How do we properly dispose of spilled gunpowder?

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Hokie_PhD

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Last night I was reloading some ammo that I made that wasn't quite right. So I pulled the bullets, poured the powder into a tray and remeasured it and then put it in the cases.

Unfortunately I had ten rounds spill when I slipped. This was at my press and onto the work bench.

I used a brush to sweep up the powder and have a nice pile to dispose of as I don't trust it.

So my question is how do we properly dispose of about 70 grains of powder?
 
I would sprinkle it into my garden. Nitrates are a good thing.
Thanks

I figured that might be the best option. I just wanted to double check as I want to be safe and as eco friendly as I can.

I'd rather not spread lead and any other poisons if there are any in the powder.
 
70gn isn't very much to matter but why would you not trust it? Also lead comes from the ground so it wouldn't be adding poison.

Don't get me wrong I don't like my fingers after handling spent casings but a little lead won't hurt you. This stuff has been blown out of portions. I bet if you have your water tested the is a amount of lead in it along with other things that aren't good you.
 
Thanks

I figured that might be the best option. I just wanted to double check as I want to be safe and as eco friendly as I can.

I'd rather not spread lead and any other poisons if there are any in the powder.
Next year's tomatoes will explode with flavor! :) I have an Alpine Strawberry that was very, very happy to get about 30 grains of Unique last fall.
 
Next year's tomatoes will explode with flavor! :) I have an Alpine Strawberry that was very, very happy to get about 30 grains of Unique last fall.

Great with all the garlic I put in my "gravy" the last thing I need is exploding tomatoes ;-)
 
If its just a little bit I will simply just throw it in the trash can or out the window. whichever is closer. If its a good bit, I will save it and burn it in a nice pile outside. I put some 700x on a houseplant almost a year ago. I water it twice weekly and the powder hasnt seemed to "dissolve" yet. It still looks like some good 700x.
 
Put it in little piles and ignite it. It burns really really fast.!

More fun than throwing it on the lawn

"The best way to dispose of deteriorated smokeless powder is to burn it out in the open at an isolated location in small shallow piles (not over 1" deep). The quantity burned in any one pile should never exceed one pound. Use an ignition train of slow burning combustible material so that the person may retreat to a safe distance before powder is ignited."

http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_started/safety/storage_handling.aspx#Anchor-Smokeless-49575
 
It is kind of fun to burn off (in very small quantities of course). I also have a super green spot in my yard where, last year, I spread about 3 pounds of H335 that had gone bad.
 
I see no reason that flushing small amounts down the commode would harm the environment?? I ignited about a cup full in the driveway. Placed a little trail of powder to the main pile. Lit the trail and had about a 6 ft. tall yellow flame that went whoosh and disappeared. Left a little burned spot on the concrete that washed away.
 
I have burned questionable powder outdoors -- on a barren spot of ground, but not during low humidity tinder box conditions, like we had last summer (I'm in Upper East Tennessee).

Very wet conditions, spread it on the grass before or during a rain.

If it's black powder, I have a homebuilt tennis ball cannon for disposal. (I like multiple options.)
 
You could burn it off if you really want to. Smokeless doesn't burn violently when there's nothing to contain it or build up gas pressure. In this video, hickock45 burns a trail of Unique on the right, and black powder on the left (skip ahead to 10:57)


There's quite a bit of powder on that board, and it's not much faster burning than cannon fuse.
 
I see no reason that flushing small amounts down the commode would harm the environment?? I ignited about a cup full in the driveway. Placed a little trail of powder to the main pile. Lit the trail and had about a 6 ft. tall yellow flame that went whoosh and disappeared. Left a little burned spot on the concrete that washed away.

That one brought back memories: In elementary school, 4th grade, I didn't know what a cherry bomb was. Another kid went into the restroom with me & showed me a cherry bomb & said he was going to blow up a toilet with it. I laughed & said "That little thing won't blow up anything." He flushed the toilet, lit the fuse & dropped it in when the water went down. I laughed at him again & said "The water put it out anyway." A few seconds later, I heard a muffled gurgling sound & the toilet bowl started cracking & water started gushing out. We ran out & water started flowing out of the restroom. 55 years later, I still laugh when I think about that gurgle & water chasing us.
 
I had some powder from some 1930s 30-06 that I'd parted out. Almost 1/2 lb probably.
Piled it in the driveway and said to my boy, "ya wanna see something neat?"
Lit it up and watched it burn! Goes pretty fast, and burns reeeeally intensely.

Back in my dumb(er) days, I did the same thing with a sizeable pile of black powder. No fuse, no powder trail. Just lit the pile. Yeah, don't do that.
Nasty, nasty burns from that one, and even lost some hair. It was over before I'd realized I'd screwed up!
Woof! Gone.
 
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