Due to one thing or another, I haven't done any reloading for 45 Colt for about six months. Not realizing it would be that long I left a good amount of Hodgdon Titegroup powder in my Lee Auto-Drum Powder Measure which is attached to my Classic Turret Press. I'm ready to start reloading again, but not sure if I should dump that powder or if it's safe to use. Any thoughts?
Is the smokeless powder safe to use?
- Thread starter VMass
- Start date
bfalcon00
Member
Did it discolor your powder measure?
Jim Watson
Member
I don't worry about a little discoloration, my Dillon measures are pretty dark, but you have to watch out for actual attack. I had one batch of powder completely rot out a cheap acrylic Redding measure hopper. I had to trash both.
My CH measure started yellowing so fast that I found a piece of glass tubing the right diameter for a liner at the lab glassblower's shop.
My CH measure started yellowing so fast that I found a piece of glass tubing the right diameter for a liner at the lab glassblower's shop.
Powders can react with the plastic hoppers of many powder measures. If it has discolored or etched the plastic, then it might be a good idea to proceed with an abundance of caution and discard the powder.
Most powders are very stable and if properly stored in the original container can last for years. The common checks for deterioration are to look for a rust color and/or sniff for the presence of an acidic smell. If either are present, I'd discard the powder.
I have powders that I bought in the early-1980s that still look and smell fresh and which deliver nearly the same velocities as they did in 1993 (when I got a chronograph). I also have (or, had) powders that were discarded as soon as I opened then and took a whiff.
Most powders are very stable and if properly stored in the original container can last for years. The common checks for deterioration are to look for a rust color and/or sniff for the presence of an acidic smell. If either are present, I'd discard the powder.
I have powders that I bought in the early-1980s that still look and smell fresh and which deliver nearly the same velocities as they did in 1993 (when I got a chronograph). I also have (or, had) powders that were discarded as soon as I opened then and took a whiff.
Of the powder measures I have, all will yellow if gunpowder is left in the hopper over night, or for days.
gunpowder is outgassing NOx, but I have no idea what chemical is causing the hopper materials to occlude.
If you ever see red fumes come out of your powder measure, or your bottle, that powder is unstable and is ready to autocombust!
It is best practice to not expose gunpowder un necessarily to the open atmosphere. There are all sorts of chemicals in the air, anything ionic will attack gunpowder. Months and years of exposure I am sure is not good. Humidity in the air attacks gunpowder. New, good condition gunpowder, I would not worry about it rapidly breaking down due to exposure in a garage for a week or two. That may turn the hopper yellow.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,369
Skeeter Skelton once wrote an article about his "Cow Killer loads". I wish I could find it, but the short version is that he'd bragged on his hot Magnum loads, and then loaded some up for a friend, using powder that had been left in a hopper. The plastic apparently killed the powder, and the resulting loads bounced right off of the critters.
As I mentioned, I couldn't find the article, but did come across this one... https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=418662
As I mentioned, I couldn't find the article, but did come across this one... https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=418662
243winxb
Member
I would remove powder from hopper so to break up any clumps that may have formed. Make sure grains are not sticking together, put back in hopper.
When weighed on a scale, the weight may have changed. Outgassing powder may be lighter, by same volume. If* it absorbed moisture, heavier.
I would use it.
Last edited:
Not that I can see.
I'm beginning to think it may not be worth the risk of loading rounds with that 'old' powder. I think I'll dump it and load some fresh Titegroup into the powder measure. Thanks all.
Question: Do the rest of you empty out your powder measure if you don't plan to do any more reloading for a few days, a week, month, etc.?
Question: Do the rest of you empty out your powder measure if you don't plan to do any more reloading for a few days, a week, month, etc.?
Blue68f100
Member
What was the climate conditions where it was at? If climate controlled it should be fine. If out in 100°+F heat it could be a issue. If in dought, just load a few at a reduced load to test. There are a lot of loaders that leave everything setup and ready, year around. aka, Dillon AP users will full tool heads loaded and ready to go. Extreme Heat and humidity are what degrades the powder.
I always return the powder back to it's original container at the end of session. I never store powder in dispensers.
I always return the powder back to it's original container at the end of session. I never store powder in dispensers.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,369
Yes, always. If nothing else, I'm liable to forget which powder it was anyway.
Charlie98
Member
I was just going to suggest that. We aren't talking about a pound of powder or anything... just dump it in the flowerbed, and carry on with fresh powder.
FWIW, I left TiteGroup in my Hornady drop (just like Slam's in his photo above...) and it etched the poly in 3 days. It's the high Nitro content in TiteGroup. Since then, I do NOT leave powder in the hopper... period... unless it's to run downstairs and feed my face, or let the dog out.
If you look at my photo, the bottom 2" of my drop are scored. It's not just discolored, it's etched. It freaked me out so bad, I posted about it... and that's when I found out about the Nitro and etching.
Riomouse911
Member
Better safe than sorry. With many tons of PSI being touched off in your hands, best to dump it out and start over.
I dump mine back into the container when I am done, I don’t leave stuff out even overnight.
Stay safe.
BushMaster-15
member
I left powder in one of MY powder measures for nearly # 8 months once ,it did have the lid on it . Long of it short I got very busy and forgot about it .
I eventually went back realizing I fooked up and loaded out the .38 spl. Didn't seem to make any difference ,wasn't fuming and measure was slightly discolored anyway ,didn't look any different and ALL went Bang .
One just needs to pour a small amount out on white paper and LOOK AT IT . Test one or two rounds ,if it's deteriorated it WON'T have the energy to do any real harm in a couple of loads . IF they all go Bang and you hit your target ,YOU win .
In 58 years reloading I've only had #1 powder go BAD , Red Dot in an 8 lb. keg . I'm still using Bruce Hodgdon's original H 870 from the 60's and it's NEVER given ME a smidgen of trouble and I'm nearing the end of that supply . I use it in 7RM & .338 Win Mag . Still get excellent velocity ,so go figure .
I eventually went back realizing I fooked up and loaded out the .38 spl. Didn't seem to make any difference ,wasn't fuming and measure was slightly discolored anyway ,didn't look any different and ALL went Bang .
One just needs to pour a small amount out on white paper and LOOK AT IT . Test one or two rounds ,if it's deteriorated it WON'T have the energy to do any real harm in a couple of loads . IF they all go Bang and you hit your target ,YOU win .
In 58 years reloading I've only had #1 powder go BAD , Red Dot in an 8 lb. keg . I'm still using Bruce Hodgdon's original H 870 from the 60's and it's NEVER given ME a smidgen of trouble and I'm nearing the end of that supply . I use it in 7RM & .338 Win Mag . Still get excellent velocity ,so go figure .
bfalcon00
Member
You are probably ok assuming your reloading space is not high heat and/or humid. I always dump the powder measure back into the original container when I'm done loading.
This also keeps me from loading a wrong powder in the wrong cartridge. ( I load everything on one press and would hate to dump 2400 into a 45 ACP)
ballman6711
Member
I have a few measures with different powder in each. I leave powder in each one, and have each one labeled with what powder is in which measure. Sometimes I don't get back to my bench for a month or two, and I've never had any discoloration or other problems. I do leave the rubber cap on my measures, even while loading, with only two exceptions. One is when adding powder to the measure, the second is if a thrown charge is being dumped back into the hopper (think changing the charge weight). FWIW I've never used Titegroup, or any other high nitro powder that I'm aware of.
I do have a small temp and humidity gauge on my bench and it rarely gets above 50% RH, although the summer months can see my reloading room get into the 80's for a few hours each day since we have no AC in the house.
I'm probably one of the exceptions for doing it this way.
chris
I do have a small temp and humidity gauge on my bench and it rarely gets above 50% RH, although the summer months can see my reloading room get into the 80's for a few hours each day since we have no AC in the house.
I'm probably one of the exceptions for doing it this way.
chris
243winxb
Member
The chemical composition of Hodgdon Titegroup, there are many, would seem to not be bothered by a little air. Unless temperatures were high, for a long period?
See Safety Data Sheet
https://shop.hodgdon.com/hodgdon-titegroup/
See Safety Data Sheet
https://shop.hodgdon.com/hodgdon-titegroup/
.45Coltguy
Member
Why risk it? Dump it. Just isn't worth it.
Charlie98
Member
By necessity... what you see is what I got to work on. At the left of the photo you see my die boxes... there are 3 rows of those, and that's the end of the bench. It's literally 2'x3' of area I have to work on... it HAS to be neat!
The OP on that thread left Red Dot in his hopper forever, but did that once with Titegroup and has problems. I think something else was going on. I think it the same for Skeeter. Maybe someone poured their coffee in his powder measure, or some other improbable event.
Plus, those gunwriters did not know that gunpowder had a lifetime, nor that heat and ionic compounds accelerate deterioration. Cow pokes and men with a badge have severe limitations when it comes to understanding a physical world more complicated than donuts and black coffee. These guys come up with weird explanations for things they don't understand. Just because someone in print is expressing opinions does not mean they are a subject matter expert!
In 58 years reloading I've only had #1 powder go BAD , Red Dot in an 8 lb. keg . I'm still using Bruce Hodgdon's original H 870 from the 60's and it's NEVER given ME a smidgen of trouble and I'm nearing the end of that supply . I use it in 7RM & .338 Win Mag . Still get excellent velocity ,so go figure .
Maybe the powder manufacturer's are removing more of the acid out of the powder, than they used to. When this ad was put in print, Hercules was bragging about a 25 year shelf life:
I have dumped out kegs of powder from the 1990's. My AA4064 went bad
and so did this
a friend gave me this picture. Powder from 1972
this was interesting
My advice: uncork your bottles and sniff them. Also monitor ammunition loaded for years. If you see case neck cracks in loaded ammunition, might be due to powder deterioration. Ditto if there are lots of cracks in fired ammunition.
pulled surplus powder was a bad idea. I tossed out kegs of the stuff. The reason it had been pulled was that it was beyond safe storage limits.
epags
Member
Yes, always dump powder back into the original container after reloading....although if reloading the same caliber over a few days, the powder stays in the reloading tube.
Be aware you can buy glass cylinders (to replace the factory plastic) for many of the different reloading systems.
