Powder in a steel drum

[marshall]

I ran across a 15 pound steel drum/keg of IMR Hi-Skor 700X yesterday. It has labeling on top and on the side with a sealed plastic spout in the center of the top. Quantity is 15 pounds gross 12 pounds net. Based on that label I will assume that the container is 3 pounds and the powder is 12 pounds.

I haven't seen powder marketed this way so I was wondering how old it might be. My local powder supplier, http://www.brunoshooters.com/Merchan...Store_Code=BSS isn't familiar with powder sold in these quantities or steel containers.

After a quick look at IMR's web site it appears that they currently don't sell larger quantities than 8 pound plastic jugs.

Any idea on the age and if it is still available in these quantities. Any reason that they may have discontinued steel containers and pros and cons???

[ADfields]

Just about all powder used to come in cans of one shape or another and I think it went to plastic for the same reasons the whole world did . . . money. Plastic jug is faster, easier, cheaper, lighter, and stronger that cans. Factories can set up an injection molding plastic jug operation in as little as 100sq/ft and crank out jugs as they need them, just way more handy and cheaper packageing.

If I understand the description I think what you describe is what we called in my circles a pony keg or baby keg, similar in size/shape to a 5 gallon bucket. Last I saw of anything like that was mid to late 70s I think, I don’t have any experience with them just remember them sitting on the shelf with all the other cans back then.

[gunbugs]

At the shop where I worked, we were getting the 15 and 20 lb Kegs up into the early 90's. Then they were discontinued, and everything went to 4,5 and 8lb containers.

[marshall]

Thanks, it's a little smaller than a 5 gallon bucket and a pony keg is a good description. It's labeled IMR not Dupont so I was guessing more than 20 years old. It was found in a basement and looks like it just rolled off the line, not a scratch on the paint and the paper label is perfect. I imagine it will be fine. We'll now very soon.

Cheers,

[back country]

I still have 3-4 lbs left of IMR 4831 from one of those kegs that I got in 89 or 90 if I remember correctly - the cap didn't seal all that well but the powder still works just fine - I just last week transferred what was left into 2 plastic jugs only to save space

[brav01]

When I worked a gun shops back in the late 80's we used to buy powder in the cans you are describing for reloading ammo for retail sales. The larger cans didn't last long at 12,000 rounds an hour. We also sold quantities of bulk powder out of the same style cans to our customers. If you brought your own can you saved almost a buck a pound.
The keg you are describing should have a quality product in it since it was stored in a cool dry place. The can however in pristine condition does have a marketable value as well; so take care of it.

[ADfields]

The keg you are describing should have a quality product in it since it was stored in a cool dry place.

Dry you bet, but in Arizona cool is hard to come by. I had to ether move or :shot: to stop the pain.

[marshall]

Dry you bet, but in Arizona cool is hard to come by. I had to ether move or :shot: to stop the pain.

The powder turned out fine. It had been stored in that barrel and in the basement. Basements are rare here but he has one.

[BrownBear]

Close to 20 years ago I scored three 8-pound metal cans of 700x and one of 800x, along with three 8-pound metal cans of WW-748, two of WW-760 and one of WW-780 (gifts from the widow of a dead friend). They'd been in a heated garage here in our wet climate for something like 10-15 years before that. Of all that, only one and a half cans of the 700x remain. Never a hitch with any of it. That 700x appears to be really stable stuff, and especially with the original seal in place and no rust on the cans, I'm not surprised yours is fine.

[ADfields]

Powder stores very well in Arizona, the heat staying hot all the time doesn’t seem to bother it . . . I however didn’t keep well down there!