Something I wouldn't have imagined

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pete
Posts: 2518
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:04 am

Re: Something I wouldn't have imagined

Post by pete »

Large changes in both humidity and even worse temperature (mostly high) can and will degrade smokeless gun powder. The real issue is it degrades the exterior coatings powder has. And that factory applied coating has a huge effect on the powders burning rate because that's what it's designed to do. Any reloading book I have usually makes a point in the books first chapter or two about the importance of keeping powder and primers in a dry, cool but still stable as much as possible storage area. It's not an infallible test of course, but when smokeless powder begins to degrade you should start to see a brownish to dull redish tinge to it. For sure at that point it's totally unsafe to use because that known burn rate no longer applies.
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