Question for the black powder guys?

[RED]

I am fortunate to have a niece that works for a black powder company. Among other things she gets to go around to reenactments, black powder shoots, and any place where large amounts of black powder is used. She sends me pictures of her shooting cannons, large Civil War mortars, and all sorts of plack powder rifles and pistols. Personally I have never been a black powder guy and have always used Pyrodex or White Hots in my CVA .50 cal. rifle...

Suffice it to say I now have 3 lbs of high quality black powder 2 - 3F and 1 - 2F. If I live to be 110 I'll never be able to use it all but how should I store it? Somebody suggested in my freezer. Right now it is in my reloading room along side my smokeless. That room may get up to 85 in the summer and 55 in the winter. Should it be in some type of container or sitting on the shelf in it's original container? What happens if there is a fire? It is my understanding that BP is much more explosive than say 4895...

I know, I could ask her but she thinks I am smart enough to already know the answer. Any help here is appreciated.

[Oyaji]

Does this help, Red?

http://goexpowder.com/handling.html

Another option is you could donate it to some civil war reenactors in your area.

[bruce]

Congratulations! Now ... grab the rifle and other stuff and head for the range! Sincerely. bruce.

[m1ashooter]

You can spread it in the yard.

[remus]

Go out and shoot that stuff up. It'll last awhile and you'll have a lot of fun getting all smelly and greasy from it. After about ten shots you will get a lot better at loading the guns.

[Jiminvirginia]

Reminds me of a blackpowder story.....years ago I was shooting my BP rifle. Ran out of powder in my flask so I went to the car to refill. Ended up spilling a bunch in the carpet beside the driver seat on the door seat. Thought I got it all picked up. Months later I was driving across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The weather was white knuckle bad, kept thinking I would get washed off the bridge. I made it off the bridge, unclasped a hand from the steering wheel and lit a cigarette. Wumpf! Instant wall of flame beside my left ear and the unmistakble smell of burning BP. Luckily, no real damage done. Startled the bonkers out of me.

[Major Tom]

BP will burn after a hundred plus years even when not stored properly. Just needs to be dry. Civil War shells still explode. I store my meager BP supply in my basement where year round temp is 68 and dry. In a house fire, I don't think BP will explode but will burn quite rapidly intensively spreading the fire.

[jon_norstog]

I've always kept BP in the garage where I do my reloading. That includes Pocatello where the temperature got close to 100 and was in the 90s for weeks on end some years. You definitely have to be careful handling the stuff - smoking, welding, coleman lanterns,using a space heater in winter, etc are things you don't want to do with the BP can open. And like Jim in VA says,you have to be careful to clean up any spills.

I like shooting the stuff, and good BP is more consistent velocity-wise, round-to-round than smokeless. IMHO.

good luck!

jn

[RED]

In a house fire, I don't think BP will explode but will burn quite rapidly intensively spreading the fire.

Thanks Tom, that was my concern.

[remus]

Static electricity is not your friend either. BP is pretty volatile stuff once it gets a spark of any kind. Do not measure it out in a standard powder measure. I use a Brass container for measuring powder for my black powder cartridges and a powder horn for the muzzle stuffers.

[musketjon]

Smokeless powders are classified as "Propellants". Black Powder is classified as an "Explosive". HUGE difference. In a fire, HOPEFULLY the can is soft-soldered. If so, the solder will melt (in theory) so the BP will not be "contained" and (again, in THEORY) just go off like a tray of flash powder (Think old west type photos) and not be a bomb. Just store it in a cool, dry place and you'll be good to go. I've had bp that was 10+ years old work just fine. It doesn't deteriorate like smokeless does. If you feel the need to dispose of it, pour it in the yard and thoroughly saturate it with the garden hose and watch it disapear. There's a reason for the order "Keep your powder dry".
Also, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER EVER load a bp rifle or musket directly from a horn or flask. If there is a glowing ember in the barrel, the new powder being poured into the barrel will ignite and the flame will find its way into the flask or horn and now you'll be holding onto a bomb, the consequences of which can, and probably will be, deadly.
Jon

[dogtag]

No, no, Black Powder explodes. Smokeless burns.
Measure out BP with plastic dippers.
1 and 2F are for rifles.
3F for pistols.

[musketjon]

No, no, Black Powder explodes. Smokeless burns.
Measure out BP with plastic dippers.
1 and 2F are for rifles.
3F for pistols.
1F is for artillery (think 1" and larger) and 4F is for priming the pan in flintlocks.
Jon

[holdover]

"1 and 2F are for rifles.
3F for pistols. "

Well not exactly. 2F works well in muskets/rifles, but many shooters at N-SSA use 3f in muskets as well as revolvers. Shoot about 1 lb a week practicing for monthly competitions and for my 58 cal Springfield I use 45 grains FFFG Goex with a 405 grain Hodgon wadcutter sized to .576 (.577 bore Hoyt barrel), for my 54 cal Shiloh Sharps I use 50 grains FFFG Goex and a Rapine bullet and for my '58 Remington I use 20 grains FFFG and a .454 RB. All the firearms shoot exceptionally accurate when I do my part. Shoot safely...

[dogtag]

I was talking what is generally used.
Exceptions of course for those with experience.

Remember that advice from Sharp's Rifles -
"Grind it too fine and it'll blow your ruddy head off"