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| I have powder that is over 50 years old that I'm still shooting. I have surplus ammo that is 80 years old that still shoots. Provided the powder is stored in a coolish place out of direct sunlight, it will last a long time. If you open it up and it smells funny, or has a brownish/orange color, then you should throw it out. If it looks good, just use it. I'm still using powder that was sold in cardboard kegs.
Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus |
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Member
| Yep. Stored correctly, it will last a LONG time. I have some 20-25 years old powders that work perfectly. I had purchased a bunch of powder when I was big into trap shooting and pheasant hunting. But I moved and dropped out of those sports. So it sat for years before I got more into handgun reloading. So now I'm working my way through the powders as I'm shooting a lot of 9mm every week. No issues with it at all. |
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Spread the Disease
| So long as the container was sealed, there should be no issues for that period of time at temperatures a human being can stand.
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-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
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| I had some green dot in the original metal container which I loaded and shot a while back, the only difference that I noticed was the sound, it didn't have that big bang like the new can did. But I got it from my father and who knows how he stored it back in the day.
“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” - Thomas Jefferson
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Non-Miscreant
| I'm feeling bad. My Bullseye supply is in a cardboard barrel. Best I can figure, maybe early 1970s. I've got #s of newer, but why toss out my antique powder? As for how long it lasts, everyone says what are the storage conditions. All the stuff stored in brass cylinders with lead stoppers still works fine. I spent my youth shooting German 8mm ammo that was really cheap. The shop owners all knew us on sight. One in a near city just gave us all he had left. Said we were the only customers that even showed interest in it. Again, stored in brass containers with copper plated stoppers. Those had date stamps on the base. WWI or WWII I wonder if those dirty ole germans knew something we didn't?
Unhappy ammo seeker
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| Posts: 18394 | Location: Kentucky, USA | Registered: February 25, 2001 |
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Member
| I have cans of WW231, Unique and various IMRs that are thirty plus years old and loaded ammunition older than my self which is 78 years. It all works great.
"If you think everything's going to be alright, you don't understand the problem!"- Gutpile Charlie "A man's got to know his limitations" - Harry Callahan
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| Posts: 9249 | Location: Indian Territory, USA | Registered: March 23, 2006 |
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