Old powder

[jimbo1096]

If you ran across a pound container of unique, bullseye or other similar powder, and if offered at a reasonable price, would you consider buying it and using it to reload with?
Same question, but concerning primers.
I was introduced to a gentleman at the range this past weekend, who apparently inherited some reloading components and says he doesn’t reload and wanted to know if I would be interested in purchasing.
I’m pretty much on the fence about it even though it was a pretty good deal.

 

[TheTexasRAT]

If you ran across a pound container of unique, bullseye or other similar powder, and if offered at a reasonable price, would you consider buying it and using it to reload with?
Same question, but concerning primers.
I was introduced to a gentleman at the range this past weekend, who apparently inherited some reloading components and says he doesn’t reload and wanted to know if I would be interested in purchasing.
I’m pretty much on the fence about it even though it was a pretty good deal.

You never know if one of those powder jugs is a mixture or not. If you knew the reloader and was getting the powder directly from them they would know, but this guy doesn't. Any unopened jugs should be ok, check to see if a reddish dust is covering the powder and see if it has a bad smell. Primers on the other hand, so long as they are not real old corrosive type should be ok. You probably wouldn't want berdan ones either.

Personally I would pass on open jugs of powder unless I knew and trusted the reloader that was making the deal with me.

On the other hand might be some jewels in the tools.

 

[s4s4u]

Sealed containers, no problem.

 

[kmoore]

Besides agreeing with the unopened can. This is important, for what use. Would you use old powder, primers that have unknown dates and storage for that once in 5 years elk hunt? Self Defense? Not me.
Range practice, likely.
About 15 years ago, I had gotten a pickle jar with gun powder in it from my dad. He had gotten it in the early 60s from his dad. No idea what IMR powder it was. Just guessing it was neither 4064 or 4895. I had many IMR powders on hand and poured each into there lids and compared them by sight. It was clear which 1 it was. Side by side you can see differences.
I still wouldn't use it, I put a small amount on the ground and lit it. It was inconsistent in flame. My IMR powder burnt much more steady and hotter.
Myself, I took all the old opened powders, some really old primers from Dads handloading room dating form 60s and 70s to the department's explosives unit for disposal. They do blow up old stuff they acquire on occasion.

 

[contender]

Over the decades,, I've purchased stuff that included various powders. (Buy everything for one price & included in everything would be powders.)
As noted,, red dust,, or an acidic smell usually indicates a bad powder & can be used as fertilizer.

Sealed jugs can still have this if improperly stored,, but it's much less common.

Opened jugs,, as noted,, depends upon use (as mentioned above) and testing loads against known "good" powders. (Loading identical loads with one being the older powder, and one being the newer powder fro a sealed jug.) Mild loads of course.

But I've seen properly stored OLD powders perform quite well.

Depending upon what the powders are, and the above mentioned potential issues,, the price will reflect if it's worth it or not.

 

[neilin]

If you ran across a pound container of unique, bullseye or other similar powder, and if offered at a reasonable price, would you consider buying it and using it to reload with?
Same question, but concerning primers.
I was introduced to a gentleman at the range this past weekend, who apparently inherited some reloading components and says he doesn’t reload and wanted to know if I would be interested in purchasing.
I’m pretty much on the fence about it even though it was a pretty good deal.

If the powder container has NEVER been opened, it should be fine. To play it safe, start with low side charges in the cases and test fire a couple. Primers as I have found will deteriorate at about 50 years of age, causing miss fires or hang fires.

 

[dddddmorgan]

You would know my answer if you looked in my powder storage cabinet ;-)

I do have some new powder but since I returned to reloading during COVID I simply couldn't find powder and if I did I couldn't afford it so I started snooping around and since then I've been able to buy out a couple of folks who got out of reloading.

My record is a 1976 can of Bullseye that I'm going to open this winter.

When I was set up in Montana around 2001 I actually came up with three pounds of original Hodgdon surplus powder in the wax paper bags, anyone remember those? It all went bang.

Conclusion: I've become a well educated scrounge, I know what to look for and how to test it.

 

[volshooter]

I was given two unopened kegs of Unique dated 94. Already used one with fantastic results.
20+ years ago a old friend offered to sell me whatever he had left over from his reloading days. Bought 15 unopened pounds of WW296. Still got one left. No problems.
I wouldn't buy opened cans from anyone. I was taught to look for rust on can, moisture markes on can/label and most importantly when opening a old can of powder look towards a light and watch for any fume/visual distortion coming from possibly deuterating powder.
When in doubt I sprinkle suspect powder on the garden.

 

[jimbo1096]

For the record, I didn’t buy any of it. There were about 4 pound containers of unique and 2400. And a couple of opened and probably 4000 primers mixed brands. Kind of wishing now I had.