Thread: How "cool" is cool for gunpowder storage.

AS it is illegal for gunpowder in bulk, i.e not in cartridges, to be stored inside a "house", we have to find alternative storage and for most it will be a free standing garage or outbuilding.

The containers state a requirement for "Dry" (no problem in most cases) and cool storage.

I am cognisant of the fact that many garages (mine included) warm up quite considerably during the day and wonder what the actual temperature is when cool changes to warm as well as what the safety limit is for gunpowder, including Black Powder .

Anybody aware of a specific temperature as opposed to the weasel Lawyer words "Cool"?

A quick Google comes up with ideally 21-25 degrees, definitely below 38 degrees.

I keep my powder in the shed and it gets pretty warm in there. I keep the powder in a chillybin in a wooden cupboard to try and minimise the temperature variation.

definitely try and keep it below 25 although I have used powder that had been stored for 15 plus years (at times in excess of 40C) with no problems ie. it worked but how efficiently is up for debate.

If you can modify it, fit a tropical roof to your garage.
Between 6 and 8 inch air gap should do the trick.

Considering our powder comes to our shores in a standard container (according to NZAmmo) and a lot of it comes from the Northern Hemisphere I do wonder how hot it gets as it sails through the tropics.

I’d say under 35 and under 30 would be ideal as a average mean summer max.

In western old we use old fridges as powder stores. Seems to work just fine.

You will have no issues in NZ if stored indoors away from the radiating heat of brick walls, heating etc.

I store mine in a tin shed, near floor level and not in direct sunlight. I'd be more concerned about degradation of double base powders in the heat, but them igniting is not a big concern. More worried about the plastic can of petrol by the lawnmower in the cellar under our house. Now THAT is a potential danger.

Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper

AS it is illegal for gunpowder in bulk, i.e not in cartridges, to be stored inside a "house", we have to find alternative storage and for most it will be a free standing garage or outbuilding.

The containers state a requirement for "Dry" (no problem in most cases) and cool storage.

I am cognisant of the fact that many garages (mine included) warm up quite considerably during the day and wonder what the actual temperature is when cool changes to warm as well as what the safety limit is for gunpowder, including Black Powder .

Anybody aware of a specific temperature as opposed to the weasel Lawyer words "Cool"?

It’s that an old or a new Gnash idiot rule? I keep mine under the bed with my bank notes?

Originally Posted by Maca49

It’s that an old or a new Gnash idiot rule? I keep mine under the bed with my bank notes?

bank notes??????? what the hell are they ......are they those things with someones ugly mug on them ? havent seen something like that since i got married are they still legal tender?

Originally Posted by Maca49

It’s that an old or a new Gnash idiot rule? I keep mine under the bed with my bank notes?

With your plastic inflatable doll or in the box with the whips and dress up costumes ?

What Ho Chaps,
Many thanks for the informed replies,...................although some of the later responses did tend to wander slightly from the subject matter. (Haven't the quality of inflatable dolls improved in the last couple of years, even inflatable sheep are now available)

I recognise the sense in what @terryf says, but lack motivation to spend large amounts of moolah on my tin roofed garage, but as I have a small portable refrigerator made in the style of a chilly bin which is of little use now that it has lost it's refrigerant I will adopt the ides of @Dicko and @Cigar.

I use one of those insulated lunchbox thermal container bags less than $10 on ebay or even less from the op shops.
They keep the temps even and the fluctuation low, fits 2 of the 500grams containers.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Insulate...dcP3RhxbLtySTA

Can you direct me to the legislation please.

I understand it's cyclic heat changes as much as the specific heat itself, so I keep my powder in a couple of cheap chilly bins in the garage. It's dry, and will be the most temperature stable place in the whole house. Uses no electricity etc etc

I too am wondering since when can you not store in the house?