Author Topic: Outside winter temperature and BB  (Read 5022 times)

Etienne Brule

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Outside winter temperature and BB
« on: December 10, 2009, 03:55:57 AM »
Hi,

Maybe I am not in the right forum chapter; please send this post elsewhere if required...

Since a few weeks,I have about 25 pounds of black powder in the house...

I am thinking to take all that stuff in an outside shed: but the temperture will go down to 10*F in January.

What do you think? is it too cold to keep the BP in good shape ??

Great forum !

Best regards.

Etienne Brule


Offline Mad Monk

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2009, 04:11:35 AM »
Hi,

Maybe I am not in the right forum chapter; please send this post elsewhere if required...

Since a few weeks,I have about 25 pounds of black powder in the house...

I am thinking to take all that stuff in an outside shed: but the temperture will go down to 10*F in January.

What do you think? is it too cold to keep the BP in good shape ??

Not a problem.  I had it in a magazine out back at -20 F one year.
It is high temperatures that will be a problem.  There is almost no water in black powder to freeze and do anything to powder grain structure.

Bill K.

Great forum !

Best regards.

Etienne Brule



Offline smart dog

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2009, 07:05:39 AM »
Hi Etienne,
If the containers are well sealed you should be fine.  However, cold temperatures will condense any moisture in the air onto a cold surface. If the powder containers are inside another box and you don't have too much air space around the BP containers, you should be fine.

On another subject, are you a descendant of the Etienne Broule who was an associate of Samuel de Champlain?

dave
"The main accomplishment of modern economics is to make astrology look good."

Offline Roger Fisher

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2009, 05:46:03 PM »
Keep it dry and locked up away from kids and it will be just fine. :)

Etienne Brule

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2009, 05:03:17 AM »
Well,

Very happy with your answers. Great !! Thank you everybody.

Etienne Brule

in the snow of Quebec...

Etienne Brule

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2009, 05:05:57 AM »
Hi Etienne,
If the containers are well sealed you should be fine.  However, cold temperatures will condense any moisture in On another subject, are you a descendant of the Etienne Broule who was an associate of Samuel de Champlain?

dave

Etienne Brule was the "TRUCHEMENT" (interpret for Champlain with the indians). This name is a pseudonym for the web  and a good frind for black powder...

Best regards


Offline frogwalking

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2009, 05:23:18 AM »
In the late 1960s, a 2 story fieldstone house stood along Brushy Valley Road north of Powell, Tennessee.  We all thought it was grand.  KL, lived there, and like some of his Kin, he shot muzzle loaders.  KL had a 25 lb keg of black powder in the closet under his stairs.  One day, his house cought fire.  The local volunteer fire dept showed up quickly as they were only a few blocks away.  KL, however would not let them approach the  house until there was a deep resonant boom.  The roof lifted, walls laid flat out and the roof fell into the cellar.  Now!  KL said sadly,  you may approach the house.   :'(

My black powder is in a home made magazine in the workshop.  It is your house and your powder, keep it wherever you want. 
Quality, schedule, price; Pick any two.

Etienne Brule

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2009, 05:59:55 AM »

My black powder is in a home made magazine in the workshop.  It is your house and your powder, keep it wherever you want. 

Hi,

That was  exactly the purpose of this thread: all that stuff will go outside in a shed.

I just wanted to make sure that the place was ok in winter; or I would have looked for another place. But NOT in the house anyway.

Etienne


Offline frogwalking

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2009, 10:12:45 PM »
I am not the one to say this, as there are many much wiser than I in this august group, however, it is my understanding that black powder, if kept dry, (and away from sources of ignition) is very stable.  (unlike some smokeless powders.)  The muzzle loaders that were loaded over a hundred years ago, and yet fired when someone decided to heat the breach to remove the plug are legend.  (I saw the bullet hole in one workshop wall from just such an occurrence.)  If this statement is incorrect, one of you who know better, please wade in with a more accurate observation.
Quality, schedule, price; Pick any two.

Daryl

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Re: Outside winter temperature and BB
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2009, 06:33:04 PM »
BP is quite amazing.  That can of Deadshot I came across was subject to water at one time, with rust perferation on one side. There was rust chunks inside the powder, with some of it clumping due to being moist, then drying out at one time.  I sifted the rust out, breaking up the 'lumps' by hand, when broke up into nice hard shiny granuals again - and still found this powder superior to our powder today.