Thread: Primer & Powder shelf life

Hi everyone,

I am just starting rifle reloading and gearing more towards accuracy than cost efficiency like my pistol reloading.

At this stage I’m trying to work out what amounts of primers and powder I want to get. I am thinking I will probably shoot around 100-200 rounds a year with my hunting rifle calibres. Should I only stock 2-3 years or so of powder at a time or just start with a brick of 1000 primers and a 4kg jug of powder (could take up to 10yrs to work through it)?

I know both primers and powder can last decades and still function however at what point would precision/SDs start to show a change? Could I expect the same SDs and same hit rate at 800m with 15year old powder as I would new?

Grab 1000 primers for sure, youll soon whip through them
Unless you have a deffinate load already to go id buy it in 500gm pots incase you need to experiment (you will).
In saying that deppending on the powder some are very versatile. Good luck, you’re about to get addicted

As for the last sentence, if you are just getting into it dont worry so much. SD will come with accurate loading techniques and old powder is years away for you, you’ll burn that shit as fast gas in a dirt bike!

Cheers for that Gibo. Yeah I figure once I get going I will shoot more so I can reload more and then reloading more so I can shoot more so I will probably get through them quicker than I plan (or budget)! ��

I will start with a 500g for load development but then probably go for a 4kg pack. I am thinking the variance as powder ages would be less significant than the variance in different lots if I was to buy 1-2 500g bottles at a time.

reloading is addictive, you will get thru 1000 primers in no time. just keep them dry and warm

Originally Posted by gonetropo

... just keep them dry and warm

Just not too warm

I used about 1kg for my first season at Trentham.
Just about finished it off, so bought another kg for next season.
Was very surprised I'd got through it so soon.
As Gibo says - 500gm pots until you find something that works for the bullet/rifle combo.
So long as you're not running max loads and shooting something (308?), that isn't going to cost a barrel replacement every 6 months, then you can think about bigger qty's of components.

The usual quoted storage time for powder is 10 years (check the ADI web site). Changing batches is a pain in the butt as I always feel I have to mark which are the new batch of powder ( and projectiles) . If you’re shooting 800 m you will use hundreds of rounds so on ce you’ve decided on a basic combinationof components I’d buy the 4kg and 1000 primers maybesame of projectiles so they all run out at about the same time. Then start new batches of all components at once.

Yeah good plan Bagheera! 1000 primers and 4kg of powder I can justify! I don't know if i can see myself buying 1000projectiles at a time though! Hahahahaha, I would probably struggle to clear that past my wife!

I just had a look and ADI states atleast 10years if stored below 25deg so i should be good! The reloading room should be below that all through the year so 4kg at a time should be great. I will use it well within 10years, I imagine 5 at this stage but once I get hooked I guess that may come down to a year or so... Hahaha

I buy my pistol components 2k at a time (low compared to most IPSC shooters i know) but rifle is a whole different realm of cost...