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Powder Storage Containers


bgavin

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My neighbor and I acquired some 8# kegs of powder.
We are going to split each, half and half, and trade.

We do not have access to old plastic powder kegs.
I'm thinking about storing powder in all metal coffee cans with a plastic snap-on lid, and a bag of desiccant inside.

Thoughts or recommendations?
 

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How about a used plastic milk jug. Easy to pour. Make sure you clearly and permanently label.

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Those lids are not air tight. Tupperware might be an option with a regenerated desiccant pack.

 

Tupperware might also hold up longer to the chems in powder, I would not trust typical coffee or nut can lids to hold up under exposure to anything not food, and even then not vinegar.

 

But a better choice might be to ask your local group for empty powder containers, just make sure (again, make sure! Um, all caps: MAKE SURE!) you obliterate all old markings and write on the container what is in it now.

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22 minutes ago, bgavin said:

My neighbor and I acquired some 8# kegs of powder.
We are going to split each, half and half, and trade.

We do not have access to old plastic powder kegs.
I'm thinking about storing powder in all metal coffee cans with a plastic snap-on lid, and a bag of desiccant inside.

Thoughts or recommendations?
 

 

Just give’em to me, I’ll take care of ‘em fer ya :ph34r: :D

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Ziplock sells various sized airtight containers. I use ice-cream pails to store my homemade bp until I corn it. Works for that application but idk if I'd trust that for smokeless. I'm sure if you ask fellow local shooters they probably have a fee powder containers that are empty laying around the reloading bench. Ik I do lol

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Empty Cat litter jugs.

 

Check with the manager of a local restaurant. They may have sturdy 1 gallon jugs with screw top lids.

 

Amazon sell lots of suitable containers. Search on 1 gallon jug with lid. Several options with air tight screw lids.   

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I'd hunt down any commercial loaders in your area.  Bug them for their empty powder containers of any size. 

 

The plastic of powder containers is specially designed NOT to interact with residual ethers, esters, -(acet)ones, and alcohol type solvents used in manufacturing powder.

 

For example, leaving Winchester Super Handicap powder in contact with the rigid plastic RCBS uses in powder measures results in the powder dissolving into the container walls and changing composition to be who-knows-what.  You take a pretty big risk of ruining the powder using just any plastic jar or baggie.   Soft plastic bags would be the LAST thing I would use due to the plasticizers that keep them flexible.  Most things put into plastic containers are pretty inert chemically.   Smokeless powder does not show up in dictionary under "chemically inert."

 

If you are neighbors and have a good working relationship, just take over a 1# powder jar and fill it as you need it.    Each one takes ownership of half of the caddy (8#) bottles.  Mark on the outside of the caddy when the neighbor takes a small jar out.   At least you will never contaminate the caddy.  And you split the fire hazards.  And if you use 6 pounds of Unique and he uses 7 pounds of Blue Dot, you don't have to go on trips to borrow-back to match the uneven powder consumption patterns.

 

good luck, GJ

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My first thoughts: double based powders with nitro break down plastic.
The old ammo cans were made out of metal.. so I figured coffee cans might be a good substitute.

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Thanks!
I checked to see if I asked the same over there, and I had not.

I did find some useful comments about desiccant removing moisture from the powder, and affecting the charge weight by make a drier grain a lighter grain.
The suggestion of using Walmart peroxide bottles sounds interesting.
I would prefer something more inert than plastic... i.e. glass, but that would require dark storage.

The neighbor will most likely take his 8# tub over the hill to Reno to his daughter's home.
Humidity is not high in our area, so I will probably pass on the desiccant idea.

[ edit ]

I wonder what Scarlett does with her empties?

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1 hour ago, bgavin said:

My first thoughts: double based powders with nitro break down plastic.
The old ammo cans were made out of metal.. so I figured coffee cans might be a good substitute.

Freezer ZipLoc work great.

I have used them for years for bulk powder.

I store them inside a 3lb Folgers plastic coffee container.

YMMV,

OLG 

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Thanks
I always appreciate the info.

I keep film, photo paper and tablet drugs in the freezer for the same reason: it slows down the chemical changes in the product.

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1 minute ago, bgavin said:

Thanks
I always appreciate the info.

I keep film, photo paper and tablet drugs in the freezer for the same reason: it slows down the chemical changes in the product.

Freezer bags, NOT in the freezer;)

OLG 

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Source for amber glass bottles with phenolic caps.  I haven't been in a chem lab in 58 years so this may not be current but all the chemicals in the lab storage room were in these jars.  https://www.uline.com/BL_2089/Amber-Boston-Round-Glass-Bottles

The only drawback besides cost is you have a big mess if dropped or big boom if it contains picric acid.

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5 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

For example, leaving Winchester Super Handicap powder in contact with the rigid plastic RCBS uses in powder measures results in the powder dissolving into the container walls and changing composition to be who-knows-what. 

That's absolutely right.  I destroyed an RCBS electronic powder measure by storing Power Pistol in the plastic vessel for just 12 hours, until the next day's loading.   The clear Lucite tube AND the body of the electric dispenser were destroyed beyond usability.  RCBS refused to replace, despite the very short storage time.  I ended up sand casting and machining an aluminum body to replace the cheap green plastic one.  Double base powders will quickly react with many plastics.  Who knows how that changes the propellant. 

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Humm. I keep powder in my Mec bottles and my Dillon 650 for long periods. Maybe I shouldn't. It's a pain to empty the Dillon, the Mec is easy. As far as I know I haven't had any problem.

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47 minutes ago, Snakebite said:

Humm. I keep powder in my Mec bottles and my Dillon 650 for long periods. Maybe I shouldn't. It's a pain to empty the Dillon, the Mec is easy. As far as I know I haven't had any problem.

You really should get one of these.

 

https://dramworx.com/products/dillon/

 

OLG 

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1 hour ago, Snakebite said:

Humm. I keep powder in my Mec bottles and my Dillon 650 for long periods. Maybe I shouldn't. It's a pain to empty the Dillon, the Mec is easy. As far as I know I haven't had any problem.

I do the same thing.  The Dillon and MEC  polypropylene bottles don't seem to react, and the mechanisms seem tight enough to prevent moisture entry or  accumulation. 

 

It was the cheap RCBS green plastic that adhered to the powder and "melted".  I tested the green plastic by leaving 1-2 gn of Power Pistol in a pile on top of the plastic.  In just 8 hours it left prominent "melt" dents in the plastic.  After trying to deal with them -- even offering to drive 6 hrs to Red Bluff to bring the item to them to examine, and receiving no service, I haven't bought any more RCBC equipment.   

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Plastic 2 liter soft drink containers might be worth a test.  They are polypropylene, like the Dillon bottles.  But they are pretty hard to handle without spilling AND they have rounded bottoms that tip pretty easily on a shelf.  

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What would be nice would be an easy powder drain for the Dillion powder dispenser. 

 

Edit #1: Dang... I just looked and found one!  https://uniquetek.com/product/T1347

 

Edit #2: I watched the video.... I think it is just a easy to loosen the two screws and lift it off the machine then pour it back into the bottle. I've just become lazy in my old age. It's pretty dry around here so I haven't had any problem.

 

Edit #3: Sorry to take the OP's post side ways. My answer it him is to use an old empty powder bottle/jug. It is made just for the purpose of holding powder. Completely remove all labels and relabel it. I have some old metal Hercules powder containers that I bought around 1963. One for Unique and one for Red Dot. I've used them since they were new, refilling with new stock as necessary. Please... I don't want or need to hear anything about mixing batches, neither of these powder really care much about that .  :ph34r:

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17 hours ago, bgavin said:

My neighbor and I acquired some 8# kegs of powder.
We are going to split each, half and half, and trade.

We do not have access to old plastic powder kegs.
I'm thinking about storing powder in all metal coffee cans with a plastic snap-on lid, and a bag of desiccant inside.

Thoughts or recommendations?
 

Why make things difficult?  Assuming you are using these powders now and have a smaller 1 lb can or bottle now, why not keep the powder in the original containers and just refill your 1 lb containers when needed.  Just log on the 8 lb keg who did a refill, easy to work out with only two of you.  Keep the kegs at your house or his. 

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53 minutes ago, Snakebite said:

What would be nice would be an easy powder drain for the Dillion powder dispenser. 

 

Edit #1: Dang... I just looked and found one!  https://uniquetek.com/product/T1347

 

Edit #2: I watched the video.... I think it is just a easy to loosen the two screws and lift it off the machine then pour it back into the bottle. I've just become lazy in my old age. It's pretty dry around here so I haven't had any problem.

 

 

#1 - I have one of these powder measure drains from Uniquetek. Never used it, probably should sell it when I dig it out of my spare parts drawer.

 

#2 - Much easier to just unhook the fail safe rod, pull the two pins for the tool head and dump the powder while on the tool head.   I use a funnel on my powder bottle/keg and dump powder back in.  For any left in the bottom, just work the powder measure over the funnel a couple times drops any powder left in the hopper and powder bars.

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35 minutes ago, J.S. Sooner, SASS #73526 said:

Why make things difficult?  Assuming you are using these powders now and have a smaller 1 lb can or bottle now, why not keep the powder in the original containers and just refill your 1 lb containers when needed.  Just log on the 8 lb keg who did a refill, easy to work out with only two of you.  Keep the kegs at your house or his. 

We are trading 4 lbs, each.
My 4895 for his 4227.

As I stated above, my neighbor is taking his remaining powder to his son-in-law 200 miles away.
I will not have the luxury of refilling from his 8# keg.
I do not have any 1# containers at all, hence my question posted here for a workable solution.

Powder is non-existent at my LGS, and will remain so until Halloween, they say.
For online purchases, 1 lb of powder, then $20 hazmat, then $10+ shipping, then sales tax is a complete waste of money.

I can get Walmart peroxide brown plastic bottles for cheap, and they are light resistant.
The Zip-Loc solution is very attractive, as it will keep out excess air as it empties.
I have no idea if single base powder will react adversely with the plastic bag, or not.

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27 minutes ago, bgavin said:

We are trading 4 lbs, each.
My 4895 for his 4227.

As I stated above, my neighbor is taking his remaining powder to his son-in-law 200 miles away.
I will not have the luxury of refilling from his 8# keg.
I do not have any 1# containers at all, hence my question posted here for a workable solution.

I didn't read every post in this thread, missed this one.

 

I looked at my kegs and 1 lb bottles.  They are all HDPE, high density polyethylene. Peroxide does come in brown hdpe bottles as does many other products like bleach and antifreeze.  I would not want to risk having any residuals left behind after cleaning that could be detrimental to the gunpowder.  

 

A new 1 or 2 gallon gasoline container is probably the easiest to pick up quickly.  Just mark it well and if you are worried about uv protection, just keep in a dark place or inside a black trash bag. 

 

Others suggested using freezer bags, many are low density polyethylene, they should work.  You could store them in a dry storage ammo box available from many stores.

 

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