Decolored Powder.

[luis7]

I do not know if this issue has been discussed above, the case can not remember having read anything about it.
Well because the fact is that the Vectan ba 10 I have (is the end of a bottle) with about 5 years since I started using (with 32 sw being spent too slowly) has been full of green, pink beans have turned green, that is lost color, all the powder being a little darker green he brings home.
I have to say that storage is optimal that has been without heat and moisture and has passed both the original boat as another little I have to use daily.
It stinks, it smells more like another I have to have the original look and I did a test burn and burn (according to my impression) like the colors. Is this normal that happens over time? because I've spent before another boat that kept their color until the end, there have been some external factor that caused it?, is being degraded and lose their property?, etc, etc.
Well I hope your comments to see what I do with it.
Thank you all.

[PawPaw]

If the powder has degraded, changed color, smells bad, I'd pour it on the lawn. It's still great fertilizer and will give you some small use. I don't think I'd load it.

[Unclenick]

Luis,

It would be very unusual for a modern powder stored in good conditions to go bad in 5 years. The military usually allows 20 years for double-base powders and longer for single-base powders, and even then, they are usually still good for some time.

There is always some smell of ethyl acetate in smokeless powder. That solvent is deep in the powder and takes a long time to come out completely. However, if it smells pungent or acrid, like some acids do, that is bad. I don't know what the color change is, but I think it would be worth your time to contact Vectan and ask them what it means? They will know their own powder best. Also, if there was a problem with the lot number you have, they may know. They will also know when your lot number was manufactured so they will know exactly how old the powder actually is.

If in doubt, as Paw Paw says, the lawn or garden or compost pile will be a good place for all that nitrogen.

Nick

[Slamfire]

It stinks, it smells more like another I have to have the original look and I did a test burn and burn (according to my impression) like the colors. Is this normal that happens over time? because I've spent before another boat that kept their color until the end, there have been some external factor that caused it?, is being degraded and lose their property?, etc, etc.
Well I hope your comments to see what I do with it.
Thank you all.

I recently posted a long reply on old gunpowder here:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...ht=insensitive

You know, five years is an abnormally short lifetime for powder not exposed to high heat. One stability test, the propellant is held at 150 F (65C) and if it fumes within 30 days, it is then tested for stabilizer.

Powder that is long past its shelf life, is extremely bitter smelling and also gave off red dust.

I also had powder go bad that had no ether smell, no bitter smell. Just kind of neutral.

Still, if some of my gunpowder changed color, I would not feel comfortable with the stuff.

Dump it.

[Nevmavrick]

Luis, I understand you to say that you have three or more bottles of powder of the same powder. The first was the bottle you used up. The second you had for a while, maybe 5 years, and the marker-flakes are slightly different color than the "used" one. And..a third one that was bought at a different time???
If I understand correctly, are they the same lot number? Even if they were bought at the same time/place, they MAY be a different lot number.
That would explain the difference, as the componants may be slightly different, that's why they have lot numbers. That's also why we load a little low, then work up. I can see THAT would be difficult with a .32S&W. I preume the gun is a bullseye/target pistol?
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with Vectan, but I'd probably not worry too much without the smell of reaction from nitrogen. You should contact Vectan to relieve your mind.
Mucha suerte,
Gene

[Unclenick]

Gene,

The reason you worry about the smell of nitric acid is it means the carbonate stabilizer is used up. The carbonate neutralizes acid evolved from the powder until it's gone. Beyond that point the powder is breaking down at an accelerated rate and becomes unpredictable. Usually it just gets weak. However, the CMP forum had a nice photo of a Garand blown up by 1940's military ammo whose powder was breaking down. Apparently breakdown can change the burn rate if the stars line up wrong. Possibly it was a breakdown of deterrent coating by the acid, leaving some undeterred nitrocellulose.

Nick

[Slamfire]

Maybe you mean this thread?:


http://www.socnet.com/showthread.php?p=1344088

There was a thread on another forum titeled “What’s in your ammo can” and many guys had old surpluss ammo so I told this story. Ty (arizonaguide) asked that I come put it here also so here it is boys, draw your own conclutions.

Back in the mid 80s my Dad and a bunch of us went shooting in Arizona. Dad had a couple thousand rounds of WWII surplus .30M1 (30-06) ammo that looked great on the outside cut his M1 in half in his hands. He was kneeling with elbow on knee when the first round of this ammo went BOOM! We were all pelted with sand and M1 shrapnel.

When the dust cleared Dad was rolling around on his back with buttstock in one hand, for stock in the other, barrel and receiver hanging by the sling around his arm trying to yell “mortar” thinking he was back on Okinawa in battle. The blast had removed his ear muffs, hat, glasses, and broke the headlight in my truck 15 feet away but Dad was only shook up and scratched a bit once he got his wits back. It sheared off the bolt lugs, blew open the receiver front ring, pushed all the guts out the bottom of the magazine, and turned the middle of the stock to splinters.

After a couple hours of picking up M1 shrapnel we headed to the loading bench and started pulling bullets. Some of the powder was fine, some was stuck together in clumps, and some had to be dug out with a stick. It didn’t smell and was not dusty like powder usuley is when it’s gone bad. Put it in a pie tin and light it and it seemed a tad fast but not so you would think it could do that, wasent like lighting a pistol powder even. He had 2000 rounds of this stuff and nun of us were in any mood to play with it much after what we watched so it all went onto a very entertaining desert bon fire. I got the M1 splinters when Dad died last year and will post pix here below for your parousal and entertainment.

Anyway, I no longer play with any ammo I am not 100% sure has always been stored properly . . . cheap shooting ain’t worth the risk to me anymore! I still buy surpluss if the price in right but I unload and reload it with powder I am sure of or just use the brass.

She was a good shooting servasable Winchester M1 before this.

[Slamfire]

Additional pictures

[TXGunNut]

Wow, scary (and sad) story Slamfire. Glad nobody was seriously hurt.

[Sidewinder72]

I treat powder like food. If in doubt, toss it out.

[Unclenick]

Slamfire,

Yuppers! That's the one.