W296 Sun Exposure

[gomeybear]

Good morning gentlemen!

Its been a long time since I've posted here. Recently moved to the San Antonio area and got out of Austin - much better move for the growing family. Little one is now over 1 and as challenging as anything.

I digress.... Wanted to ask the pros here if this would be an issue. I was reloading yesterday - getting some 125 speer tnt with W296 going.

During the time of my reloading process, I accidentally left the 4 pound plastic black W296 case in the sunny area of my garage for about 2 hours. Black plastic case and the sun had a big absorptance affect (black body radiation and all). I picked up the black W296 case after I noticed it siting there and while not so hot to the touch it definitely was very warm.

Question is, do I throw out all of this 4 pound W296 case, or should I just redo all my workups with this lot? To be honest, doing all my workups again seems like it would be more difficult than just buying a new case of 296....

Outdoor temps are pretty moderate right now at around 70 F or so around here, but that doesn't mean surfaces can't get hotter with radiation effects. Hoping to hear the answer I'm looking for which is "don't worry about it", but I post here because I know you guys will burst my bubble....

[bangbangping]

Don't worry about it. It's fine.

[Regaj]

I can't imagine that a couple hours in the sun would have damaged your powder. The classic "store in a cool, dry environment, in the original container" certainly makes great sense. But modern smokeless powders are remarkably resilient.

If you have access to a chronograph, you could always run a quick test if you really want assurance. Since it sounds like you did a load session prior to letting your powder warm in the sun, just choose one of the charge weights that you loaded, load five of that charge weight with the "post sun bake" powder, and light both sets off in front of your chrono.

[gomeybear]

I can't imagine that a couple hours in the sun would have damaged your powder. The classic "store in a cool, dry environment, in the original container" certainly makes great sense. But modern smokeless powders are remarkably resilient.

If you have access to a chronograph, you could always run a quick test if you really want assurance. Since it sounds like you did a load session prior to letting your powder warm in the sun, just choose one of the charge weights that you loaded, load five of that charge weight with the "post sun bake" powder, and light both sets off in front of your chrono.

Makes sense but I don't have a chrono...

[plant.one]

send it to me for proper disposal. i'll happily make sure it doesnt cause you any harm

[Sig220]

Every time someone brings up powder degradation due to heat or vibration, I think of a GI ammo can rattling around on/in a military vehicle in hotter then hell Iraq or similar spots in Africa. Not the first report of a problem with the ammo that I have heard of. I have primers that are 40 to 50 years old that still work like they should. I know how I store them, but what about the years before I got them?? Still not a problem! I still shoot ammo that I loaded 40 to 45 years ago (223) it still goes bang! The only problem I have had was some of the Federal cases from then react to the powder and start exhibiting signs of degradation.....ie.... the blue fungus. Those get torn down for the components. I have surplus military ammo from the 70's in .308 and it shoots as good as it ever did or I did.....maybe I am showing signs of degradation?

I think we worry too much!

Merry Christmas!

[BJK]

It takes a long time for powder to degrade, years and decades, not hours.

Signs of degraded powder: reddish powder, acrid odor. It won't blow up or anything, it just doesn't have the same propellant quality that it once did.