Storing Powder

[mick 41]

   I am new to BPCR and just wondering were is the best place to store your powder ? In the safe ? closet. basement ?
                    Mick 41

[ShortStake]

mick 41,

The proper method of storing of Black Powder is certainly a good question.  After one purchases black powder from any source it then becomes a personal responsibility to store said powder properly.

Basic powder storage cautions are to utilize an area that allows for the least amount of temperature and humidity flucuations.

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) print rules for quantities, transportation and storage of smokeless and black powder.  Reading the DOT rules can be quite intimadating to say the very least.

Even more so are the individual states and their requirements for quantities, transportation and storage of powders.  California comes to mind!!!!  The State of California has rules about powder that their own Attorney General cannot interpet.  Neadless to say when one reads the California powder ownership and storage rules it plainly state that the limit for personal use IS one pound of powder.  Some may argue with this statement.  All that needs to be done is research the California printed rules pertaining to gunpowder ownership.  It is a quagmire.

As to other states, it is up to the individual to research and study the applicable rules for gunpowder storage.  Rules for smokeless powders are NOT near as stringent as those rules for black powder.  Individual states can and do have more stringent rules then exsiting DOT rules when it comes to gun powder.  Large cities may even forbid ownership and/or storage.

This may seem like it is long winded and negative.  Some may want to poo-poo away the requirements and stand "well those stupid rules have never been enforced".  Not so, just the real world.

My personal opinion, (which is directly opposite of most encountered printed black powder storage rules) is to keep it in a cool, dry and inaccessible location to others.  Liability being what it is in todays litigous world, limited access to any gun powder whether smokeless or black powder is to be taken very seriously.

From the Land of Enchantment,

ShortStake,
Deming, New Mexico

   

[The Cast Bullet Kid]

Personal responsibility!  HA!  That's well gone in NZ.  We have a "Granny State" Labour Govt absolving us all of that.  "It's not my fault................" 

Anywho..........that half can of gasoline you have in your garage is a bigger hazard than a pound of black powder.  The vapour in the petrol/gas can that is.  NZ shooters pointed that out to the regulators here a year or three back when officialdom wanted to limit us to 500gm of powder.  That's a little over a pound.  That some powders are sold by the kilo was overlooked.  We pointed out to them that nearly every household had a petrol lawn mower and a half empty petrol can in their garage for said and that they would be doing a greater justice to ban folk from having the petrol rather than powder.  They saw our point.........

Just use common sense.  Oh, that's probably gone too...........hahaha.

[MLR]

Years ago (early 70's) I remember seeing drawings for a black powder chest made out of wood. It was over an inch thick but i dont remember the details.
I have thought of trying to make a chest like that but line it with gypsum board. Any thoughts on this?

  Michael

[Will Bison]

I'll chime in with The Cast Bullet Kid on his assesment. I can think of a lot things more dangerous than gunpowder and we all probably store it in our homes. Propane bottles/tanks, spray paint, petrol, chlorine and ammonia products, natural gas (methane), do I need to continue?

I normally have 30-40 pounds of BP on hand at any given time. I don't keep it in my house but rather in my barn in an old fridge. All other combustibles are kept away from each other.

Cool, dry and free from fire hazard generally does it.