I thought I had heard some place that if a can of powder has a strong formaldihide odor it meant that it was no longer good to load with? I bought some older can recently of IMR 4350 and 4831, and the scent is nothing like some of my newer cans.
Is this the case?
Thanks Greg

Powder can assume a "fowl" odor when it degenerates......and age isn't the culprit.

If it doesn't smell like powder usually does I'd ditch it.

the other telltale sign is rust. if you don't recognize the odor, do what vapo says and dump it

Good (single base) powder has the familiar and fairly pleasant smell of the solvent in which it was formulated. Bad powder smells acrid, slightly burning the nose and usually exhibits a reddish dust when poured from the container.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Good (single base) powder has the familiar and fairly pleasant smell of the solvent in which it was formulated. Bad powder smells acrid, slightly burning the nose and usually exhibits a reddish dust when poured from the container.

and in one case I observed.....looks wet. Like it had water coming out of it.....

I think the escaping liquid (possibly nitroglycerine) accounts for some of the smell.

The sharp strong odor and rust are the two best signs of powder degeneration but the best advise it to be careful with it.

It's not like you have liquid nitro but my advise to to put water in it and call your local Law Enforcement and see if they will "dispose" of it when they destroy other old ammo etc. (Once you "add water" it's safe.)

The BAD 4895 to which I've been exposed to was not thouroughly rinsed and is acidic and anhydrous( Will draw water out of the air) and turn to strongly corrosive acid( looks wet). 8 pounds of it in 33gal. of water and poured on the lawn was to strong and burned the grass.However, if you dilute it enough it does make great fertilizer. roger

Anything questionable I just pour in a pile and light it off after dark for the benefit of the kids.
The last people I would call would be local Law Enforcement for disposal. Our LEO's would start asking too many questions and next thing you know our media will show up and make you out to be some nut who hordes gunpowder and they'd be all slapping each other on the back for exposing a gun nut who was on the verge of commiting a hideous crime.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
The last people I would call would be local Law Enforcement for disposal. Our LEO's would start asking too many questions and next thing you know our media will show up and make you out to be some nut who hordes gunpowder and they'd be all slapping each other on the back for exposing a gun nut who was on the verge of commiting a hideous crime.

X2 roger