Using old gunpowder???

M70-338

M70-338

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Anyone know if there are any possible issues using 20 year old powder? When going through my gun accessories I found a 20 year old sealed tin of IMR, should be good as new?
 
If it smells "normal" and does not have any rust-colored "dust" in it, it should be just fine.

Acrid smells, or any acidic evidence should be taken as evidence of deterioration.

Regards, Dave.
 
I have recently come across and shot some ammo from the 1980's. Worked great. I would say use it as long as it was stored properly.
 
Storage is the key ... if it's been kept relatively cool without allot of big temperature swings (Summer to Winter if stored in the unheated garage) you should be fine. Since it was unopened it should have stayed dry well enough.
If it has a nice sweet solvent smell ...... you'll be fine!
 
boltonscouter said:
Storage is the key ... if it's been kept relatively cool without allot of big temperature swings (Summer to Winter if stored in the unheated garage) you should be fine. Since it was unopened it should have stayed dry well enough.
If it has a nice sweet solvent smell ...... you'll be fine!
Click to expand...

I don't think that temperature swings, nor freezing temps are a problem, as long as the temp does not go to a high extreme, and it's kept dry.

As noted the visual and the "smell test" tell you a lot.
 
Hodgon bought rail cars of powder after ww 2 they finished selling some of that powder in the eighties so twenty years is no big deal as others have said just smell it and look at it.
 
Earlier this fall I loaded up using a couple pounds of 90's vintage IMR7828...One pound from May/90 and the other April/95, they used to stencil the date packed, on the bottom of the tin...The 90 vintage was still fresh, the 95 vintage had the red dust but had no odour, not even the solvent smell...loaded up both powders separately in full bore .338 Lapua rounds...Both powders preformed as designed with no change in trajectory between the two out to 800 yards...Loading up with fresh IMR7828 now and still dialing in the same MOA at 800 yards...That's pretty good product quality control and shelf life when you can use 2 different powder lots that are over 25 and 20 years old and still get the exact performance as the fresh powder lot of today...

Value however...In 1990 IMR7828 went for $ 18.95 no GST...In 1995 it cost $25.95 plus GST...And todays price...Just gross!!!
 
I still have some of the war surplus powder that Hodgdon's put on the market after WW2.
It is H4831, but at the time they put it on the market they hadn't checked it out, they just knew that it was slower than 4350, so they called it 4350 data powder, meaning you just used 4350 data for it. Jack O'Connor discovered its great use in the 270 and sales took off for it.
Within the last year I chronographed a known load and it is just the same as it has ever been.
 
Andy said:
I don't think that temperature swings, nor freezing temps are a problem, as long as the temp does not go to a high extreme, and it's kept dry.

As noted the visual and the "smell test" tell you a lot.
Click to expand...

And, you are correct, Andy. I called two powder techs a few years back, Accurate and Hodgdon. They both told me that extreme cold stiorage was not deleterious to powder, but to be sure it was given plenty of time the achieve room temperature before opening the can. Suggested overnight in the same room the loading would take place.

Ganderite will know, for sure!
Ted
 
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