[foo.c]

What's the oldest powder you have every used?

I was loading up some 10mm today using some Blue Dot I got on consignment about 8 years ago. Anyways, I was looking on the container and it was made in 1990.

I've shot this powder before with no ill effects, I'm getting about 100 fps lower than what Hornady says, but they are using a 1911 and I'm using a Glock 20, so that's somewhat expected.

 

[TacBear]

What's the oldest powder you have every used?

I was loading up some 10mm today using some Blue Dot I got on consignment about 8 years ago. Anyways, I was looking on the container and it was made in 1990.

I've shot this powder before with no ill effects, I'm getting about 100 fps lower than what Hornady says, but they are using a 1911 and I'm using a Glock 20, so that's somewhat expected.

If you keep it dry it will be OK for a long time. To answer your question I have used powder that was 25 years old...with no ill effects!

 

[fredj338]

I dipped into an old jug of red dot recently, 1995-6, still runs fine.

 

[arizona98tj]

I just finished off a pound of Win 231. I bought it back in the '70s. Use it to load about 1K rounds of .45ACP. I loaded 50 rounds with varying powder charges before firing up the Dillon 650. I imagine they just might be good for another 40 some years.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

What's the oldest powder you have every used?

I was loading up some 10mm today using some Blue Dot I got on consignment about 8 years ago. Anyways, I was looking on the container and it was made in 1990.

I've shot this powder before with no ill effects, I'm getting about 100 fps lower than what Hornady says, but they are using a 1911 and I'm using a Glock 20, so that's somewhat expected.

Though many powders older than you have listed have been used with positive outcome, I must write this one word of caution. There was a brief period of time, I believe in the mid to late 90's or thereabout, when there was a recall of Blue Dot as it was found to be out of spec and causing some high pressure situations at the maximum loadings. Since you have placed yours as being made in 1990, I don't think it was in the time period I remember though I am a bit fuzzy on it. Still... since you have chrono-ed the resulting loads and found them to be about right or a bit less than a 1911 would have produced with the same loadings, I would think your powder is pre-recall and perfectly OK. I am just providing what I can remember from my less than perfect memory to those who may have some Blue Dot from the later period and hoping they do due diligence if using some Blue Dot from that period. If anyone has any information on the recall of Blue Dot and a more exact date or better yet, the lot/lots that were affected, it would be of service to the community as a whole to present it since the powder shortage has brought a lot of older powder out of the closet so to speak.

 

[M1A4ME]

In the last couple of years I've used up several cans of powder (1 lb. cans) I bought back in the late 70's/early 80's and stored since 1985.

H335, H322, BLC2, Unique, Bullseye, H110, IMR4895, and some Blue Dot.

It all looked/smelled good when I opened the cans and the rounds I've shot so far worked great.

 

[57K]

Though many powders older than you have listed have been used with positive outcome, I must write this one word of caution. There was a brief period of time, I believe in the mid to late 90's or thereabout, when there was a recall of Blue Dot as it was found to be out of spec and causing some high pressure situations at the maximum loadings. Since you have placed yours as being made in 1990, I don't think it was in the time period I remember though I am a bit fuzzy on it. Still... since you have chrono-ed the resulting loads and found them to be about right or a bit less than a 1911 would have produced with the same loadings, I would think your powder is pre-recall and perfectly OK. I am just providing what I can remember from my less than perfect memory to those who may have some Blue Dot from the later period and hoping they do due diligence if using some Blue Dot from that period. If anyone has any information on the recall of Blue Dot and a more exact date or better yet, the lot/lots that were affected, it would be of service to the community as a whole to present it since the powder shortage has brought a lot of older powder out of the closet so to speak.

I definitely agree with JSG concerning Blue Dot. I used to use more of it than any other powder in handgun loads. It and the Hornady 210 gr. JHP for .41 Magnum are what I started with 28 years ago. I can't get specific on the recall date, either, but it's why I stopped using Blue Dot around 15 years ago, then extruded flake powders altogether. IMO, you can always find a more pressure stable spherical regardless of burn rate: none being more pressure stable than True Blue but that's another story.

Definitely proceed with caution and as you probably know, Blue Dot does not like the lower weight charges where it won't burn completely. Your velocity difference isn't surprising and rarely do the charges I use in my handloads match the data's velocity and there are various reasons for that. I remember when Blue Dot was THE powder for 10mm and since it has a MAX Pressure spec of 37,500 PSI, you're probably good with the Hornady data where it isn't likely they got very close to 37,500 PSI. If it were me, I'd just load up to the point where you get complete burning of the powder, hopefully, accuracy will be there also.

 

[foo.c]

This particular load is more like a FBI light or .40S&W load. It's not spectacular at anything, but not bad either. I had the powder laying around and wanted a moderate power plinking load. I don't mind the cleaning up after.

9.6 gr Blue Dot (1990 vintage)
180 gr Montana Gold JHP
Starline Brass
Wolf LPP
1.260 COL

Hornady says 1150 fps, I get a bit under 1050 in my G20.

 

[noylj]

Unique from 1978.
Red Dot from 1979.
Herco from 1979.