black powder shelf life

I can't speak about the substitutes, but real black powder will last for decades if it's stored properly.

I know guys that keep it in the freezer.

Spot

I confess-- I don't know a thing about the substitutes either! I've used 20 year old black powder that didn't show any effect of it's long storage.

If you keep it in a cool dry place that doesn't undergo extreme or sudden changes in temperature and humidity, odds are good it will keep just fine.

I had fits with my muzzleloader last year try'n to get it to shoot, turned out the pyrodex pellets I was shooting were bad. They were about 3 or 4 years old and it was shooting all over the place. I thought it was the gun, but when I got some new pellets, it shot perfect. After get'n the new ones and shooting them and then loading up with the old ones, you could feel and hear the difference.

sam said:

I had fits with my muzzleloader last year try'n to get it to shoot, turned out the pyrodex pellets I was shooting were bad. They were about 3 or 4 years old and it was shooting all over the place. I thought it was the gun, but when I got some new pellets, it shot perfect. After get'n the new ones and shooting them and then loading up with the old ones, you could feel and hear the difference.

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Sam, do you think it was the powder itself breaking down, or did the pellets become brittle or crumbly? I've heard of the pellets coming apart and doing awful things to the accuracy.

The old pellets looked perfect. I think the substitutes just break down over time.

I'm still using black powder that I bought in the mid 70's. As long as it stays dry it'll work as if it were bought yesterday.

Cache

Cache said:

I'm still using black powder that I bought in the mid 70's. As long as it stays dry it'll work as if it were bought yesterday.

Cache

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I've heard of old timers literally drying out old nasty damp powder and then going to war with it. Black powder: It's nasty, foul-smelling, and is a chore to clean up, but that stuff has been around for centuries and it still works. When the subsitutes have been in use for four or five hundred years, we'll know somthing about those powders, too. :biggrin:

thanks for the responses. I did not want to invest and waste the $$$.

Maybe Del will see this, but I think he told us the shelf life was about 6 months or so. Maybe less if it isn't in a low humidity, very dry area?

Hunting and shooting is all about confidence. If you have no confidence in your powder, get another can. I know stuff's expensive, but what would you give to NOT miss that shot on that bruiser buck?

I stock up on black powder simply because I don't see the powder-selling man all that often, and I know the stuff will keep. So every time I do see him, I get two or three pounds. I only use a couple pounds a year, so I've got a reserve built up.

I take a sharpie and write the date I bought it on the bottom of the can so that I use the oldest powder first. I know thats a little crazy, but it helps my confidence!

I picked up 2lbs of 777 and 2lbs of Pyrodex RS about 4 years ago. Got a heck of a deal and I was shooting a lot then, so I jumped on it. All the powder was stored inside in a closed for the 1st 3 years, and for the last year what I have left has been stored in my shop in the garage. I'm almost out of the 777, so for my new Omega I decided to use up my 2lbs of Pyrodex. With 240 and 260gr bullets it wouldn't do anything, but with 300gr bullets it did pretty good. I shot 2 3-shot groups that were around 2"@100 yards. Experiences may vary, but mine seems to still be good. I do wonder how a new bottle of powder would shoot though...

You are making be wonder how old the Triple 7 and Pyrodex is on the shelves at Wal-Mart. They mark it down after the season then I wonder if they box it up and save for the next year.

I called Hogdens today. Of course, they stated that the the Triple 7 pellets will last as long as loose powder if kept dry.

I think I'll hold off stock piling pellets until the jury is in.

mxer201 said:

You are making be wonder how old the Triple 7 and Pyrodex is on the shelves at Wal-Mart. They mark it down after the season then I wonder if they box it up and save for the next year.

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Mine was manufactured I think in 2002, and I bought it in Jan-Feb of 2004 from Walmart. That answer your question?