Pounds or Pounds

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Howa 9700

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Have begun wading through the noise, and from several options have begun to ID what will be powders I will want to buy in volume when availability comes back. There will only be a couple. By chance, 4 of 5 calibers can use the same powder.

So question is.......for a low volume loader.......LONG term storage........would one be better off buying several 1 pound cannisters, and using them one at a time.......or the 8 pound jug? Seems like working in small batches from the 8 pound jug would be cumbersome, but not sure if pouring from large container to small is a good idea?

And out of curiosity, how many 1 pound cannisters in a case?
 
The advantage of an 8 lbs jug is that it's contents all come from the same lot. Ideally, you would get 1 lbs containers, all from the same lot -- though in practice I would imagine doing so would be challenging.
 
Buy 1 lb containers for load development and accuracy testing. Once you determine the powder you like, buy 8 lb container and pour powder from 8 lb container and keep 1 lb container on the bench.

These days, I just buy 8 lb containers of powder I like for lowest cost/pound.

As to long term storage, powder has the shortest shelf life followed by primers then brass/bullets. So I buy enough powder to keep them fresh for several years. I prefer to keep primers fresher than 20 years. No worry for brass once they are cleaned and polished with NuFinish liquid polish (Residual polymer on brass will prevent tarnish for years stored in plastic bags/sealed containers).

FYI, smokeless powder starts to break down as soon as they are put into containers and shelf life is dependent on storage temperature - https://shop.hodgdon.com/gunpowder-stability
 
I have been buying 8# jugs for years once I know what I will be using. I keep a 1# bottle of each to refill and keep on the bench and just refill as needed. It works for me and helps keep costs down buying 2-8# bottles and picking them up from Midsouth Shooters which also saves shipping and hazmat. Save where you can fellas.

ETA for my 38 loading I just usually get a 4# bottle of Bullseye as I’m just loading 2.7 grains per round and it lasts a while, but it still gets dispensed from a 1# bottle at the bench.
 
It's all about volume. If your shooting 25 grains per shot in 223 then one pounders are fine. If your dumping 80 grains in a case in a mag or saum and shooting 100 per month in a match and 100 every off week in practice then a 55 gallon drum might be enough. Sometimes when cash is tight I can shoot 19 grains in a 308 case with lead and be very conservative with my resources. Hunt once a year a pound is basically a lifetime supply.
 
Yep, buy in bulk after trying a pound to see if it will do the job.
As a side note you say you can use the propellant in 4 out of 5 loads. Have you actually tried those loads? Often they will work passibly for you but not near the best. I find that the best loads are often found in a different propellant for each. When things are unobtainable you drop back to second or third choice and get OK results but switch back when you are able to restock. Admittedly if you can't shoot the difference then stick with one choice. I have over 30 different single pound cans to try loads. Some are being refilled from 8 pounders if those are often used choices. Just a thought from a long time reloader.
 
Depends on the powder...

1# of TiteGroup will load over 1500rds of 9mm.
1# of IMR4895 will only load 150rds of .30-06.

I have 1# cans of powders I don't use a lot of... W296, H4350, and any test powders I'm working with. Everything else I buy in 8# jugs and just refill my 1# cans for use... 2 pistol and 5 rifle powders. This is why I didn't really get too excited over the current powder shortage... I already have plenty on hand... except IMR4198, which I stupidly let get too low.
 
Like said only buy the larger 4 or 8 lb jugs when you are sure of your load. Now if your feeding a rifle a 1# bottle does go very far if your shooting regularly. I have at times bought a case of 1# bottles (= 10 lbs) when the larger jugs are not available. I still buy 1# jugs of powders when I'm looking to try something new. I always workup loads with different powders mainly to have a backup if the preferred one is not available. If your loading mainly handgun which only requires 5gr it will last ~1400 rounds. If you shoot weekly 50 rounds, it's good for about 1/2 a year.
 
My Wife looked at My powder shelf today. I picked up a 1# jug of Titegroup and showed Her that With the 4.1 gr I use in 9mm I told Her I could load @1800 rounds. She was amazed. Hence why I only buy 1# jugs.
Will it go bad??? Nah. I am still using a jug of unique that was bought in the 80’s.
 
I have a basement that is 50RH and 46 to 62 degrees winter/summer and still have powder from the late 70s that smells new. I do check for rust / acrid odor on the older cans, nothing yet. I have thought about transferring it to an out-building as the quantity is significant but I am wary of causing the very condition I wish to avoid.
 
AgPilot said:
Will it go bad??? Nah. I am still using a jug of unique that was bought in the 80’s.
Click to expand...
All smokeless powder starts to decompose as soon as it is put in the containers. Don't expect 40 year old powders to perform consistent as fresher powders. There are certain powders that tend to stay "fresher" longer than other powders. My jug of Red Dot and Herco remained viable for quite a few decades but eventually got replaced with fresh containers of Promo and BE-86.

How fast powder continues to decompose is affected by storage conditions - https://shop.hodgdon.com/gunpowder-stability

"The main ingredient of smokeless propellant, comprising from about 55% to 90% of the composition, is nitrocellulose. The process of creating nitrocellulose leaves remnant acid in the material. This acid immediately starts decomposing the finished product. Left alone the decomposition will reach the stage where the propellant becomes unstable and self-ignites. This process resulted in massive explosions at U.S. Government arsenals after World War I.

To increase the life of the smokeless propellant, a stabilizing chemical is used. This “stabilizer” reacts with the acid to slow down the decomposition process. However, as the stabilizer reacts with the acid it is consumed. After the stabilizer is totally consumed, the propellant is no longer protected from the internal acid.

The entire stabilizer / decomposition process is a time and temperature function – the higher the temperature, the shorter the safe life of the powder. Even moderate temperature, over extended time, leads to propellant decomposition. As a rule of thumb, any temperature over that which is comfortable to a person is accelerating the decomposition of smokeless propellants.

Under proper storage, modern smokeless powder can last for decades. However, this does not mean the reloader can ignore how the powder is stored, particularly if in an uncontrolled environment such as a garage or storage building."​
 
I save the 1lb containers, and refill them from an 8lb. Limits the exposure of the 8lb to moisture. Always use the same labels from each, black out the lot numbers on the 1lb bottles. What makes a 1lb go bad will also make an 8lb go bad. I figure whatever I have I'll use within 15 years of manufacture, and am not too worried.
 
LiveLife said:
All smokeless powder starts to decompose as soon as it is put in the containers. Don't expect 40 year old powders to perform consistent as fresher powders. There are certain powders that tend to stay "fresher" longer than other powders. My jug of Red Dot and Herco remained viable for quite a few decades but eventually got replaced with fresh containers of Promo and BE-86.

How fast powder continues to decompose is affected by storage conditions - https://shop.hodgdon.com/gunpowder-stability

"The main ingredient of smokeless propellant, comprising from about 55% to 90% of the composition, is nitrocellulose. The process of creating nitrocellulose leaves remnant acid in the material. This acid immediately starts decomposing the finished product. Left alone the decomposition will reach the stage where the propellant becomes unstable and self-ignites. This process resulted in massive explosions at U.S. Government arsenals after World War I.

To increase the life of the smokeless propellant, a stabilizing chemical is used. This “stabilizer” reacts with the acid to slow down the decomposition process. However, as the stabilizer reacts with the acid it is consumed. After the stabilizer is totally consumed, the propellant is no longer protected from the internal acid.

The entire stabilizer / decomposition process is a time and temperature function – the higher the temperature, the shorter the safe life of the powder. Even moderate temperature, over extended time, leads to propellant decomposition. As a rule of thumb, any temperature over that which is comfortable to a person is accelerating the decomposition of smokeless propellants.

Under proper storage, modern smokeless powder can last for decades. However, this does not mean the reloader can ignore how the powder is stored, particularly if in an uncontrolled environment such as a garage or storage building."​
Click to expand...
Totally agree with Your post. But I’m only loading plinking bullets with this. Just as accurate as is was back when tho. With My hunting rounds I use fresh powder. But still have no problem using older powder if I have it on hand. Mine is stored inside in a cabinet.
 
AgPilot said:
Totally agree with Your post. But I’m only loading plinking bullets with this. Just as accurate as is was back when tho. With My hunting rounds I use fresh powder.
Click to expand...
As I posted, some powders are the exception. Unique certainly is unique in this regard.

I worried when I bought an unopened 8 lb container of Red Dot that was decades old during previous shortage. I was concerned but performed well. But that's not the case for other powders we get complaints of going bad with off smelling odor when container is opened.
 
I buy 8# exclusively, but have enough 1# cans from before I knew better to have a 1# can of each sort up front for weekly use, and fill from the kegs as needed.
 
I buy 1 lb. containers to for testing purposes if I haven't used it before and generally 8 lb. jugs thereafter. I refill the 1 lb. container from the large jug and use that as my working powder. It's cheaper over the long term that way, I get more powder from the same lot, and having "more" powder on hand protects me from shortages like we've been having. If you keep your powder in a climate controlled house, you shouldn't have any trouble with it over as many years as you'll likely use it up.
 
I stocked up on powders right before the last shortage, I know i have some powders I will never use.
 
As some of the other guys do, I will buy 1 lb containers when trying to find a load combo my gun(s) like. Once I find the load I like I’ll step up and buy a larger jug to make a lot more of them. :thumbup:.

Stay safe.
 
As a pistol shooter I buy 1# bottles, two at a time if they have the same lot#. But two pounds will last me several years at the rate I currently shoot. I'm just starting to load for rifle, which uses a lot more powder, and may buy 4# or 8# jugs for that.

chris
 
I load three kinds of rounds: hunting, plinking, and indoor range pistol. Hunting loads last a few seasons. So yeah rifle rounds use more powder but I’m only loading up a couple boxes a year, tops. Plinking, handgun or rifle, I’m not picky about what it is and I’m not coming close to a maximum load. I can load a pound and get a few boxes out of it for rifle and a lot more - close to a case - for handgun. Indoor range ammunition just needs to not be real smoky or real expensive. I can put together a good 25 yard pistol round using about any powder faster than 2400 in any caliber.
Longer story short, I don’t have any interest in storing more smokeless than a few one pound bottles. That includes my must-have hunting powders: Unique, 2400, and IMR’s 4227, 4895, 4064 and 3031.
 
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