whats the oldest powder you have used?

blair12

blair12

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hey all need sum advise, what is the oldest powder you have used safely? with the powder shortage in effect options are limited so i aquired a few pounds of blu dot and 2400 from a friend (was his fathers that passed) at a very reasonable price apparently it was stored properly but is opened, from my research i dated back to around the early 70s?? sum are in cardboard containers and the 2400 is in a square tin, smells good looks good not clumpy should there be any concerns with it? i have loads of data for them in my books but im very new to reloading, i realize start low and work my loads up this will be for my 686 revolver in 38 spl and 357 mag loads, if there is concerns what would they be?

any input would be great thanks
 
No concerns as far as i can see as long as your sure nobody tampered with it. If it hasn't gone bad then shoot it. Lots of surplus WW2 powders were used up into the 70's till it ran out.
 
My only concern would be that it may not be the powder that is on label. It is unlikely but I would approach with caution. I've just heard to many back in the day stories from my old man and grandpa I could imagine them looking for a container for a broken box of powder and being like Oh No problem I'll remember what is in that tin.
 
I had half a pound of Red-Dot given to me a couple of years ago that was supposedly from the 70's. Looked fine, smelled fine, and was the right colour. Loaded it up into 12g target loads, all went bang just fine. no problems with it at all.
 
Am still using IMR 4831 in the orange can with Hallams Sporting Goods price sticker, bought it in the 60's. It's been to Alaska and back.
Shoots the same today as it always has.

As Spawn-Inc said ... if rusty, dusty or stinky ... toss it.
 
Blair12, does your can of 2400 look like this? I got this from my uncle, it likely dates from the late 60s or early 70s. There is only a bit left in the can, but I loaded some last year and it worked just fine.

 
I have an old can of Hodgon 4831 with a price tag of 2.45 on it that I got as part of a box of reloading stuff I bought. Never tried it as I have no idea how old it was. Interesting to know that powder will keep that long.
 
otto lol thats exactly the can i have, thanks all for the positive feedback i feel better about trying it out now ill report back when i load a few test rounds up
 
When Bruce Hodgdon started selling powder he bought some train cars of surplus powder from the us army see ran out of the last of it in the eighties. So anyone with a can of h 4831 that is from the mid eighties or older and still using it is loading powder that is 70 years old.
 
I still have some Bullseye and 700X...a wee bit each...from my UWO Rifle Pistol Club days. I shook the cans and figure there is probably a quarter can of each. I was wondering whether or not to use them myself. However, they are in a cool dry area, and always have been, so I think I will finish them off...a reloading project for the coming weekend.
 
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