smokeless powder storage bottle source?

teletech · Jul 7, 2021

An elderly fellow I've know for years has decided at 80 it's time to quit reloading. He gathered up all the powder he had an sold it to me. I won't say just how much there is but I will say that I'll have to spread it out over several locations in order to not violate local fire codes!

Anyway, one thing that is an annoyance is the sheer size of some of the containers relative to the remaining contents. The pound of Unique left in the bottom of the 8-pound container, that sort of thing. Yes, I know the lawyers made the manufacturers all say don't repackage powders but as long as you are careful to maintain label fidelity I'm fine with it. So, where to find appropriate containers?
Yes, I learned years ago to not throw out my empties, but the WWII 4831 that he'd stored in glass jars used up those. Amazon and Ebay have nice darkroom/reagent bottles (at like $6/ea!) but I was hoping for something rather cheaper.
Side note, the WWII 4831 that has been stored in a temperate environment still works great. I just wish it were 4895.

rosewood · Jul 7, 2021

Use modern powder bottles, but be sure to label well?? I toss them out all the time when I empty one.

LostintheOzone · Jul 7, 2021

Costco empty nut containers. I save those for situations like this. Maybe you know someone who could spare a few.

Nevada Ed · Jul 7, 2021

You can use the tall Planters Peanuts 16 oz. jar in a pinch but the heavy wall powder jugs are the best and safest if you can get any.

Other wise there are the heavy square plastic jars in the dollor or hoby stores.

PS;
AA Target...........
Great stuff if you load for shotguns.

Have fun with the oldies but goodies.

Just another 22 shooter · Jul 7, 2021

I have empty 1# canisters that I was going to throw into the recycle bin. I can get 7 into a large flat rate USPS box. If you pay postage($21.90) , you can have them.

Sevens · Jul 7, 2021

I known that there are folks who know plastics, I’m not one of them. But if you repackage them in plastic, it cannot simply be any old peanut container that works great for brass. For many powders, it -has- to be the proper makeup of plastic or the contents will eat through the plastic AND/OR change the chemical composition and burn rate of the powder.

Titegroup for example etched and ate and destroyed the hopper on my Lyman 55 because I was dumb enough to leave the hopper filled with it for a number of days, which I knew that I shouldn’t do.

Please find old used powder containers or chase down the specific plastic info you need.

weatherby · Jul 7, 2021

If your not opposed to using glass
Mason Jars would be cheap and very effective IMHO.

teletech · Jul 7, 2021

Apparently powder is slightly photosensitive, so fine in your hopper for a bit but that rules out clear containers for long-term (years/decades). It's also slightly acidic which means it isn't safe for all types of plastic.
Some folks have good luck with well-washed used motor-oil bottles. That seems like a lot of work to me and I'm hoping for a wider-mouth container for pour-back anyway, otherwise I'd e very tempted to use hydrogen-peroxide bottles.

Revoman · Jul 7, 2021

Check out Uline or Granger. Poly bottles, I bought brown ones years ago when I was in the same situation.

Plastic bottles can be found cheap the internet is your friend.

ruggyh · Jul 7, 2021

FYI
The containers used today are made of conductive plastic to mitigate creating static.

Typical plastics are non conductive and allow static electric charges to be created.

PM me and can send you some empties.

Nevada Ed · Jul 8, 2021

ruggyh said:
FYI
The containers used today are made of conductive plastic to mitigate creating static.

Typical plastics are non conductive and allow static electric charges to be created.

PM me and can send you some empties.

I did not know that........
nice to learn that bit of information.
Thanks.

"Hay Harry............ scrack the peanut bottles off the list" .

stansdds · Jul 8, 2021

I know those containers take up a lot of space, but I would not put powder into a different container. What happens if you label everything carefully, only to find at some later date the labels peeled from the bottles or perhaps the ink faded and is no longer legible? What if the powder degrades a new, plastic container or too much light passes through the new bottle and degrades the powder?

Steve912 · Jul 8, 2021

ruggyh said:
FYI
The containers used today are made of conductive plastic to mitigate creating static.

Typical plastics are non conductive and allow static electric charges to be created.

Glass can allow static build up, too.

diyj98 · Jul 8, 2021

Just mix the powder from the different cans into one of the bigger cans............ obviously I'm kidding. There's a guy who sells powder at some of the local gun shows. I noticed his powder didn't appear to be in factory containers. He told me he buys in bulk and pours the powder into smaller containers for resale. That turned me off buying his powder since one little screw up can have drastic results.

You might try Uline. They sell various size F style plastic containers including black ones for UV sensitive contents.

gwpercle · Jul 8, 2021

I thought finding plastic containers to contain gun powder would be easy ...
It's not . The container material has to be anti-static , evidently ...static electricity can build up in the wrong type plastic ... and the spark sets of a fire !
it also must resist the chemicals in gunpowder that react with most plastics and eat it up . And the plastics cannot pass light as light degrades powders .
I did some looking but haven't found a source for just a few bottles ...
I'm going to keep looking and if I find something ...report back .
To think ... surplus powders from WWII were sometimes sold in a brown paper bag !!!
Gary

teletech · Jul 8, 2021

stansdds said:
I know those containers take up a lot of space, but I would not put powder into a different container. What happens if you label everything carefully, only to find at some later date the labels peeled from the bottles or perhaps the ink faded and is no longer legible? What if the powder degrades a new, plastic container or too much light passes through the new bottle and degrades the powder?

I just don't have the space to store several 8# cans with a pound or less in each.
I know they have somehow survived sometimes decades in cardboard tubes, but I'm after a more airtight and controlled storage. Well, that's part of whey I'm being careful about which bottles I'm using. I don't think my labels are any more likely to fail than the factory labels, and if they do, well I got some fertilizer out of the deal.

teletech · Jul 8, 2021

diyj98 said:
... He told me he buys in bulk and pours the powder into smaller containers for resale. That turned me off buying his powder since one little screw up can have drastic results. ...
You might try Uline. They sell various size F style plastic containers including black ones for UV sensitive contents.

I used to buy from Pat's reloading and he did the same thing, buy huge lots and package into smaller containers. I still have some of his milsurp powders from back in the day. Obviously, there is always a chance of something going wrong and the smaller the supplier, the less you know they will be around to be responsible.
I'm not 100% sure the risk from someone who is conscientious repackaging is greater than new unopened powder that has been stored badly. It's just true that there is some risk with anything and that risk increases the more time and links in the chain between the producer and the end user.

I have moral issues with how Uline does business, so that's problematic for me.
It's easy to get reagent-grade containers, if you want to pay $15 for three or $2/ea if you want some hundreds. My problem is being in-between.

mtgianni · Jul 8, 2021

After the powder shortage in the early 90's a friend bought 33 lbs of H4831. I bought some from him and stored it in 2 liter pop bottles, 4 lbs to the bottle. Keep it dry and out of the sun and it will be fine. IIRC Chrono data was the same after 15 years.

teletech · Jul 16, 2021

While I haven't solved the general problem of where to buy containers in bulk that are identical to the ones manufacturers use, thanks to "Just another 22 shooter" and "Ruggy" I'm in much better shape! Thanks so much you two, you helped me free up some valuable space on the powder shelf!

AlHunt · Jul 16, 2021

It sounds like you've got more powder than most people could use. And it's not going to last forever.

Why not share your good fortune and give away the 1-pound-in-8-pound containers to your reloading friends? Or, sell it along for whatever you have in it.

You'll make some pretty happy reloaders in the current drought.

Just a thought.

smokeless powder storage bottle source?

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