Old pistol powder

[mtang45]

I recently was cleaning out the shop and came across a box of old pistol powders, 3 or 4 different brands, that I stored away years ago (Like 30 years ago). All of them have been opened, all have been stored in a climate controlled area. The ones in metal cans have rust on the outside. I popped the lids and took a whiff, one had very little odor a couple of the others smelled a little sweet. What do you guys think? Still good?

 

[FLIGHT762]

If you don't have rust or rusty dust on the inside, they're useable. I've taken a few very old powders out of their rusting cans and put them in well marked new containers when the powder wasn't contaminated or deteriorating.

Last year, I finished up a can of Alcan 5 that my father had purchased in the late 1950's that I transferred to another container in the 70's. It made very nice .38 Special target loads.

A few months ago, a friend gave me a full can of Alcan #8 in it's original container that looks nearly new. I'll use it as pistol powder. I still have old reloading manuals that has loading data for that powder.

 

[mtang45]

If you don't have rust or rusty dust on the inside, they're useable. I've taken a few very old powders out of their rusting cans and put them in well marked new containers when the powder wasn't contaminated or deteriorating.

Last year, I finished up a can of Alcan 5 that my father had purchased in the late 1950's that I transferred to another container in the 70's. It made very nice .38 Special target loads.

A few months ago, a friend gave me a full can of Alcan #8 in it's original container that looks nearly new. I'll use it as pistol powder. I still have old reloading manuals that has loading data for that powder.

That's what I was hoping. There is no rust inside the cans and I had heard that it gets an acidic smell that curls your nose hairs when its breaking down. Nothing like that in this powder