Storing powder

N

njsportsman

New member
I reload in a garage and I've been trying to figure out a safe way to store my powder from the elements. I have a U.S. Military Surplus PA157 81mm Mortar Can. Because of the seal can it cause an explosion effect? Obviously I would keep the primers in a separate style box. I would think not because it at one time held mortar shells but to be safe I'm asking the question. thanks
 
I would be more worried about moisture and humidity than ignition. I used to have my reloading setup in the garage, but I stored my powder in my master closet, in a Tupperware bin, out of the way.
 
Keep the lid on snug, don't leave the powder sit out, in the powder measure and you'll be fine. I wouldn't use a sealed ammo can because if the can were to be in a fire it may get hot enough to ignite the powder and being sealed, become a bomb. The can itself won't cause an explosion. Some will post about the National Fire Codes and suggest a wooden box of specific thickness, but for over 30 years and 1/2 ton of stored powder, I just keep the lids on snug, and the jugs in a lockable metal cabinet in my shed/shop...
 
If you are storing it in a garage, in its original container, it is already adequately protected "from the elements".

If the concern is the temperature in the garage, then keep in mind that if you can stand to be in the garage, so can your powder. But if that is still a concern, you can store small quantities of powder indoors in a magazine constructed to accord with the Fire Code (below).

The National Fire Code calls for powder to be stored in wooden boxes constructed of wood not exceeding one-inch nominal thickness assembled so as to not contain the combustion gasses should the powder ignite. Personally, my powder is all stored in unlocked wooden ex-kitchen cabinets constructed of 5/8 inch medium density fiberboard.

Storing powder in a metal container is simply creating a bomb.
 
The powder containers are adequate for storing. Keep in mind that deteriorating powder can combust spontaneously, and that's the main source of any potential explosion in a sealed container. You do not want to use a desiccant with powder to get it bone dry (the other reason people put things in ammo cans), as that can increase the burn rate up to 12%. 40-60% RH are good numbers for the air around it (see Norma's loading handbook for both those last two bits of information).
 
Unclenick... I was just about to ask about desiccant inside the powder container. I have not opened one yet but will this weekend and my basement is pretty bad with humidity. I do have a dehumidifier but not enough, will probably have to get an additional one. I don't have a garage or other area to place the powder besides basement. That being said what can I do in my case to keep some type of control of humidity inside the powder container once open?
 
My garage is not really insulated that well at all. I keep my equipment well oiled so it doesn't rust. It is hot and humid and every bit of 20 degrees in the winter. Right now I load in the fall and the spring. I can't stand the humidity and cannot stand to be in it. I would load in the winter but, don't know how to safely heat the garage. Don't mind the cold if I can get my garage to 60 I would.
 
They held mortar shells without fuses. As mentioned, where your garage is in relation to the rest of the world matters. It's the humidity and temperatures that matter most.
Anyway, 12.75" x 5" x 22"h isn't that big. If the garage is temperature and humidity controlled go to a used office furniture shop and buy a lockable steel cabinet. A 2 drawer filing cabinet will do.
"...safely heat the garage..." Electric space heater. Gun powder is not sitting waiting to burst into flames. As long as you keep the place tidy.
"...powder in a metal container..." Which is how powders were sold before the plastic industry got out of hand. Said metal containers were designed to burst along the seams in case of a fire.
"...in a magazine..." Local ordinances usually tell you exactly how much powder you can have before requiring a magazine. S'why local gun shops usually don't carry kegs in stock. Rarely applies to a guy loading in his garage.
 
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/us-military-surplus-pa157-81mm-mortar-can-used?a=1913787

Actually the verbiage is 81mm mortar bombs. Thanks for the advice but, I've already tried with electric space heaters and without wiring a 220 line there isn't nothing big enough to heat my garage it's a big garage with lousy insulation. I've only been loading for about a year or 2 now so, when I started I knew I wasn't going to be hear long enough to justify spending money to make a nice room or hire an electrician to put in the 220 line. I am fine with my setup for now just trying to find a way to store my powder in a dry and safe spot. Ideal NO but good enough till I move. Forgot to say that I do have a metal cabinet with my powder in it.
 
Hi. A portable space heater shouldn't need 220 service. Still may not be big enough for the space.
Wally World sells a propane powered, 9 thousand BTU, heater that'll do 200 sq. ft. for $69.84 with free shipping. Propane connectors are all the same so you can buy an extension gas line to use a 20 pound tank instead of the 1 pounders.
You can reduce the space you're heating with dry wall or the like. Canvas or nylon will do it too.
Better to move into the basement though.
 
Ninosdemente,

I don't know your basement but would think the usual possibilities exist. Assuming it has bare concrete or concrete block walls, you can apply a waterproofing sealer to them. Same with the floor, or you could opt to paint the floor with a garage floor epoxy paint. Caulk the cracks and you are done. None of these products is likely to stop humidity from rising completely, but it can slow humidification to a crawl so that a small dehumidifier can keep up with it.

One thing I did with the dehumidifier in my cellar is I got a small Vornado stand fan so I can aim it to direct air around the corners and back in a circular pattern. It stands behind the dehumidifier and just moves the air around. After a couple of months, all the old wood and papers and rugs and other basement junk finally dried out, and that created a sort of humidity buffer mass. After that, I only had to run the dehumidifier maybe a day a week to keep up with new moisture infiltration.

If you have a cabinet for powder, you can treat it like a gun safe and put a Goldenrod heater inside it. It will raise the internal temperature just a few degrees, but a few are all you need to get RH down substantially.
 
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