Powder and Primer Shelf Life

[jasonprox700]

What is the shelf life for powder and primers once they are already opened? 

I was told by another avid reloader and sporting goods manager who happens to be my cousin, that he would have no problem using powder and primers that were 20 years old if stored properly.  He does a LOT of reloading and shooting.  He is big into Cowboy shooting and he is a big military buff who retired from the army.  All other advice he has given me worked out great. 

[stimpylu32]

jasonprox700

Properly stored powder and primers will last a long time , i have some Alcan LP primers that i have had for over 25 years and they work as well today as the day i opened them .

Sounds like you got some good info .

stimpy

[Old Syko]

Good advice indeed!  I recently loaded the last of a lot of powder that I bought in 1974.  Works the same now as it did then and man, am I ever sorry I'm now out.  A year or so ago I started to load a powder that was about 15 years old that had developed an unbelievable odor.  Decided to dump it instead just to be safe.  For the most part though if properly cared for it will last a looooong time.

[Lloyd Smale]

keep it sealed tight and in a cool and dry enviroment and your grandkids will be able to load with it.

[dw06]

+1 What Lloyd said.I'm shooting powder from 8lb cans of IMR 3031 & 4350 that are 17 years old,and they are good as new.Also have a can of dupont 4064 that is 30 odd years old,still smells fresh and no brown coloring so its still useable.

[iiranger]

If stored properly. If it is in conditions that you live in, it should keep fine. Well, if you have a super humid basement, I would use air tight containers and maybe dessicant. Or if you do mechanic work, keep it away from petro odors/fluids... Otherwise, long long time. I don't think I have ever fired WW I ammo, but I fired a bunch of 7x57 round nosed dated in the 1920s. No problems. No doubt, you have heard that oils will deactivate primers, even vapors if strong... The one batch of powder that "went bad" was, per NRA Rifleman, made during late WW II and several "wash" steps were skipped to get it into use against the enemies of USA. This left manufacturing acids that caused it to deteriorate when it got into surplus after the war. If the smell is normal, like ether/starting fluid, or acetone/ finger nail polish remover; no problems. The scent to avoid is like vinegar/ "acidic." luck

[Questor]

Heat much above 90F, moisture that dampens them, and very low humidity that dries them out are the things that will kill propellants and primers. Try to keep it around the temperatures that are comfortable for people and it will last for decades. Keep it off of concrete floors too.

[BIG Dog454]

Loaded some Herters, small rifle primers last month, they shot fine.  I Think that they went out of business in 1964? Anyone remember?

[Waldog]

I have shot some IMR 4895 that I know is 40+ years old. Belonged to my Dad and he has been gone for 12 years.  He had not shot that particular powder since about 1965.  How do I know?.  Still has the price tag on it, $2.00 lb, with a date 1965!!

[Slufoot]

Hello Questor, you wrote
"Keep it off of concrete floors too."

What is the reasoning behind this, I have never anyone mention this before.
Thanks!

[calvon]

I have some Hodgdon surplus 4831 that I bought sometime during the sixties. Paid $0.52 per pound for it. Still using it and it is as good as it ever was. I'm told that powder was salvaged from 20 mm ammo that was manufactured during WWII.

I also have some Hodgdon surplus 4895 that i bought during the early seventies. It, too, is still good, and it was salvaged from military ought six ammo that was manufactured during WWII.

So it is older than a lot of you who are reading this. I store it in a wooden cabinet in an unheated garage. I live in a dry climate, the desert part of Eastern Oregon. Wish I had more of both.

I have a few hundred Winchester small rifle primers that are round topped instead of flat topped and were shipped in little wooden trays. Somebody might tell me how old these are. They were given to me in the early seventies. They still work flawlessly in my .222 Remington.

[Waldog]

CALVON,  I have some of the Winchester primers in the wood trays you are talking about.  I got those form the same source as my IMR 4895, my Dad.  I think it would be safe to say the wood tray primers date form the early 1960's or late 1950's.  I remember using those primers when my Dad was teaching me about reloading.  I was about 10 (1962).  I specifically remember the wood primer trays as I thought they looked neat. 

[SHOOTALL]

i started reloading around 1976 , still have some primers from then and some bullseye, unique and i think 2400 also ! I hadn't thought about it till now , but that stuff is getting old , ilke me !

[Tom W.]

I have some 40 + year old Federal Large pistol primers that work flawlessly....