old powder and primers ?

rebs · March 3, 2012, 08:35 AM

I have been out of shooting for some 30 years and decided to get back into it. I dug out all my reloading equipment and found old primers and old powder, unique, bullseye and 2400. I loaded 5 rounds with each powder and the old primers. I loaded the powder right between min and max amount.
I haven't tried them yet. The powder was bone dry, no lumps or anything and it smells ok.
Do you guys think it will shoot ok ?

kraigwy · March 3, 2012, 08:38 AM

Yeap

SwampYankee · March 3, 2012, 08:40 AM

I think it will probably be fine. I have used powder that is 30 years old and perfectly functional and powder that is 5 years old and junk. The difference was storage. The 30 year old stuff was stored cool and dry, the 5 year old stuff was stored by a retailer in an outdoor shed, subject to high heat and humidity. If you removed the cap, let it sit for 10 minutes and it no longer smells like vinegar (most powder will smell that way when you first open it up), it is probably fine. Primers last for darn near forever. My only concern would be your loading data. Powders have changed in 30 years and so has load data, using new load data and old powder may not be a good idea. I would suggest going to the minimum. I tossed 2 perfectly good cans of Win230 (NOT 231) because the powder has not been made in years and there is no data.

rebs · March 3, 2012, 08:49 AM

The loading data I used was right from my old manual that I had used back then. A couple gentlemen on here gave me data and it matched my old Lyman manual's data.

March 3, 2012, 08:35 AM	#1
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	old powder and primers ? I have been out of shooting for some 30 years and decided to get back into it. I dug out all my reloading equipment and found old primers and old powder, unique, bullseye and 2400. I loaded 5 rounds with each powder and the old primers. I loaded the powder right between min and max amount. I haven't tried them yet. The powder was bone dry, no lumps or anything and it smells ok. Do you guys think it will shoot ok ?

March 3, 2012, 08:38 AM	#2
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Yeap __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

March 3, 2012, 08:40 AM	#3
SwampYankee Registration in progress Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: I can be found on a number of other forums. Posts: 1,333	I think it will probably be fine. I have used powder that is 30 years old and perfectly functional and powder that is 5 years old and junk. The difference was storage. The 30 year old stuff was stored cool and dry, the 5 year old stuff was stored by a retailer in an outdoor shed, subject to high heat and humidity. If you removed the cap, let it sit for 10 minutes and it no longer smells like vinegar (most powder will smell that way when you first open it up), it is probably fine. Primers last for darn near forever. My only concern would be your loading data. Powders have changed in 30 years and so has load data, using new load data and old powder may not be a good idea. I would suggest going to the minimum. I tossed 2 perfectly good cans of Win230 (NOT 231) because the powder has not been made in years and there is no data.

March 3, 2012, 08:49 AM	#4
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	The loading data I used was right from my old manual that I had used back then. A couple gentlemen on here gave me data and it matched my old Lyman manual's data.