Primer/Powder storage & tumbler media?

[gunstock]

I am new to reloading and had a couple of questions.

I have a couple of small plastic waterproof barrels (the type Le Baron sells for canoing etc). Is it okay to store my boxes of primers in one and my jugs of powder in the other. I figure they would be away from sparks, impact etc. Is there any problem with them being air tight. In case of a house fire could heat cause an explosion or would the barrel melt before anything ignited,

Second question, what is the difference in using corn cob or walnut shell as a tumbler media and is the corn cob sold for pet litter the same stuff.

Thanks

 

[blacksmithden]

Ok.

1. You're supposed to store your powder in one, plywood box using non-ferrous fasteners and hardware, and your primers in another. There are specs on building this in numerous threads. Now, that's the law........or, you could do like the vast majority of people actually do and keep them on a high shelf where the kids can't get at the stuff. If you've got kids that are at that age where they're into experimenting with stuff, you might want to look at a lockable box. Just don't put powder and primers in anything that can heat up in a fire and hold pressure. No tightly sealed metal boxes/cabnets or air tight containers. If you wouldn't feel comfortable putting your stuff in it, then throwing a match in and slamming the lid closed, you probably shouldn't use it. If it'll hold pressure, it isn't a good idea. In a fire, you want your stuff to burn....not build up enough pressure to go off.

2. If you have a choice, use crushed walnut shells. Corn cob media sometimes jams up in the necks of smaller shouldered cases. Walnut is fine enough that it doesn't do this.

 

[Onagoth]

I am new to reloading and had a couple of questions.


Second question, what is the difference in using corn cob or walnut shell as a tumbler media and is the corn cob sold for pet litter the same stuff.

Thanks

I can't add anything better than what ^ said on the first question. But the second question, I use a mix of both, 50/50 corn cob and walnut. Works plenty fine for me.

 

[ruger 77]

I use crushed walnut to clean my cases. I found that the corncob had a bad habit of getting caught in the flash holes, and the primer pockets.