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My garage where I plan to reload is not insulated and not air conditioned. In other words, it gets over 100 in the summer and will drop into the teens in the winter. So I was thinking of using an old refrigerator to store powder set on its highest temperature. Do you think that is too cold - probably 40 degrees and do I need to worry about the amount of moisture in the air in the fridge. Yeah - I know powder says store in a cool dry place - I guess my question is will it be too cool and not dry enough? My sense is this is a bad idea. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | ||
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I can't imagine it will hurt the powder. 40 isn't that cold and it might surprise you and be a little warmer. As far as humidity inside the refrigerator it is basically conditioned air and it should be plenty dry. I have a few friends who use an old refrigerator as a magazine who have removed the compressor. Our temps can be similar to yours but having lived in western Wyoming a few years our humidity is a LOT higher. Those friends have never mentioned any problems. I wouldn't be afraid to do so. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me". John 14:6 | |||
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Temperature fluctuations are not good for the powder .Any insulating box will help keep a more consistant temp. | |||
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The refrigerator can't warm the powder in the winter, but can reduce the temperature swings. Isn't Boise kind of a dry climate? Taking the powder out in summer may mean that its temperature is below the dew point, and may accumulate some moisture while it's warming up, but how much? I've never done the experiment. TomP Our country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right, when wrong to be put right. Carl Schurz (1829 - 1906) | |||
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Mike, I may be wrong (gee, when has that ever happened?) but the degradation of most things is because of temp fluctuations more than the absolute temp itself. The insulation of a fridge will keep the powder temp from constantly going up and down day to day. I would use it but leave it off. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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I've used a non-working fridge for years. I put a locked chain around it with about 4" of slack around it so the door could pop open in case of a fire. The chain was in case of kids or nosy people. Take a woman's stocking and put about 2# of uncooked rice in it and lay that in the bottom of the fridge. That'll take care of any moisture. Aim for the exit hole | |||
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 Un plug the refrigerator in the winter and put in a modest heater . My carpeted 2 car grage has heat an air conditionig. It really doesn't cost that much for a heater and small air coditioning unit. Besides a frig is to small to handle all your powder.  roger  rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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If your garage has a window, I would go with Roger's suggestion. For less that $350 I got a pretty good sized window unit that has both AC and heat. Our summers are 90s up, with some days in the hundreds and winters with days at or below zero. The unit keeps the "cabin" I have (1100 sqft) below 80 and above 40. Of course I don't have powder there or I would set the bottom limit to 55 or so. I just keep the pipes from freezing. Larry "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading" -- Thomas Jefferson | |||
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I would advise against putting any kind of heater in a fridge with powder in it. I've seen an old fridge with the light switch jumpered so the light stays on all the time work as a warming oven to keep welding rods dry. At best the heat will be hard on the powder......the worst case scenario is you are going to get a visit from a bunch of big red trucks. I would bet that after they get finished spraying water on everything none of that powder is going to be fit to load. | |||
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I have stored my powder in the door of my beer fridge, yes it works very well at 2 degrees C, for several years. It goes against our fire code here, but, I don't care, the fridge is outside and if it catches fire, nothing of value will burn. I have people tell me that when I bring the bottles inside, condensation will form INSIDE the bottle! This is simply FALSE. The condensation forms on the OUTSIDE in warm humid weather, but, NEVER the INSIDE. Just as mixing Nitro Methane and Methanol ALWAYS causes condensation on the outside of the container, especially metal cans. Cheers.  | |||
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That is true about the condensation. We see it in the photo world all the time. If you have been taking pictures in the wrong climate, put the camera in a plastic bag and the condensation forms on the outside of the bag. Larry "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading" -- Thomas Jefferson | |||
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If a (closed) container can suck in humid air it will fog up. Consider if you will a hunting scope in the field in the winter. It happens. rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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You will need to heat your shop in the winter..Go to Sears and get an oil heater that plugs in..One will heat my 40 ft. shop, and they hardly use any electricity...The don't cost much at all, Im thinking I paid $69.00 for mine..I finally got two and it doesn't even show on my electric bill......Its a win win situation..I leave them on 24/7 all winter. They look like those old school room heaters of the 1940s, except they have a thermostat. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Anybody use an old refrigerator (working) to store powder
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