Keg of old powder
- Thread starter CWH44300
- Start date
DO NOT MAIL THEM A SAMPLE. Major potential legal problem. The post office will hate you.
He thinks it's 16 pounds
He also thinks he's found some data
More to follow tomorrow
And just so everyone can relax a bit, neither of us has any intention of loading it
Thanks for all the responses
chris
DADS44
Member
I wouldn't use it to be honest....I have a bottle of old Tequila that was gifted to me by my grand father 40 years ago and was also gifted to him...never opened it. Thou this doesn't have the same sentimental value, it's history! Who knows what's it seen!
Lou_the_welder
Member
Kinda looks like some vihtavouri that I bought during the last powder scare. I forget what # it was, but it was a white grain color. A little more uniform looking.
It was a great ( expensive) powder. With no discernible smell to it.
Just curious as to what that powder is.
It was a great ( expensive) powder. With no discernible smell to it.
Just curious as to what that powder is.
Do a web search on "Dupont Smokeless Bulk Powder". There's lot of info on different forums including info from Ned Roberts and sieving the powder for different size particles for different burn rates. I doubt there is any safe use for it in reloading.
75Vette
Member
I bet there's a crazy coyote living in the desert that would take it off your hands!
Take a small amt and touch it off. Make sure it's gun powder first.
It looks a lot like fertilizer to me. Maybe it's just the pic.
W/O any Powder ID on the keg, and it looks like there never was,,I'd suspect it was just that, an un-used empty container, never filled with any powder by the mfg'r.
Why would any powder maker fill, seal up and then sell a keg of 'gun powder' labeled as just that.
Only in a RoadRunner cartoon.
Surplus containers from the factory?, walk aways,?
They'd be good for somethin' even if you never used 'em.
Then the old guy used it to store what ever he decided he wanted to put in it.
Maybe it's powder, even if it is what kind is it.
Wanna load some 30-06 up with it.
Doesn't look anything like 7625 that I use for low pressure 12ga loads.
I just emptied a 12lb steel keg of it and have another that's still sealed.
It looks a lot like fertilizer to me. Maybe it's just the pic.
W/O any Powder ID on the keg, and it looks like there never was,,I'd suspect it was just that, an un-used empty container, never filled with any powder by the mfg'r.
Why would any powder maker fill, seal up and then sell a keg of 'gun powder' labeled as just that.
Only in a RoadRunner cartoon.
Surplus containers from the factory?, walk aways,?
They'd be good for somethin' even if you never used 'em.
Then the old guy used it to store what ever he decided he wanted to put in it.
Maybe it's powder, even if it is what kind is it.
Wanna load some 30-06 up with it.
Doesn't look anything like 7625 that I use for low pressure 12ga loads.
I just emptied a 12lb steel keg of it and have another that's still sealed.
Eddie Southgate
Member
Is the color of the powder in the picture accurate? I can't even guess at what that is. The logo says that it was made between 1907 to 2013, if that helps.I can't believe that there is a barrel of gunpowder with all that labeling and not one indication of the type of powder it is. Any idea if it's supposed to be pistol or rifle....or artillery?
Dupont got out of the powder business in 1975 . Where do you get 1907-2013 ?
Islander
Member
Save it for the fourth put out in field with about three ft of fuse and see what happens. Or dump it in garden great fertilizer.
Kp321
Member
The powder looks like Bulk, a smokeless powder that loads like black, discontinued in the 60's I think. Kind of like yesterday's Trail Boss.
Nemo288
Member
Found this on one of those other forums.
Shows the volumetric use of "Bulk" to replace black powder.
Also shows the blond color.
Another thing learned while reading about "Bulk" is that the granules
are very fragile and like black powder when they fall apart into finer ones the burn rate skyrockets.
A later "fluffed up" smokeless shotgun powder was PB ("porous base").
I used a lot of it in target .44 special loads but that's another story.
Sadly "Bulk" belongs to history and not any modern application.
If you know someone at your local university chemistry department who is an explosives expert,
they might like a sample but I would treat this stuff like old Dynamite myself.
Shows the volumetric use of "Bulk" to replace black powder.
Also shows the blond color.
Another thing learned while reading about "Bulk" is that the granules
are very fragile and like black powder when they fall apart into finer ones the burn rate skyrockets.
A later "fluffed up" smokeless shotgun powder was PB ("porous base").
I used a lot of it in target .44 special loads but that's another story.
Sadly "Bulk" belongs to history and not any modern application.
If you know someone at your local university chemistry department who is an explosives expert,
they might like a sample but I would treat this stuff like old Dynamite myself.
From a blown up picture It looks like Dupont Bulk Smokelss. Is a gray maybe greenish course powder. ...How much did the can have in it? They used that style can for 10 12 and 15 pound lots. The lids like that were used till the 80s...Send an email to EI dupont with the lot number...Bulk smokeless was made(or sold) till about 1950-52 I think.. After 70 the cans were usually black.. I have some prewar Bulk Smokeless and it is still good. It would be a shame to waste most likely perfectly good powder. I am going to load some Hercules Hi Vel #2 from 1936 in a few 35 Remington loads......Powder does NOT make good fertizer contrary to some belief.
Lt.Donn
Member
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I agree... definitely contact DuPont...just for grins...ya never know...otherwise Dispose of it...in my agency we had an interesting method of disposal...we had a length of heavy iron gas pipe...8" in diameter welded on an iron-plate base...pipe was 5' tall...once per yr is instructors would gather up all the powder turned in or confiscated and dump it in this pipe and light it off ..OMG depending upon the "mix" it would ROAR like a jet engine until burned off...always entertaining
I wouldn't be concerned about it being old, unless it smells like vinegar, but without a number, I wouldn't use it
Who knows the formulation, if it isn't brown and acid smelling, it may be okay to work up loads.
30calflash
Member
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No markings on the container to give a name or number, I wouldn't use it.
That said it does look a lot like bulk smokeless but unknown if so and if it's rifle or shotgun grade. Lots of info floating around out there but from what I've heard its more than 65 yrs old already and maybe older.
Or it could be something else that has gone bad. So, treat it accordingly.
That said it does look a lot like bulk smokeless but unknown if so and if it's rifle or shotgun grade. Lots of info floating around out there but from what I've heard its more than 65 yrs old already and maybe older.
Or it could be something else that has gone bad. So, treat it accordingly.
I have had old power start to smell rancid and even give off a red dust. It did shoot but gave lower velocities but I did know what kind of powder I was using.
Your powder looks like stick powder and I am willing to bet it is 4895 which can be used in a wide variety of rifle calibers. It was invented for the 3006 and used for the M1 Garand to insure reliable operating of the semi-auto rifle. Current value of an 8lb can is $435 not including hazmat fee, shipping and tax.
I am willing to be that if you sent a sample in to be identified due to liability they would not tell you want it is but then again maybe they will. If it is identified as 4895 I personally would use it.
Your powder looks like stick powder and I am willing to bet it is 4895 which can be used in a wide variety of rifle calibers. It was invented for the 3006 and used for the M1 Garand to insure reliable operating of the semi-auto rifle. Current value of an 8lb can is $435 not including hazmat fee, shipping and tax.
I am willing to be that if you sent a sample in to be identified due to liability they would not tell you want it is but then again maybe they will. If it is identified as 4895 I personally would use it.
