I assume the dryer the better.

As to humidity, anything under 50% relative is probably okay, although I'm a bit more comfortable with it being a little drier.

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Originally posted by Roger Rothschild:
Bigcountry,
Unconfined gunpowder will burn rather vigorously but it will only burn. When confined its burning rate increases very rapidly, still burns, never "detonates" or "explodes" it just burns very fast. It would be ok in your safe until something reached a combustion temperature then you and anyone around like firemen might be in for a bad surprise. As long as your powder is unconfined you are good to go.

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I have been storing my powder in a cooler because I live in Texas where it gets a 100 during the summer. I would guess that the cooler lid would not be considered a confined environment nd would let the powder gasses expand. Is that OK?

If you look at sporting goods stores, they store the stuff on shelves at room temps, out of the sunlight from windows.------Chainsaw

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Originally posted by auto:
Most of the reloader guys around here store the powder and primers in an old non-working upright freezer. They are free, and have a lock on the door to keep children out, and have shelves, and generally don't look too bad out in the garage.

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i've been useing a fridge to store powder and primers for 24yrs
no problems

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Death Before Dishonor

If you are really worried, do as others have stated, buy and old upright freezer that you can lock shut and put it in a little shed not connected to your house.

The freezer idea is more appealing from your safe. I have never taken an old freezer and deliberately set it up so I could find out what happens with 15 pounds of powder inside. I do believe with the rubber seals as flexible as they are the pressure would POOF out the seals whereas the safe might be much more violent. I think the freezers a good idea. Besides...who EVER steals freezers? An old freezer with a lock on it sez "Junk" written all over it.

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The problem with gunpowder is not that it is the source of a fire. The problem is that if it is ignited by a structure fire (or very rarely by static, which is why wood rather than metal for a storage cabinet), that it not be confined so that it causes a violent eruption of its confining vessel.

A locked freezer with 50 or 100 pounds of powder inside could erupt like a burning propane tank if the powder somehow ignited.

If you really want to do it right, construct a wooden box of the appropriate size from 3/4" plywood or OSB and line the inside with 5/8 inch firestop wall board (sheet rock). That's essentially the same thing that "fireproof" gun safes are lined with (and it costs about 5 bucks for the material that they charge you $400 extra for). You can even put a hasp and padlock on it if you want, just so it is still "flimsy" enough to come apart easily if the powder is ignited.

Also, I'd suggest placing smaller quantities of powder in several places rather than one big store in a single place. As someone pointed out, it just sits on shelves at the retailer, and does just fine.

Whatever you do, don't go asking your insurance company or fire marshal leading questions. It won't help you in pressing any future claim, and if you make enough noise about it, they'll prohibit keeping garden fertilizer in your garage. Smokeless powder is a class "c" explosive, making it generally exempt from everyday restrictions. Do us all a favor and leave well-enough alone. Realistically, the can of gasoline out back for your lawnmower is a much greater fire/explosion hazard that your entire stock of powder.