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Why doesn't an unopened thing of powder last as long as a loaded bullet?
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Nothing lasts forever, but smokeless powder is pretty stable as long as it's stored properly.
I'm curious what sources you're finding that indicate that smokeless powder (even in unopened containers) stored under proper conditions could deteriorate in 40 years.
http://www.exteriorballistics.com/re...ropstorage.cfm
"The shelf life of modern smokeless propellant is virtually indefinite, given proper conditions."
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/2012/...er-shelf-life/
"When properly stored, an unopened container of smokeless powder has an indefinite shelf life, but once it is opened, the stabilizers it contains begin to slowly but surely weaken. Even then it can still last for a very long time."
http://www.saami.org/specifications_...ess_Powder.pdf
"Although modern smokeless powders contain stabilizers and are
basically free from deterioration under proper storage conditions..."