Storage of powder, primers, and general safety

[Kinetic Moose]

OK, first of all I store everything in a flammables locker, together but in a metal locker. I only remove what I'm using to reload, usually 1/2 pound or just enough for 100 rounds or so. I was at the range the other day and there was a guy that had toasted himself, head to toe, in a reloading accident. He had no memory of what happened or what went wrong. That is the third such accident i have heard about since moving to this wonderful state. the others made national news, and were obviously morons, smoking while reloading etc. After doing some research I found out some powders spontaneously combust but they didn't say which ones.
Gut says I'm as safe as anyone, but is there anyone here that has any advice, insight etc on practical things they do to stay safe. I have been reloading for years and never had any issues, but it bothered the wife and started me thinking.

 

[Halfnutz]

Look up the SDS for powder and storage.
I think they still reccomend wood cabinets for bulk storage. Smokeless powder has alot of energy in a contained space, open and allowed to vent it has much less energy.

Keep primers in a seperate cabinet.
There is a reason they won't ship powder and primers together.

 

[Halfnutz]

Alliant Powder - Storage & Handling

www.alliantpowder.com

 

[Kinetic Moose]

Look up the SDS for powder and storage.
I think they still reccomend wood cabinets for bulk storage. Smokeless powder has alot of energy in a contained space, open and allowed to vent it has much less energy.

Keep primers in a seperate cabinet.
There is a reason they won't ship powder and primers together.

gotcha, i will separate them out.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

SAAMI docs on the subject:
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Info-Doc-Smokeless-Powder.pdf
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Info-Doc-Primers.pdf

 

[MK20]

An old fridge works well. Keeps temp swings down and is a sealed but not locked container. If there is a fire it will open and not explode.

 

[Patrick61]

I read the Alliant powder article but I would like to lock up my powder and have an old empty American Security gun safe in the house where the door is not too tight. No power to the safe. This seems safe to me but still goes against the recommendations seeing i have over 100 pounds of powder. Any better solutions? Currently just sitting in my reloading room. I live in Arizona. It's dry.

 

[missed]

Look up the SDS for powder and storage.

I think they still reccomend wood cabinets for bulk storage. Smokeless powder has alot of energy in a contained space, open and allowed to vent it has much less energy.

Keep primers in a seperate cabinet.
There is a reason they won't ship powder and primers together.

That and static electricity handling.

Anyone who has there powder and primers in metal enclosures they really need to have them properly grounded.

NFPA States wood cabinets for storage.

 

[MK20]

I read the Alliant powder article but I would like to lock up my powder and have an old empty American Security gun safe in the house where the door is not too tight. No power to the safe. This seems safe to me but still goes against the recommendations seeing i have over 100 pounds of powder. Any better solutions? Currently just sitting in my reloading room. I live in Arizona. It's dry.

Please no unless you live far from others, lol.

 

[Aftermath]

Buy some of the cheap styrofoam coolers. Place your powder in the coolers and tape the lids shut. Store the coolers in a closet that does not have a wall that is on the exterior of the house. Close the closet door.
Temperature swings and humidity are what deteriorate powder. The factory container, sealed, is good against the moisture. The closet doesn't see the temperature swings associated with the HVAC system, further isolated by the styrofoam coolers.
Store primers similarly but in a different closet.

 

[Eric_F]

I roughly followed these directions to make 1" nominal solid wood cabinets per NFPA, separate ones for powder and primers. There's just spring pressure and a little friction holding the doors closed, no latch. Dehumidifier running in the room during the summer.

 

[Patrick61]

I'm liking the cooler idea with tape. Seems to address the moisture and spark possibilities.

 

[Kinetic Moose]

Ok, so i have a flimsy metal cabinet now, i'll pull the locking rods out of the door that way the doors can just swing open and i'll use a magnetic catch of some kind just to keep them closed. primers are on a different shelf, but I can always relocate those to the closet. I currently have a dehumidifier running in the room just to keep it below 60% humidity down here as well. not really for the powder, but more for the rest of things, floridastan tends to rust things you never thought possible.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Ok, so i have a flimsy metal cabinet now, i'll pull the locking rods out of the door that way the doors can just swing open and i'll use a magnetic catch of some kind just to keep them closed. primers are on a different shelf, but I can always relocate those to the closet. I currently have a dehumidifier running in the room just to keep it below 60% humidity down here as well. not really for the powder, but more for the rest of things, floridastan tends to rust things you never thought possible.

Said in my best Forrest Gump voice:

Rust and Florida go together like peas and carrots.

I live less than 12 miles inland from Tampa Bay and rust is one of my primary concerns.

For powder storage, mine are in kitchen style cabinets in the south facing garage.
Lots of temperature swings, but being in the cabinet helps a little.

The powder and primers are not in the same cabinet. Never have been.


Wooden cabinets are the safest storage method.

The reloading explosion in the Seffner area was listed as a smokeless powder incident. However, it sounded much more like a Black powder/substitute type of incident.

Smokeless powder burns in a jet/rocket type of burn, vs Black/Pyrodex type of burn is immediate release of energy much like dynamite.

Something about that explosion screams meth lab coverup...

 

[Kinetic Moose]

Said in my best Forrest Gump voice:

Rust and Florida go together like peas and carrots.

I live less than 12 miles inland from Tampa Bay and rust is one of my primary concerns.

For powder storage, mine are in kitchen style cabinets in the south facing garage.
Lots of temperature swings, but being in the cabinet helps a little.

The powder and primers are not in the same cabinet. Never have been.


Wooden cabinets are the safest storage method.

The reloading explosion in the Seffner area was listed as a smokeless powder incident. However, it sounded much more like a Black powder/substitute type of incident.

Smokeless powder burns in a jet/rocket type of burn, vs Black/Pyrodex type of burn is immediate release of energy much like dynamite.

Something about that explosion screams meth lab coverup...

yeah, i agree with all the noobs in firearms now, you have to ask yourself if they were following buggs bunny's recommendation of bullet seating with a hammer...

 

[Mike Casselton]

Dud, dud, dud, Kaboom!!