Ether odor - Is it bad?

Bottom Gun · January 13, 2000, 10:16 AM

I store my reloaded ammo in GI ammo cans and include small bags of desiccant in each one. Upon opening these cans, I've noticed an odor which smells like ether. I have not noticed this with factory ammo I've stored and it seems to be most noticeable with reloads using Dupont powders.
Some of my handloads are over 20 years old and they shoot as well as the day I loaded them both in terms of accuracy and reliability so performance doesn't seem to be an issue.
My question is, is the odor something to be concerned about?

TEXAS LAWMAN · January 13, 2000, 11:14 AM

All of my ammo cans smell funny, empty or not. Regarding your situation, I suspect the odor isn't diethyl ether coming from the powder but rather is the normal aroma which comes from those ammo cans.

John Lawson · January 13, 2000, 11:19 AM

It is consistent, but could still be a problem. When you open cans of ammo like this after long storage, place the can on a surface that will ground it. Avoid sources of flame, spark or static discharge.
Aafter you have removed the ammo, aired out the can and inspected the ammo, you can again repack it in the can.
If you store powder for long periods, you should inspect it similarly.
It would be a very rare and freak accident that could cause you trouble, but why take a chance? Even a small pocket of ether gas will flare if it receives a source of ignition.
One of my best friends walked into a powder magazine and (investigators thought) a source of static electricity ignited the fumes in the air. They didn't find enough of Steve to bury.

**Mal H** · January 13, 2000, 12:56 PM

Good fresh powder will have an ether-like smell. I tell folks that if your powder smells lke a hospital, it's still good.

However, your situation is with already loaded rounds. Since you say you don't have the smell when factory ammo is stored in the same cans (true?), but you do when reloads are stored, it sounds like its not the can and there is an air leak with your reloads. This can be loose primer pockets, crimps that aren't tight enough, or at worst, you could have a split case somewhere in the batch. I wouldn't worry too much about it (unless its a split). But remember, if there is a leak where the powder odors can get out of the case, then things can also get in.

M1A1John · January 14, 2000, 05:54 AM

I have a ammo can that has about 1000 rounds of reloaded 223s, I loaded them in 1979, the ether ( powder) smell is slight, they shoot great, don't worry too much about the ether smell, just shoot them.
The 79 reloads shoot pretty good, I took some out and they still work just fine.

STLRN · January 14, 2000, 06:46 AM

What we teach artillerymen, when you open the powder cans, if it (the powder bags) smells like ether the powder has not gone bad, if it smells like ammonia, it has gotten wet and has broken down to its components and is bad. I have always loved that smell since I was a junior canoneer.

January 13, 2000, 10:16 AM	#1
Bottom Gun Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 1998 Location: Arizona Territory Posts: 1,092	I store my reloaded ammo in GI ammo cans and include small bags of desiccant in each one. Upon opening these cans, I've noticed an odor which smells like ether. I have not noticed this with factory ammo I've stored and it seems to be most noticeable with reloads using Dupont powders. Some of my handloads are over 20 years old and they shoot as well as the day I loaded them both in terms of accuracy and reliability so performance doesn't seem to be an issue. My question is, is the odor something to be concerned about?

January 13, 2000, 11:14 AM	#2
TEXAS LAWMAN Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 1999 Posts: 304	All of my ammo cans smell funny, empty or not. Regarding your situation, I suspect the odor isn't diethyl ether coming from the powder but rather is the normal aroma which comes from those ammo cans.

January 13, 2000, 11:19 AM	#3
John Lawson Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 1999 Posts: 281	It is consistent, but could still be a problem. When you open cans of ammo like this after long storage, place the can on a surface that will ground it. Avoid sources of flame, spark or static discharge. Aafter you have removed the ammo, aired out the can and inspected the ammo, you can again repack it in the can. If you store powder for long periods, you should inspect it similarly. It would be a very rare and freak accident that could cause you trouble, but why take a chance? Even a small pocket of ether gas will flare if it receives a source of ignition. One of my best friends walked into a powder magazine and (investigators thought) a source of static electricity ignited the fumes in the air. They didn't find enough of Steve to bury.

January 13, 2000, 12:56 PM	#4
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	Good fresh powder will have an ether-like smell. I tell folks that if your powder smells lke a hospital, it's still good. However, your situation is with already loaded rounds. Since you say you don't have the smell when factory ammo is stored in the same cans (true?), but you do when reloads are stored, it sounds like its not the can and there is an air leak with your reloads. This can be loose primer pockets, crimps that aren't tight enough, or at worst, you could have a split case somewhere in the batch. I wouldn't worry too much about it (unless its a split). But remember, if there is a leak where the powder odors can get out of the case, then things can also get in.

January 14, 2000, 05:54 AM	#5
M1A1John Member Join Date: January 9, 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 77	I have a ammo can that has about 1000 rounds of reloaded 223s, I loaded them in 1979, the ether ( powder) smell is slight, they shoot great, don't worry too much about the ether smell, just shoot them. The 79 reloads shoot pretty good, I took some out and they still work just fine.

January 14, 2000, 06:46 AM	#6
STLRN Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 1999 Location: USA Posts: 1,163	What we teach artillerymen, when you open the powder cans, if it (the powder bags) smells like ether the powder has not gone bad, if it smells like ammonia, it has gotten wet and has broken down to its components and is bad. I have always loved that smell since I was a junior canoneer.