Powder stuck together? Accuracy issues?

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Likely a dumb question, but has anyone had smokeless powder get stuck together to a point where you cant even get it out of the brass? This is not a compressed load. Powder was maybe a year or two old, I think.
I was shooting some old reloads and they were not shooting too well so I decided to take apart one of my live rounds to check the weight of the Retumbo powder. Got the bullet off but couldn't get the powder out. Took about 5 minutes with very small screwdriver to finally loosen the clumped powder enough to get it out of the brass.
I have never come across this before. Was wondering if this could cause some uneven ignition.
 
I doubt that powder clumping results in uneven ignition, but this is just a hunch, I have no data to support it. Under force of the primer, the powder is pushed up against the base of the bullet until propellant gas pressure builds enough to get it moving, at which point the powder density is greater than it is within the clumps of powder, which undoubtedly would have broken up; the pressure rapidly builds in the space between the web of the case and the bottom of the burning powder column.

Should you run into the problem of removing clumped powder from a bottle neck case again, just hold the case against the side of a vibratory case tumbler if you have one. The vibration should be enough to break up the clumps of powder.
 
If it's that hard to pull them either shoot'em up or pull the bullet's and toss the case with powder in it into a polisher and let it go for awhile
 
Years ago I bought a case of Winchester 22-250 factory ammo that didn't shoot worth a damn in several rifles. Decided to pull the bullets and salvage the brass at least. What I found inside was what looked like W-760 powder packed into a solid mass that had to be picked out. Weighed the now loose powder, loaded it back in the cases, seated the bullets and retested for accuracy and it shot very well. Should have chronographed the ammo before and after but didn't.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I appreciate the comments. Glad to see that I am not the only one dumbfounded. No moisture in the brass prior to lading but I could definitely see that happening.
 
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