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Old January 18, 2005, 11:28 PM   #1
Rodger Peterson
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Disposal of unwanted powder

I have a small amount of unwanted powder I would like to get rid of, burning it seems best. What is the best common household material to create a fuse. Powder quantity is maybe a 1/4 cup. I spilled it and ended up contaminated in my dust pan. Could use suggestions on how to safely dispose of it.
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Old January 18, 2005, 11:32 PM   #2
redrooster2
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Sprinkle it on your lawn --- it's great fertilizer.
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Old January 18, 2005, 11:37 PM   #3
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Spray it WD-40 or some other lubricant, and trash it.

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Old January 19, 2005, 05:54 AM   #4
aussie bob
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Like the man says "Great fertiliser". Use it on the lawn or the garden.

Cheers from down under
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Old January 19, 2005, 09:11 AM   #5
dick_tracy1953
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I just use a match...

I simply take my unwanted powder and pour it out in a line on my side walk then strike a match to make it burn. It is not explosive. The flame lights the powder and it slowly burns across the line just like it does in the pirate movies. You can also sprinkle unwanted powder on the lawn; it is good for the grass, no big deal. I like the striking a match method best. Often I will burn the weeds that grow in those concrete joints.
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Old January 19, 2005, 09:30 AM   #6
HighVelocity
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Seriously? I have a few containers of old powder, haven't been opened in 10 years and I was wondering what to do with them.
If I pour this stuff on my lawn, how much is too much?
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Old January 19, 2005, 11:35 AM   #7
rbernie
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Just dust it around as you would any other high-nitrogen fertilizer. Too much in one spot will burn the vegitation, but a light dusting will green things up quite nicely.
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Old January 19, 2005, 11:44 AM   #8
Jim Watson
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At one time, the official recommended method of disposing of smokeless powder was to dump it in a windrow not over an inch wide and not over a pound total; and light one end. A newspaper spill works ok to keep your fingers out of the fire. Do NOT try this with black. If you have contaminated black powder, spread it as fertilizer and water it in to dissolve the saltpetre. Or just throw it in a bucket of water or the john.

Highvelocity, 10 year old powder is likely fine, unless it was stored hot and damp. Shoot it up, don't waste it. I have been loading out of a keg of powder marked as first opened in December 1981, bought it from a trapshooter's estate.
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Old January 19, 2005, 11:51 AM   #9
MADISON
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How to dispose of old/unwanted gun powders

First do not mix powders.
[1] Pour no more than a pound of powder on the ground, away from from trees and buildings [It will flare up to 10 feet in the air].
[2] Place 4 or 5 matches in a square or triaange on top of the powder.
[3] Lite the matches and RUN away before the powder flares up.
[4] Do this as many times as necessary.
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Old January 19, 2005, 12:14 PM   #10
Austin Charles
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I pour mine in little piles about 2" wide and 1/4" deep and burn mine in my back yard.


Why just because it's fun
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Old January 19, 2005, 12:30 PM   #11
Edward429451
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I spread mine as fertilizer. Fuse can be bought at the gunshops, you usually have to ask for it. They keep it for the BP cannon shooters. Cheap.

I've heard that you can make fuse by dipping kite string in elmers glue and then rolling it in gun powder. Never tried it but I bet it works.
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Old January 19, 2005, 01:12 PM   #12
maxwayne
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Flush it.
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Old January 19, 2005, 01:20 PM   #13
1BadF350
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Heck when I was a kid we used to burn big piles of it all the time. I lost some eyebrows once but it was still fun.
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Old January 19, 2005, 03:47 PM   #14
Jim Watson
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Well, if you want to get into the fun side of it...
Our veterinarian's Grandfather was a custom handloader. When he passed away and they were cleaning out his shop, there were many partial cans of powder of all types and ages that nobody wanted to take a chance on. So the vet dumped them all in a 12 pound 700X keg and took it to the range with some of us. We placed the keg at the 100 yard line and I shot it with a .25-06. The pillar of fire was about 50 feet high and lasted very few seconds.
Don't try this at home.
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Old January 19, 2005, 04:58 PM   #15
HankL
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Howd that work Jim? Did you swage some .50 Cal APIT down to .25 or what?
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Old January 19, 2005, 05:02 PM   #16
Nnobby45
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Don't you every watch pirate movies? Use a trail powder as the fuse. If it's a small amount, I doubt that sprinkling it around the bushes will hurt anything. Nitrates may even help plant life.
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Old January 19, 2005, 06:23 PM   #17
Jim Watson
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Hank, you know me and McGyver never give out all the details of our little gimmicks, it keeps the amateurs from getting hurt.
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Old January 24, 2005, 01:03 AM   #18
hubcap500
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I heard of a guy who attributed his vim, vigor, vitality, and long life to sprinkling some gunpowder on his breakfast cereal. Sure enough, when he died at age 103, he had 9 children, 38 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and blew a 6 foot hole in the crematorium.
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Old January 24, 2005, 05:01 PM   #19
Dave R
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hubcap!

Quote:
I have a few containers of old powder, haven't been opened in 10 years and I was wondering what to do with them.
Use it! If it looks and smells good, it is. Powder can last decades if it hasn't been subjected to poor storage. You can always load just a few, and chrono them next so some rounds with new powder, if you are worried.
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Old January 24, 2005, 09:41 PM   #20
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Use it. I just loaded some 30 yr old powder in my 44 recently and I couldn't tell the difference to the newer powder. 2400 was the powder. If its not orange or reddish when poured out onto a white paper and has no weird odors, its good. I didn't chrony it but it felt the same and was accurate (as I was!)
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Old January 28, 2005, 12:01 PM   #21
JohnLizCas
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old powder

Recently got some old Red Dot ($11.97 for a 4 lb. can, sticker price). You know its not new but it shot fine when I reloaded 45 and 9mm. John
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Old January 29, 2005, 02:04 AM   #22
C1PNR
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Bad WEEDS!

Only thing I can add is: if you have bad weeds in your lawn, put a LOT of powder on them. Soon there will be no more weeds!

Of course, it will be a while before ANYTHING will grow there.
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