Black powder age

[DaveL]

Since there is so much news on possible shortages I decided it was best for me to do an “inventory” of what powder I have on hand.  I found an old can of DuPont that was a hand me down from an old shooter friends family.  It’s been stored long enough I can’t even remember when I got it.

Does powder characteristics change over time? It’s 2f.  I can’t think why it would change or anything but I thought I’d ask to be sure I’m ok using it.

[Bob McBride]

Many years ago I collected 19thc powder cans and shot many many pounds of 100+ year old powder. It all shot very well.

[ghostdncr]

If powder is still loose, I'll shoot it and that's worked out well for me so far. There are several videos on YouTube of experiments with 100+ year old BP being tested with good results.

[elkhart]

I wouldn't trust it. Give it to your brother in law or something.

[alyce-james]

Good morning Gentlemen. I have a, small, stash of DuPont. Thats a story for another time. I use only at competition. Purchased many years ago. I have experienced no problems at all. I use a flint .40 cabler I built in 1977 with the DuPont. Y"all have a outstanding week end. AJ.

[smylee grouch]

I was gifted a large "to go" drink cup 3/4 full of 2f Du Pont 35+ years ago and it shot just fine with the same charges last year. A few small clumps that broke up just fine.

[Daryl]

I had about 5 pounds of Dupont. I shot that up in a month & a bit, back in the mid to late 70's.
I also had about 3 pounds of American Deadshot around 1975. Best powder I ever shot. The powder was close to 100years old.
The American Deadshot "factory" blew up in 98, IIRC.

[DaveL]

Thanks Guys

Appreciate the feedback

[Bassdog1]

I just finished a pound of Dupont FFF a couple months ago. Excellent powder in a 32 percussion gun I have a pretty healthy inventory of Dupont, Gearhart Owen and old Goex powders and al of them have shot very well.

[Bob Roller]

I also have a decent selection of black powder and I knew a man in Illinois,now deceased that collected powder cans,the older the better and he had a container that was from a family that traced it to the Revolutionary War and it was still good.I still have a can of DuPont I bought from Wes Kindig at Friendship in 1956 and it is still good.
  On a related subject,does anyone have any data on the shelf life of percussion caps??
I have a few Remington #12's in the pretty little 100 shot containers with the green band
that I bought from E.M.Farris in 1964.At that time they were $4.50 per 1000.
Bob Roller

[borderdogs]

Like Bob said I have shot old powder over the years some 80-90 years old and some that I have now that is at least 60+ and I never had a problem with it. As long as its dry, shoot away.
Rob

[hanshi]

I had some Dupont I bought back in the 1960s and have shot most of it up as of the last few years.  There's still a can of Dupont 4F I'll get around to opening before long.  That can will last a long time just being used as prime.  So we're talking powder well over 50 years old that is still as good as the day I bought it.