How can I tell if my powder has gone bad?

EvilSVT · January 15, 2006, 11:38 PM

I picked up a reloading press a few months back and the guy threw in a 4lb jug of powder. How can I tell if this has gone bad or not?

Also, he threw in a butt load of remington primers, are these ok for plinking ammo and do they go bad?

Leftoverdj · January 16, 2006, 12:16 AM

Take the cap off the jug and sniff. Good powder smells of acetone. Bad powder has a reek that will burn your nose, red dust in the powder, and frequently visible orange fumes.

Primers rarely go bad, but it can happen if they were stored where it was too hot or too moist. Load up a hundred with those primers and see.

Tom Matiska · January 16, 2006, 02:13 AM

From Hodgdon's site

http://www.hodgdon.com/faq/index.php...s%20gone%20bad

**Mike Irwin** · January 16, 2006, 02:29 AM

It starts wearing a leather jacket, hanging out on a street corner, and smokes cigarettes...

Plated · January 19, 2006, 01:12 AM

Quote:

It starts wearing a leather jacket, hanging out on a street corner, and smokes cigarettes...

haha, some powder is just plain bad

January 15, 2006, 11:38 PM	#1
EvilSVT Member Join Date: October 17, 2001 Posts: 27	How can I tell if my powder has gone bad? I picked up a reloading press a few months back and the guy threw in a 4lb jug of powder. How can I tell if this has gone bad or not? Also, he threw in a butt load of remington primers, are these ok for plinking ammo and do they go bad?

January 16, 2006, 02:29 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,119	It starts wearing a leather jacket, hanging out on a street corner, and smokes cigarettes... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

January 16, 2006, 12:16 AM	#2
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	Take the cap off the jug and sniff. Good powder smells of acetone. Bad powder has a reek that will burn your nose, red dust in the powder, and frequently visible orange fumes. Primers rarely go bad, but it can happen if they were stored where it was too hot or too moist. Load up a hundred with those primers and see.

January 16, 2006, 02:13 AM	#3
Tom Matiska Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pa Posts: 928	From Hodgdon's site http://www.hodgdon.com/faq/index.php...s%20gone%20bad