Where do you store Powder?

[Backfire]

Ok Folks and fellow Texans. I am new to reloading, have consumed a lot of data on the art. I am planning on reloading using my work bench in garage - a dillon 550b.

Where do you guys store the powder? I was planning on storage in the garage, but the heat in the summer can be 105 on some days. I understand to put the powder in a box that can vent gas if it did for some reason catch fire. Could the Texas heat cause the powder to deteriorate? Where do you guys store it?

[michael e]

Stored in garage for years. It was fine, only down side was the fact you can't load long when it's 100+ outside. Now get to do inside, spending several hours in room isn't bad now.

[Don2]

I always liked the idea of “Never keep all your eggs in one basket”.
I keep the majority in my shop, some in the house and some in an outside shed in a vented wood box on a concrete floor. The concrete floor stays much cooler.
I'm NOT saying I have a "BUNCH" of powder all over the place...I just store several cans in each place.
Right or wrong...It's served me well so far.

I was worried about the heat also in respect to the powder.
Plus worried about the heat for me too
I had to rebuild my shop with a bunch of insulation and plastic sheeting to keep heat out and moisture.
Man...Did I go through cases of caulking..!!! Giant cracks need a buncha caulk..!
Used standard wall insulation plus 3/4" foam insulating panels with OSB inside and several layers of plastic sheeting and tar paper in between.

It's now nice in the summer with just a good window fan.
I don't worry about the powder,primers or ME any longer.

Sorry for the long story, I guess I got carried away. Also thought others may want to try what I had done because it worked. Tin roofs are like an Easy-Bake oven inside without insulation.

KEEP the powder in the ORIGINAL containers ONLY. Keep them as cool in the summer as possable. Even as I am saying that, I use to keep it in the uninsulated tin roof shop that was very vented for years without any noticeable damage...All ammo shot like it should no bloopers.????????????????????????

Long winded
Don2

[Don2]

Well, I store it in the powder locker, of course!

Just joking. The national fire people suggest a wooden box, lockable, 1" thick. I use that. Some use old refrigerators. I assume they are not plugged in .

My powder has always been in the garage, in Texas heat. I did have to throw some IMR powder 4064 (I think) out after 30 years. The Ball powder I have had since 1960 is still good. I understand that ball-type powders have longer lifespans than stick-type. Something to do with the coating, possibly. The bad powder had red fumes in the container when opened,
and had a "dusty" look to it, it smelled bad, and the can was rusted, just so you know.

All of this pertains to smokeless powders only, I don't have any suggestions on black powder.

Gasoline is much more dangerous, but I wouldn't store my powder close to any ignition source (duh). It burns really intense when set off.

It really is important to retain the original containers. You tend to forget after 30 or 40 years, tape labels get old and fall off, etc. My Ball is not in the original container (which I believe was a rail car), because we bought a several hundred pound lot when it was getting scarce.

Hmmm..No RR tracks in your back yard hu?
I wonder what type of rail car they used to carry powder?

I have some Hercules Green Dot and also Unique that are in cans that are 20+ years old and they still smell like new powder and work well. They have been in all sorts of environments, heat,cold,humid areas during this time. Never wet or in direct sunlight.

In many years, I only had one can of Hodgdon powder that "went bad". Was like you mentioned, reddish dusty looking and smelled bad.
I do believe the coatings they use these days are very good.

Don2

[ComeAndTakeIt]

I keep my powder in the garage on a rack in the 1LB containers they came in. I've never had any problems. I would think that humidity would be a bigger issue than heat as far as the powder deteriorating.