any worries leaving primer and powder in garage all winter?

C

cojohutch

New member
just wondering if I need to worry about leaving my goods in the wyoming cold all winter. does the cold jeopardize primer or powder, specifically when it starts to warm up, does this cause moisture?
 
Personally, I wouldn't do that.
But, you might want to contact a powder manufacturer, and a primer maker for their advice.
Maybe there's some info on the powder container, and the primer boxes about storage temperature?
I try to store those items in a 70 degree environment all year round.
 
I keep powders and primers in a unheated shop,year round.It is insulated and the powder containers are sealed tight.Primers are stored in an unused refridge .I have had no issues however in your location I would have enough consern to inquire.
 
i wud believe as long as temp doesn't fluctuate rapidly cold to warm back to cold that it wud be ok....humidity combined with extreme temp fluctuations cud cause probs...i take garage isn't heated??
 
I have not had any problems with the powder or primers at all when I had to store them that way for 4 yrs out here.

I did store the primers in ammo cans and the powder in 20mm ammo cans though.
 
I store mine in an igloo ice chest and 30mm ammo cans that are air tight. I keep the igloo ice chest in the house in a dark closet. Storing primers for a number of years where they are subject to moisture is a no no. After a number of years, they will go bad...been there, done that.

The large 30 mm ammo cans that hold 100 rounds of 30mm are a dream come true for storing primers, powder and other odds and ends because they are air tight.
 
cojohutch:

Storing primers as you describe is an unnecessary exposure to moisture, although the sealed containers will mitigate it somewhat for a while...I have stored mine in a drawer in the kitchen for 25+ years and no problems.

There is NO reason to store in a "vented container" per the story that poster 1 Shot re-tells...these components are not nitroglycerin, for god's sake...!

You will NOT set primers off by dropping the container!! Storage in an air conditioned house will assure primer and powder quality indefinitely.
 
My reloading components are in my unheated garage, and have been for the past 20 years. No problems or issues to report.

6 or 7 years ago, my dad gave me a can (metal can) of IMR4895 that I reloaded from back about 1972. The price was $3.99 for 1lb. It had gone from Illinois to 20 years in central Wisconsin, then to Colorado. That powder shot very well for me.
 
Quote:My reloading components are in my unheated garage, and have been for the past 20 years. No problems or issues to report.

Mine too. Keep them up off the floor where they stay dry and you'll be good to go.
I've even got some 1969 .308 military ammo that's been stored out there and it shoots fine.
 
Buckeye - I see that you said storing in an AC house will
keep them good. While I agree with you just a word of caution : With a swamp cooler the humidity can be pretty bad.
When I run my ac I run a dehumidifier in my gun room and have to empty the bucket every day.
 
Just like cars and boats in this country the spring is when the temp. swings
cause the most condensation. A wooden chest or box will help with rice in
the bottom will help a lot. It shouldn't matter but I have primers and powder
from back in the 70's that is still 100%. But I never left them in damp conditions.
 
a buddy of mine has a 12x16 metal storage building that is unheated and uncooled. it has 2 holes in the roof from oak limbs falling on it.it looks like a bomb went off inside. has not been cleaned in 15 years and this is his reloading shed! he reloads about 500-1000 rds a month and has yet to have a misfire.
so, I reckon heat, humidity, cold, and dirt don't hurt powder, primers, and reload setups
crazy.gif
 
Our primer magazine stays 68 degrees F and 35% RH year round. Many OEM primers do not have any shellac or other thin film protection. There is no way I would sell ammunition manufactured with powder or primers stored in the elements. Even with OTC primers, I would have confidence issues with primers stored this way.
Thanks,
John
 
When I lived in Wyoming, my reloading was in a shed, unheated, and now that I live in Montana, my reloading is in my unheated garage. I haven't had any failures due to the components being stored "outside" for the past 30 years. I've had more misfires on factory ammo in the past 6 months than my reloads in the past 30 years. That's just my limited experience but I'm confident enough to leave 10k primers out there even now. They are well guarded though!
 
I've been keeping primers and powder in military ammo boxes out in my unheated garage,"seperate boxes"...have had no issues.
 
When powder burns in a sealed container would it generate enough pressure to burst the container? What pressure do rifle barrels contain? Isn't it forty to sixty thousand pounds per square inch? Would a sealed unvented container of smokeless powder ignite in a house fire?
 
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