dwelling.
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I actually find this part quite confusing, since it seems to suggest that all of the above regulations discussing storage units only apply if you keep your stuff in a storage unit, and that a storage unit specifically does not include a '..container in a dwelling'.

Still, better safe than sorry.
 
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nada said:
the plastic tool boxes @ home depot work well , & there are enough sizes to choose from .
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I went through the plastic route some years back since I was doing outdoor storage and stuff like this normally was not acceptable unless it was classed as having anti static properties and approved for flamable materials. may be different now O don't know. I ended up finding a large plastic storage cabnit or mini shelved shed whatever one wants to call it designed to store gasoline etc which was cool at the time I asked plus it was factory vented so impossible to build up pressure.Hinges were nylon Found it for sale with some mining surplus equipment so got lucky

Cheers
 
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First you need to be able to find and get the powder before you need to worry about storing it LOL! I have been out of my fav powders for awhile now and unable to find any new sources to resupply!
 
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