Inherited a reloading operation. How do I know if it is “fresh”?

[YellowcatDaddy]

A close friend died recently and left me his reloading stuff. I’ve owned guns for years but never got into reloading because I shoot mostly revolvers and pistols and factory ammo was generally cheaper. But I want to try this reloading because of my friend and his generous gift.
My question is about the primers and powders. I’ll be reloading .357/.38 and .44 mag. Maybe 9 mm also but I have a fair amount of 9mm and I don’t want to waste primers on something I have plenty of.
This stuff was setting in my friends barn—no ac or heat. We live in rural Oklahoma where summers get up in the low hundreds and down to minus -10. Not to mention the humidity.
Are primers snd powders effected by temp and humidity. Most of the powder is Hodgdon and all CCI primers. I have Titegroup, CFE pistol, W244 and W572 and H110. I haven’t opened the bottles yet cause if they haven’t been opened I want to leave it that way. Can I just weigh them to get an idea about whether they have been opened. Can you look at powder and tell if it’s “fresh” or “stale”? The primer packets are not sealed do they are exposed to humidity.
Anyone have any ideas.

 

[entropy]

All those 'should' be OK- You may have to open the powder canisters to look at and smell them. The primers should be fine. They are much less affected by humidity until it is literally dripping wet. (Think Florida swamp.)
To weigh them properly, you'd have to dump the powder into another container you've already got the tare weight on, then weigh, or weigh the whole canister full, then dump the powder into something to hold it while you get a tare weight on the canister, then dump it back in, and subtract the tare weight from the total weight.

Forgot to say-congrats! Even though this is not the best time to start reloading, the major expenses have already been taken care of.

 

[Skgreen]

Can we get some pics of the items? The packaging may help us to guess the age of what you have. (Modern or Antique)
How long was it in the barn?
Primers are pretty tough.
Powder would have to be opened. Clumpy and or stinky is to be avoided.

Others will have more in-depth comments.

 

[YellowcatDaddy]

My smeller isn’t the best after Covid, so what smell should I be worried about?

 

[YellowcatDaddy]

I think Asa was only into reloading for a couple of years. Some of his stuff like the primer was still in the packaging. It’s one of those with tubes to load primers which you turn upside down and stick in a holder that pivots over and drops a primer in a cup which you then push this lever down and it presses the primer into the case. Pretty clever gizmo, if UTube can be believed.

 

[Bazoo]

Good powder smells sweetish. Bad powder smells sorta rancid, acrid. Powder thats bad often has red dust in it.

If the powder is clumped but smells and looks okay, the clumps can be broken up with your hands and it will load and shoot fine.

Storage conditions like that aren't ideal, but it doesn't degrade powder and primers over short periods like 10 years. If it was 50 years maybe it would cause degradation. But that doesn't mean it will, many times powder and primers thus stored are fine until saved and used by a happy new owner.

 

[Howa 9700]

Some of those are rifle powders off the A list. Much sought after and hard to find. Your friend had good taste.

What is the equipment? Press, dies, etc?

 

[HowieG]

Any powder in a plastic container is pretty new. Powder used to come in tin containers. I STILL have some in those tin containers from the 1970's, and they are still fine. I still use them when I have a need for those powders. Believe me when I say that powder was WAY LESS EXPENSIVE back then. We pay a relative fortune now.

FYI, tin powder cans are collectible.

 

[BOISE BADWOLF]

My smeller isn’t the best after Covid, so what smell should I be worried about?

Should have a kinda nice sweet smell.

 

[AgPilot]

If Ya want I can take it off Your hands and make sure all is good
That powder doesn’t look that old. As posted above.

 

[HowieG]

Should have a kinda nice sweet smell.

It should smell exactly like good powder, lol.

 

[edwardware]

. . . what smell should I be worried about?

For powder smells:
-Ammonia is bad
-Anything in the solvent range (thinner, acetone, methyl, alcohol, lacquer thinner, etc) is good.

None of that powder is old enough to get a driver's license. You're fine.

Primers don't really age for practical purposes. Very high humidity can damage them, but it's unlikely.

 

[YellowcatDaddy]

I had no idea that powder could last so long. That’s good to know. And the aroma info is good too. Here are some pictures. Asa (my departed friend) like rifles more than pistols and he would tell me about getting the bullets seated just so they were touching the rifling snd I shoot revolvers and the bullets make a pretty good jump from chamber to barrel.

I read the ABC of reloading and I’m making some dummy rounds to get the bullet seating and crimp working.

Asa’s dies are for rifles and they are in green boxes. I bought Lee’s delux four die set for .38/.357 and .44 Remington Mag. I didn’t get his rifles. I can’t hunt anyway. But he was pretty well set up for his rifles. I might have to get some just so I can reload for them.

 

[kcofohio]

A close friend died recently and left me his reloading stuff. I’ve owned guns for years but never got into reloading because I shoot mostly revolvers and pistols and factory ammo was generally cheaper. But I want to try this reloading because of my friend and his generous gift.
My question is about the primers and powders. I’ll be reloading .357/.38 and .44 mag. Maybe 9 mm also but I have a fair amount of 9mm and I don’t want to waste primers on something I have plenty of.
This stuff was setting in my friends barn—no ac or heat. We live in rural Oklahoma where summers get up in the low hundreds and down to minus -10. Not to mention the humidity.
Are primers snd powders effected by temp and humidity. Most of the powder is Hodgdon and all CCI primers. I have Titegroup, CFE pistol, W244 and W572 and H110. I haven’t opened the bottles yet cause if they haven’t been opened I want to leave it that way. Can I just weigh them to get an idea about whether they have been opened. Can you look at powder and tell if it’s “fresh” or “stale”? The primer packets are not sealed do they are exposed to humidity.
Anyone have any ideas.

Welcome to the world of reloading!
First off, my condolences for your loss of a friend.
Second off, to determine how old the powder is, Hodgdon has an easy lot # system that tells of the date the powder was bottled. The 1st digit is the weight, 1, 4, or 8 lbs. The 2nd & 3rd digits are for the month, then the next 2 digits are for the day of month, then 2 digit day for the year. The last four digits are the lot #.

 

[kcofohio]

Did your friend have reloading manuals? You really need to read some to understand the basics of reloading. And to understand the hazards of not following a known procedure.

 

[YellowcatDaddy]

Now that is good information. I have 1pound bottles. I’ll check those dates.

Yes he dad several loading manuals. He sent me the ABCs of Reloading before he died. We had been planning to do some reloading together since the pandemic started. He died a year ago this month.

he has the Hornady book and lymans and a couple more. Those are the ones I have been reading. Also some of the booklets with nothing but reload data for specific calibers. I read enough about double charging to scare the crap out of me. That makes you nervous.
To get started, I plan on loading like 20 rounds of .38 Special using Titegroup and CFE Pistol and see how it goes. Shoot em and see how they feel and accuracy. I just got what ever bullets were available from Midway and my local gun store.

 

[YellowcatDaddy]

I have a lot of questions and I don’t want to violate any protocols. So, should I start a new thread for stuff like safely storing powder and primers.

 

[THEWELSHM]

Condolences to you mate, your buddy left you a pastime for the rest of your life, that when you get command of, you will remember him for the rest of your days...

God bless, it’s not goodbye it’s see you later!


Thewelshm

 

[ballman6711]

One pound cans should look like this



1061821= one pound, June 18, 2021, lot number 3606



1120815 = one pound, Dec 8, 2015, lot number 2440.

Your friend left you something to cherish and remember him by. Take your time and enjoy it.

And welcome to THR.

chris

 

[YellowcatDaddy]

1pound made on June 18, 2021?

yeah, it’s been bitter sweet. Reading and learning g, all of which makes me think about my buddy. Like all good people we loose in life, you wish you had spent more time with them.
Thanks for all your help and information this evening. I’ll have more questions and I look forward to your good answers.

 

[Herman B]

That's a top notch press you now have, a Redding T-7 (turret, 7 holes). Pencil-in immediate maintenance by doing a thorough cleaning/inspection for rust/lube, etc. given its' exposure. Remove the head for cleaning bearing surfaces. Under the 5/16" allen bolt (torque: 45 ft lbs.) atop the turret head is a bushing that is to be used for that head, not some other head. New heads come with their own bushing - not interchangeable. Under the head is a spring-loaded BB for indexing. Don't let it jump.

You'll find an enormous amount of reloading information in the archives here and other rich reloading sites; glocktalk.com, smith-wessonforum.com. Enjoy and be safe.

 

[ballman6711]

1pound made on June 18, 2021?

That would be correct. I also have a pound with a date of June 21, 2021.

Both were bought a month or so ago at a LGS (local gun shop). They hadn't had any powder in a while, and had just got a shipment in.

chris

 

[Airborne Falcon]

I had no idea that powder could last so long. That’s good to know. And the aroma info is good too. Here are some pictures. Asa (my departed friend) like rifles more than pistols and he would tell me about getting the bullets seated just so they were touching the rifling snd I shoot revolvers and the bullets make a pretty good jump from chamber to barrel.

I read the ABC of reloading and I’m making some dummy rounds to get the bullet seating and crimp working.

Asa’s dies are for rifles and they are in green boxes. I bought Lee’s delux four die set for .38/.357 and .44 Remington Mag. I didn’t get his rifles. I can’t hunt anyway. But he was pretty well set up for his rifles. I might have to get some just so I can reload for them.

Your friend left you set-up and ready to go.

I love Inline Fabrication ultra stands ... I have three, one of each size.

Your friend definitely had good taste.

I have powders out in my man cave, twenty years old or older and still going strong.

The main differences in some of the new versions are coatings, and some now have this anti fouling blend sprayed-on (for instance CFE is an acronym for Copper Fouling Eraser if I remember correctly) but all of the powders you've pictured should be plenty fine.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Now that is good information. I have 1pound bottles. I’ll check those dates.

Yes he dad several loading manuals. He sent me the ABCs of Reloading before he died. We had been planning to do some reloading together since the pandemic started. He died a year ago this month.

he has the Hornady book and lymans and a couple more. Those are the ones I have been reading. Also some of the booklets with nothing but reload data for specific calibers. I read enough about double charging to scare the crap out of me. That makes you nervous.
To get started, I plan on loading like 20 rounds of .38 Special using Titegroup and CFE Pistol and see how it goes. Shoot em and see how they feel and accuracy. I just got what ever bullets were available from Midway and my local gun store.

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. He had good taste in equipment.
To start with. Yes double charging can happen. It only happens if you don't follow two basic rules. 1 no distractions. 2 not developing and holding to a set procedure.
Titegroup is not my favorite powder. But you can make some good 38 load with it.
Read the first part of your reloading manuals. They are a wealth of information.

 

[MEHavey]

Re: good powders but scarily-small amounts..

>
> Cut a 2" dowel and mark it w/ a pencil when dropped into a properly-charged case.
>
> When you've finished loading powder into a block of cases, drop the dowel into each
> case as check before bullet seating. Takes 60 seconds for full loading block -- but a
> no brainer to sleep well.
>