What do you do with Old/Unknown Powder?

BattleRife said:
...Yes, the basis is cellulose, which will decay quickly. But for fertilizer you want free nitrogen, not nitrates. Not to mention the addition of phthalates, phenols, toluols, acetyls, and heavy metals common in smokeless propellants....
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Didn't know this, thanks.
 
I pour all my unknown powder into a container and give it to an Indigenous friend. He uses it in ceremonies with elders. He's always happy to accept a jug full.
 
BattleRife said:
The advice to use it as fertilizer is common, and while I might throw it on a back corner of the lawn, I would never consider using it near my vegetable garden.

Yes, the basis is cellulose, which will decay quickly. But for fertilizer you want free nitrogen, not nitrates. Not to mention the addition of phthalates, phenols, toluols, acetyls, and heavy metals common in smokeless propellants.

Generally, I burn it.
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Flower garden it is then, before I read this I did plan to put it in the veggie garden and the raspberry bushes
 
Last Friday, I transported 6 pounds of different gun powder to my local RCMP. The powder containers had a rusty residue on it and believed it may have been contaminated. The landfill and the fire department would not accept them. The steno at the detachment assured me that it will be destroyed. I would not use old gunpowder on my lawn or garden, I take great pride in having healthy flora.
 
I find dancing naked around a fire at night throwing powder into the the fire every once in a while works wonders to keep the nosey neighbours away.
Laugh2
 
Powder is useless as a fertilizer. Ganderite has posted the reasons why in the past. Something about the coatings I think it was.

Auggie D.
 
Well popped out two primers today, One from case with corrosion and the other from a case with none. I was hoping maybe the primers on the corroded cases may still look good, not the case as you can see, Shame as its probably 20-30% off the pulls that are corroded.

V9pN07r.jpg
 
Auggie Doggie said:
Powder is useless as a fertilizer. Ganderite has posted the reasons why in the past. Something about the coatings I think it was.

Auggie D.
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Most of it is already mentioned in this thread. The stabilized esters and such don't break down very well. Fertilizing anything with overtly poisonous chemicals is also not a great idea.
 
I too call the "smokeless powder is a good fertilizer" a myth. I value my garden too much to "toss it" on my lawn, flowers or vegetables.

Those who disagree - what specifically are its components, what are their concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and what else is in it and how will that effect plants? Once that's answered, how should it be spread - in grams per square metre?

I have burned it once (for fun) and also bagged it and placed it in the garbage.
 
Andy said:
I too call the "smokeless powder is a good fertilizer" a myth. I value my garden too much to "toss it" on my lawn, flowers or vegetables.

Those who disagree - what specifically are its components, what are their concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and what else is in it and how will that effect plants? Once that's answered, how should it be spread - in grams per square metre?

I have burned it once (for fun) and also bagged it and placed it in the garbage.
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I can answer that one for you.

I poured a few pounds of some deteriorated surplus powder into my wife's flower bed, in the hopes it would work some sort of magic.

Well guess what? NADA. Nothing happened at all, other than it may have loosened up the soil a bit.

That was close to twenty years ago and I can still go back to that spot today and find granules of that powder, which only appear to be a bit darker than when I mixed it into the soil. After close on two decades, that stuff is still intact.
 
bearhunter said:
I can answer that one for you.

I poured a few pounds of some deteriorated surplus powder into my wife's flower bed, in the hopes it would work some sort of magic.

Well guess what? NADA. Nothing happened at all, other than it may have loosened up the soil a bit.

That was close to twenty years ago and I can still go back to that spot today and find granules of that powder, which only appear to be a bit darker than when I mixed it into the soil. After close on two decades, that stuff is still intact.
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When I did some consulting with a powder manufacture (the maker of IMR powders) the chief contact for me was the head of R&D. He was a PhD chemist. I mentioned the garden disposal idea to him. He assured me that it would take 20 years for the powders to break down. I have always assumed he was right.

As for what to do with the powder. I would start a few jugs to hold the good reclaimed powder. From the ammo, you have an idea as to what speed range the powders are. I would label the jugs accordingly and then try to fill them with reclaimed powder.

I would then take a jug of powder and calibrate it by shooting the appropriate type of load with it in various powder charges (starting low) over a chronograph and then make a note that it is 3031ish, or 4350ish. etc.

If you can get 8 to 20 pounds of reclaimed rifle powder, once it is shaken up and calibrated, it would be useful powder. I would then destroy the powder, about 45 grains at a time....
 
Ganderite said:
As for what to do with the powder. I would start a few jugs to hold the good reclaimed powder. From the ammo, you have an idea as to what speed range the powders are. I would label the jugs accordingly and then try to fill them with reclaimed powder.

I would then take a jug of powder and calibrate it by shooting the appropriate type of load with it in various powder charges (starting low) over a chronograph and then make a note that it is 3031ish, or 4350ish. etc.

If you can get 8 to 20 pounds of reclaimed rifle powder, once it is shaken up and calibrated, it would be useful powder. I would then destroy the powder, about 45 grains at a time....
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That's exactly what I did when I was buying scrap ammo. I still have 40-50lbs of "good" powder and 15 or so of random junk. The last thing I have thought to do with any of it was spread it in my garden... Buying all that random stuff has also left me with tens of thousands of primers to help me through this latest drought without diving into my stash very often. The effort paid off in the end, the OP will do well with some attention and effort himself.
 
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