Storing larger amounts of powder.

[Clovishound]

I know, for some this is a piddling amount, but it is a lot for me.

I am finding that since picking up a 1911, and now that Clovispup has her new SP101 in hand, my powder usage has increased, and 1 lb bottles just don't last that long for me. I stopped by the local supplier that has the best price on powder locally, and picked up another pound of Universal. This place is a little out of the way, and I take the opportunity to anticipate when my buddy and I are out and about and happen to be in the neighborhood. Anyway, they carry 8 lb jugs, although right now, not in Universal. Based on the pricing for other Hogdgon powders they carry, I should be able to save several dollars a pound and pay about the same as current Powder Valley prices without paying shipping, or hazmat fees. The nice lady there said to call and they could probably have an 8 lb jug for me with a little advance warning.

I assume that the best storage solution would be to keep the bulk of the powder in the large jug, and transfer working amounts to 1 lb bottles. I have several empty Universal bottles, so labeling is not an issue. I would be careful to keep the bulk jug in climate controlled storage in the house.

How do ya'll handle 8 lb jugs.

 

[Rick Courtright]

How do ya'll handle 8 lb jugs.

Hi,

I do as you're suggesting: pour out a pound into a "working" bottle, properly labeled, of course. Some folks claim the fewer exposures to air there are from opening the big jug, the better the life expectancy of the powder. While that may be a consideration, I just find it easier to work with the smaller container on the bench.

Rick C

 

[wizofwas]

I am new at buying in bulk but what I do is save my empty 1# containers and pour some of the bulk into them and store the rest of the bulk in its original container. And I DO NOT relabel any container. So what the container says is in it, I know that is what it is.

 

[mikld]

I too refill one pound bottles from an 8 lb. jug and as noted above, I am very careful
to note what's inside any bottle that goes to my bench. I don't go to "special" lengths for powder storage. I just keep the bulk in a steel cabinet with the lids on snug. I've lived in So. CA (from upper 30s to 105+ temps, and 10% to 99% humidity) and Southern Oregon coast (low 30s to low 90s temps and from 20% to 110% humidity, rains a lot) and have not had any of my powders "go bad"...

 

[BucolicBuffalo]

If it's an 8lb, or 5lb, 4lb. Whatever it is, it gets leftovers put back into the same container. I label it as open.

 

[Mobuck]

I store 8# jugs of powder in ammo cans in old freezers in a shaded out building. This helps control the heat/cold cycles and the high temp spikes plus prevents moisture exposure. I don't work from the bigger containers unless loading large lots of .223 or .308 ammo.

 

[contender]

One thing to consider when transferring powders into other containers. While the brand & type of powder may be the same,,, the lot numbers may not be. If there is ever an issue,,, it MAY become an important fact.
I leave all my powders in their original containers,,, and use several 8 lb jugs.

 

[Twoboxer]

Using 8 lb or 4 lb containers of powder presents no more challenges for me than using 1 lb jars. Probably because I use a huge "funnel".

I cut about 4" off the bottom of the bottle and used the top as a funnel. A U-shaped cut-out in the side allows any size powder container to pour into the "funnel" without fear of overshooting the other side. NOTHING sticks to that plastic bottle, and the funnel fits all powder containers and powder measures.

My preference is always to leave powder in its original container, especially since there's no real benefit in transferring it to smaller containers. To me it would just take up more storage space. And AFAIC there is no perfect system for doing otherwise lol . . . sooner or later you will make an error and it may be important.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Yep, I pour from a large jug into a one pound 'working bottle' and I keep all new one pound bottles and new or open jugs in the a/c in the house. My reloading room is my garage.

Another safety concern of mine is that some reloaders keep their powder and primers on a shelf near or above their reloading station. I would not recommend that as any incident while loading might catch the whole works on fire. I keep my 'working' powder and primers on a shelf behind and away from my reloading station. Nothing has ever happened but if it does I might have a few minutes to stop any fire at the bench.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Another safety concern of mine is that some reloaders keep their powder and primers on a shelf near or above their reloading station. I would not recommend that as any incident while loading might catch the whole works on fire. I keep my 'working' powder and primers on a shelf behind and away from my reloading station. Nothing has ever happened but if it does I might have a few minutes to stop any fire at the bench.

Hi,

I don't know where I picked up essentially the same practice--probably from a casual conversation with an ol' timer years ago. When I'm loading, the "working bottle" of powder, together with enough primers to do the planned "run", are all that's on the bench. All the other primers and powder are stored in different areas of the house, away from the bench, each other, heat sources, and in smaller quantities.

Maybe it's a "belt and suspenders" practice, but, if nothing else, I like to believe it cuts down the likelihood of that inevitable mistake Twoboxer noted we will all make sooner or later!

Rick C

 

[sliclee]

Remember one thing when buying powder AND stuff online, make sure you read what you want to order EXACTLY.
They don't won't to take back even when they make a mistake, sometimes they might send you what you didn't order and
leave out what you did order, I said sometimes.
Check immediately when getting even though its too late NO SEND BACK .A BIRD IN THE HAND.
Anyway, all the stores should have plenty now or on the way and prices will slowly fall.
Any places did you bad remember

 

[Clovishound]

I have always bought powder and primers locally. The low price leader for Universal recently went up substantially on their price. My best deal right now is to get an 8lb er from this other source. As I said, the price is about the same as Powder Valley before paying shipping and hazmat.

 

[blammer]

FYI: MEC makes an EZ fill powder funnel that's very stable sitting on 8lb jugs for fill/refill. Some fine powders leave a few kernels on it sometime, but hole in funnel is big enough to clean easily.

 

[Clovishound]

I currently use a cheap plastic funnel from Wally World to aid in dumping powder from my powder measure back into the 1 lb bottles of powder I now use. It works like a charm for me.

I have two issues with working from a jug.

First, I don't relish the idea of filling the small reservoir of my powder measure with an 8 lb jug. I see visions of a half pound of powder spilled all over my press, even using a good funnel. The large jugs are just awkward for pouring small amounts.

Second, I really don't want to have to throw out $150 worth of powder because I accidentally dumped a measure full of HP 38 into an 8 lb jug of Universal. Sure, one needs to be careful and control your operation. Stuff happens. I have a bottle on the bench that is clearly marked as contaminated powder. I don't add to it often, but I have had to use it a few times. I also have a bullet puller.

 

[Rclark]

As above, I save one bottle (1#) to use as the 'working' container. Pour in from the bulk jug of the same powder. Handier.

A cheap funnel BTW, is a 2 liter pop bottle cut in half... Works great to transfer powder.

 

[LAH]

I mostly work from the 8 pounder.

 

[Prescut]

I use 20 different powders.

I keep two pieces of colored tape on my 1 lb bottles. I match the color to the Manufacurer label. I use a large marker to put the Powder Name on each of the two pieces of tape.

I place one of the colored tapes on my powder dispenser at eye level. The other one stays on the bottle. When I finish I never doubt what powder is in the dispenser and what bottle to put the remainder into.

Only one powder at a time comes out of powder storage 1" plywood box (national fire code).

Prescut