Reloading - Stored as separate Components or Loaded?

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by Mule, Mar 2, 2009.


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  1. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    Not sure about most of the things that can go wrong...
    I have had a bad experience with some OLDER nitro powders....
    Given to me they may have been 10 years old, but store din a cabinet for a long time. I opened one can and from the smell, knew I would NOT handle the stuff! As far as black powders, and pyrodex, they are hygroscopic and really do go to crap when they get a lot of moisture (humidity) in and around them!
    I make my own black powders.
    I used to keep an abundance of Winchester's AA, or IMR on hand for 12 gauge and .38/.357 loads. I don't keep the stuff around today.
    Seems that nitro can go sour, and that's NOT a good thing!
    I do keep a load ( 1000) of No. 209 shotshell primers around...for shotshells and my 2, .50 inline muzzle loaders.
    With the balck powder, I only MIX what I need, when I need it.
    I keep all 3 components in their own jars.
    I plan on setting up a "system" where each is pre-measured and all I have to do is pour them together and mix.
    But, then they have to be "homogenized" by either a ball mill (wet of course!) or hand blended, then "screened" for grain size.
    I use 91 % alcohol and distilled water to "wet out" the mixes.
    Not so long ago I'd found a bunch of (really ancient) 30-40 Krag ammo ( I've had since high school, late 60's era) and gave it to a guy that had a rifle chambered for the stuff.
    He says not one misfired and they all went BOOM!
    Must have been sealed pretty good!
     
  2. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    I still use some Red Dot powder I bought back in the early eighties while in the Navy. Still in the original containers, at times stored in a basic 'storage unit' with varying temps.
    Still performs exactly as it is supposed to. My loads with this old powder perform BETTER than the new 'improved' Red Dot.

    Yes, powders can be stored a good long time. Some fellers on the handloading forums are using surplus WWII powders, with NO degradation in performance. Same for primers. If not allowed to get wet or hot for too long, they will store a goodly while.
     
  3. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    I have older powder that still works.... as to loading now or later it would depend... is the powder usable in more than one weapon of different calibres? if so i may want to keep some back... in the event i loose a weapon to damage/ confiscation/etc... then i can use the components to load for another weapon... reloading is slow... having to pull down loaded rounds for components and reload is slower...
     
  4. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    I think the Arizona heat and the previous storage of the powder I was given, are the problem. The smell really bad, terriblky acidic, so I have to presume that the nitric and more than likely the sulfuric acid, has begun to break down and separate from the celluose. Not good.
     
  5. bnmb

    bnmb On Hiatus Banned

    I never did any reloading, but I know powder can go bad even inside the bullet if improperly stored, or poorly made. Powder can stick to the walls of the shell and when fired could burst the shell and cause some nasty stuff. In the army we would send all the expired ammo back to the factory if it wasn't spent...
     
  6. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    How does ammo 'expire'? Do y'all give it a "Use by:"date? [dunno]

    I have used .45ACP and .303 British ammo dated in the early '40s. Went "BANG!" fine. Corrosive, so it required thorough cleaning is all. :D

    Storage conditions are the major factor affecting ammo quality. Usually with milsurp ammo, the primers go bad long before the powder. Some shooters pull down milsurp ammo to reuse the bullets and powder. I have plenty good commercial powder, so consign the old powder to the garden. Old powder is good nitrogen fertilizer!

    I have always stored powders that can be used for many calibers - both rifle and handgun. I like IMR4895 and Ramshot TAC for the rifles, and Bullseye for the handguns. Each loads MANY diffferent calibers.
     
  7. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    I store components just long enough to fire up my Dillon 650 and crank out a few thousand at a time for my friends and myself.
    What would be the gain for long term storage of components over loaded?
     
  8. bnmb

    bnmb On Hiatus Banned


    According to former Yugoslav army rules, ALL ammunition is checked and tested after 10 years, and ALL ammunition is removed and recycled after 15 years without testing or checking...So, the expiry is after 15 years maximum.
     
  9. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Well, that explains all the Yugo ammo on the surplus market - I ain't complaining! It shoots fine - except the danged 1950's 8mm Mauser I bought a few years back. Dead primers on all 300 rounds! Reckon they were stored badly! But it was cheap and the pulled bulelts are fine. Way cheaper than buying new 8mm bullets! :D

    Quig - two reasons.....
    1) Don't have enough brass to crank out a huge amount for the milsurp calibers.
    2) Like to keep a good stock of components in case of exactly what happened from late 2008 thru 2009 - could hardly find ANY powder or primers for a good long time! Lucky I did have the stock I had! Else I would NOT have been shooting for a year and a half...... :rolleyes:
     
  10. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    Quigly and Oscar, I have an excellent solution to both of your problems. Send me your excess brass and components. That way you will be back into "balance" and will have helped someone in need--lol.
     
  11. Suerto

    Suerto Monkey+

    I keep a minimum of 2k/rds for each calibre ready..
    I have plenty of brass (prior to 08 election, I was going to the range and picking up everything, after the election, more people started doing it.. so pickens got slim) and trading what I didnt need on ammobrasstraders.com.. Needless to say, I have more brass than powder, primers, or lead. I cast as well.

    My thought process on it was this, if I have everything loaded, its that much easier for someone to dispatch me, and take. Whereas, if the components are seperate, and they have the ability to overpower me, maybe I could make a deal to reload for them and buy me some time. If they are dispicable enough to dispatch me, they dont get my ammo and it is not put to any future use of despicable deeds.

    I would like to think that most reloaders are honorable characters, atleast all the ones I have met, and so, characters of low moral fiber who would be willing to overtake and steal ammo from others would not have one in their group knowledgable enough to cast and load, properly..

    just my thought process on it..
     
  12. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    ever hear of Bolo rounds... never trust anyone elses rounds... unless they are shooting them...[gun]
     
  13. Suerto

    Suerto Monkey+

    heard the term, forgot what it was and had to look it up.

    yes, most consciencious gunowners/reloaders wouldnt use unknown ammo.. BUT, in a SHTF situation, I would use unknown ammo.. found, ofcoarse, not taken.. I think you get my drift. maybe..
     
  14. Hispeedal2

    Hispeedal2 Nay Sayer

    Just to add to this thread.... I took the idea a bit further........

    I was searching for the best plastic ammo boxes to store finished rounds. Before that I used bandoleers and stripper clips. It donned on me that I should just load mags and purchase some MOLLE bandoleers.

    Now all my reloaded ammo goes into a magazine and into the bandoleer. It gives you real perspective on how many "battle loads" you have. The other plus is I can grab one bandoleer and go with enough ammo to keep me up for awhile.

    I know some will swear up and down that I'm going to wear out magazine springs... springs wear from use not from being compressed and held. I know magazines that were loaded since the 40s and still hop the rounds up as quick as they did then.

    ETA: I bought the MOLLE bandoleers off Evilbay for about $35 shipped for 5 or so..... that will hold a lot of ammo.
     
  15. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    I understand the need to have ready to go ammunition and I have that covered. I have more ammo and magazines than I can carry or will probably ever need. My ready ammo (that in magazines) is what I shoot and then replace from bulk storage. I have reloads that are over 30 years old I am still successfully using as hunting ammo and they also do well on paper. They were stored first in 50 round quality plastic separation boxes, then in air tight water tight ammo boxes, and stored in a cool dry place. I think that says plenty, and I have no reason to change the way I am doing things. JMHO
    .
    ps: my ready magazines are only 3/4 full. when conditions go to orange or red in my AO I top them off.
     
  16. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    bolo rounds could be tested with a captured weapon remotely triggered, and or deconstructed for reloads (pull the bullets and dump the powder, oil soak the primers and decap)..... waste not, want not.
     
  17. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    most non-vets would never think about Bolos... i'm concerned with others reloads... you can fit 19 grains of blue dot in a 38... i wouldn't want to shoot it tho...:D
     
  18. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    I have bolo rounds. No one touches my ammo but me. I live alone. My ammo is under lock and key. Two people besides me have the combo to my safe, and they know to read the instructions left there for them before anything else. They are both my beneficiaries and my primary and secondary executors. The bolo rounds have a double charge of a maximum load and mag primers under a heavy bullet for that round. Woe be the person who pulls the trigger.
     
  19. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    you sound like a brown water sailor...
     
  20. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    During the Vietnam era I requested transfer to non-rotating anphibious forces Vietnam twice. Each time I was transferred to another Blue water Guided Missile Destroyer or Cruiser. So, no, I was never a brown water sailor. I own 2 unsinkable boats now, a 17 foot boston whaler, and a 25 foot sailboat built the same way with a double hull and a sandwich filling of floatation foam inbetween. Excellent coastal boats. Many of my small arms are Stainless Steel..... go figure.
     
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