I was wondering how long does powder last if unopened? A co-worker gave me 4# of imr powder. he said he can't remember how long ago he purchased it. The old price tag of $6.95 may help to identify age. Thanks

All powder with a marked price of over $4.99 is...

Ooooops. That's not quite right.

Actually, if it is kept dry and cool, it seems to last almost forever. A friend gave me about 5 pounts of H4831, and about a pound and a half of H4895 that both go back to the very early days of Hodgdon. Both have the normal acetone like aroma of fresh powder, and both shoot just fine.

I've never seen it, but when it starts to decompose, it forms a red powder and has a pungent nitric acid smell. If it shows even a little bit of that, it's dangerous and should be used to fertilize the flowers.

I have some Dupont 4198 bought at Don's in Tulsa O.K. in 1964 for 1.90 per # & it still shoots great in my 222.

If stored properly, it will probably last no more than 150 years...

I have used some Dupont powder my dad gave me when I started reloading about 19 years ago. The price marked with magic marker on the top of the can said $1.00. He said he bought it back in the 60's. Still smelled good and looked good. Also shot good.

You don't see the old paper cans anymore. So, after all the powder is gone, that can will go on my hunting shelf as a momento.

HBL

If stored in a cool, dry place in the original can, unopened, smokeless powder should be as good as the day it was made. Some lots of powder produced in a hurry in wartime conditions sometimes did not have all the solvents properly dried out, and can disintegrate in storage. But when you open it, you can tell if this has happened just by looking at the powder and smelling the fumes. If it looks and smells like your newer powders of the same brand (IMR), it is OK!

[ 05-14-2003, 21:34: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

I have fired cartridges loaded 50 years ago, so I have to assume that
powder properly stored in a can will be good at least that long too.
They key is proper storage of course. Left bouncing around a car trunk
that can is fertilizer after a few months....

I don't seem to have that problem...can't seem to keep a can of powder
from running empty every few weeks....

My guess is that the price of $6.95 puts it somewhere in the '70s. That's nearly a decade newer than much of my powder (and primers), which have sometimes been stored in less than ideal conditions, but all of which perform flawlessly.

I have a cardboard can of H-4831 that dates back to the early 70's Has $8.95 on the sticker. I recently tested it against a new batch and couldn't tell any difference.
Rich Elliott

i have cans of DuPont imr powder that is still unopened , that were bought in the 60's that have a price of $1.98 for a one pound can.i use it and its works fine.no signs of going bad.
muskrat

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ALL YOU GUYS. I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW POWDER IN A CARDBOARD CAN CAN LAST FOR YEARS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THESE NEW PLASTIC JUGS?
I USE WIN-296 FOR MY 50AE, AND I BOUGHT AN 8LBS JUG(GRIN GRIN, WELL AT LEAST UNTILL I FIGGURED OUT THAT IT WILL ONLY MAKE AROUND 1700 ROUNDS.)
USEING RED DOT FOR MY 9MM, IT TOOK ME A COUPLE OF YEARS TO LOAD 1500 ROUNDS OUT OF A SINGLE POUND( I STOPPED USEING RED DOT FOR A WHILE AND TRIED A COUPLE DIFFERENT POWDERS, I GOT BORRED TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT JUG). BUT THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT THIS, AND OTHER POWDERS IN 8LBS SIZE, WILL LAST FOR A WHILE?
THE LOCAL SUPPLIERS HERE IN EDMONTON HAVE NO POWDERS AT ALL. WHAT THEY DO HAVE ISN'T WHAT I WANT TO USE, AND WHEN IT COMES IN THEY WILL HAVE A 1LBS LIMIT, SO IF I CAN WHINE SNIVEL AND BITCH ENOUGH, AND COME UP WITH THE MONEY, I WANT TO BUY 8LBS JUGS OF EVEYTHING THAT I WANT TO USE.
BUT THEN I WILL NEED TO USE AS LITTLE AS I CAN, FOR THE NEXT DROUGHT. WHOLESALE SPORTS HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET IN THIER POWDER ORDER FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, AND THEY HAVE A WAITING LIST FOR A FEW PEOPLE THAT BUY BULK FOR THEM THAT GET DIBS ON WHATEVER MAKES IT ACROSS THE BORDER.(ARGH)

SAY, ANYBODY HAVE A GOOD RECIPE FOR HOME MADE GUN POWDER, LOL.

Eagle, just buy the 8 pounders when you can, or go around the city and gunshows, picking up what you can when it's available, even if it's a can at a time. With this government, it's not going to improve, .........national security you know!
I've still sitting on a couple of 8 pounders from the late 70's, and it's in fine shape, stored properly.
I'm in a worse spot, although I do usually keep a good stock and just try to replenish when in Edmonton. Nowadays, it's just a case of trying to locate any powder! Others from the North can't even locate someone with powder, and they only make the one trip a year to the South. ~Arctic~

HEY ARTIC, I SAW WHAT YOU WROTE AND MADE A PHONE CALL. TRY THESE GUYS: http://www.p-d-ent.com/pages/ourstore.html

THEY RUN A GUN STORE HERE IN THE CITY AND HAVE A WEIRD AND WONDERFUL ASSORTMENT OF THIS THAT AND THE OTHER. THEY TRY TO STOCK ALL THE STUFF THAT THE OTHER GUN STORES WON'T.
I GAVE THEM A CALL AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD NO PROBLEM SHIPPING POWDER ANYWHERE IN CANADA, BUT THE SHIPPING CAN GET A LITTLE PRICEY.
BUT IF YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF WHAT YOU WANT AND GIVE THEM A E-MAIL, THEY WILL DO ALL THEY CAN FOR YOU.

THEY HAVE AN IN COUNTRY SUPPLIER SO IF THOSE GUYS ARE STOCKED UP, THEN THEY CAN GET PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING!!!!

GIVE THEM A TRY, IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE, JUST LET ME KNOW. I'LL DO ALL I CAN FOR YOU.

MICHAEL.