I got out of reloading when we had the kids but now they are teenagers and I am back reloading again. The powder has been stored in my basement locked in a large closet where it is cool, dry, and dark. How do I tell if the powder or primers are bad? This is for rifle and shotgun reloading.

Thanks.

Ron, one indication that I've seen personally is the powder will start to "RUST." The powder will just start to break down into a "red dust."

I heard this was a sign it was deteoriating years ago, but a fellow gave me about 4 or 5 canisters of the stuff and at the time I was too cheap to pitch is....so I loaded every bit of it.
Shot it in my 30/06 without any noticable result.
This funny red dust smells urpy and tends to sort of gum up a powder measure. Each time I loaded it I would wash out the internal parts of my powder measure with alcohol I think it was.

What symptom are you seeing that has you worrying? Basically I would say if the powder still smells sweet and looks fine.......use it!
(Although I seem to recall some pistol powders from Hercules smell almost "peppery.") Point being if it's getting yucky, it will smell yucky.
IMHO

Hope this helps

The powder will take on a reddish color...smell a can of fresh powder and memorize that smell, old powder losses that smell....Once it starts turning red I wouldn't use it as it is breaking down and the burning rate is changing.

Ray, I'm thinking the only powders I've ever personally observed this "red dust" or "rust" on were STICK powders and I think mostly old Hogdon powders...which were of course army surplus when he got his hands on them. (No negative reflection on Hogdon Powders intended here!)

Anyway, I'm wondering if you have ever seen a BALL powder or a FLAKE powder exhibit these same symptoms we both describe above?

I can't think of any reason they should deteriorate any differently, but thought you might have seen something in this area I haven't.
The old sniffer is about as good a test as there is probably.

By the way, as I recall, the deteriorating powder I described shooting above also had a foul smell even when fired!

[ 07-10-2002, 01:52: Message edited by: Pecos45 ]

Before I back off this topic and let someone else speak, this very concern of components going "bad" prompted me back in about 1986 to start DATING everything I buy for my guns. All powder, primers and even loaded ammo now has a big magic marker date on it when it was purchased or put together.

So far I haven't had anything go bad that I know of.

Does anyone know what the military standards are for keeping small arms ammo?

Ditto Ray - All powders (stick, ball, extruded) oxidize with prolonged exposure to air. As the powder oxidizes, the burning rate changes. This can cause very serious pressure spikes under certain circumstances. It is best to throw any power which develops a reddish rust color or "off" smell. The best place for this is in your garden or lawn - huge source of nitrogen.

I wish you guys had told me the stuff was dangerous before I shot all those pounds of it!

Seriously, I've shot several pounds of deteriorating powder, some PRETTY DUSTY and if there were any noticable effect at all, it MAY have been slightly less pazazzz. Never have I seen any signs of pressure from it.

But if the kids with the slide rules and pocket protectors say it's risky, I won't argue with them.