is it ok to store black powder in crawlspace?

Canning jars are great. Water and air tight.

I use 50 cal ammo cans to secure and protect my black powder which is in plastic containers from the factory. NY be dammed wood is neither secure nor dry. Then keep them in the basement cool. Works, used a half can of Goex bought in 1985 in 2019 and worked as well as the goex that came after.

Bob McBride said:

Jiminy Christmas....

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Break out the paint Bob! Lol

Guys I’ve stored powder in various places both in controlled environments and un cooled or heated out buildings.. I have never had any that wouldn’t go boom when I wanted it too..

Lewis and Clark transported and stored their powder in LEAD casks. Enough lead to melt down for bullets in proportion to the amount of powder contained. Buried lead casks would have no issues with groundwater/moisture/dampness, where wooded boxes would.

ADK Bigfoot

Id do it, if yer wrong you'll never know...............

Bigbore, on burying BP. If I was burying it I would put it in a large PVC tube capped and glued at both ends to keep out moisture and critters. One problem with burying it is if something happens to you, are there family etc. who can find it or will it be a potential bomb buried there for some future person to have an accident when they find it.

I thought you do not want to store in air tight containers

I think homeowners insurance has a limit on quantity of powder that is allowed in the house? Maybe 2#? The Feds require a quantity over 5# to be stored in an approved metal box, non-sparking material lined and 2 locks in an outside building away from a dwelling. Seems like the distance is defined.

gun_collector said:

attic gets hot. crawl space is exposed to outside air, the crawlspace will have no spark source, garage has sparks

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So long as you keep it sealed up and dry. I don't see a problem. The only other thing you may want to consider is the ability to remove it quickly in case of a house fire, if you are home and the fire starts away from it somewhere.

gun_collector said:

I thought you do not want to store in air tight containers

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Yes you do. Air tight, but not "explosion tight". Which is why they specify wooden boxes in some places. They will come apart at a much lower pressure than a heavy metal chest.. The plastic bottles BP is sold in will melt or fail before explosively high pressures are reached. Even the previous metal cans it was sold in were designed to fail before serious pressures were met. The "approved" anti spark lined metal containers mentioned elsewhere here are also designed to come apart before pressures build to dangerous levels

So sealed in one of those bottles and stored in a wooden container, or a metal container that is designed to "fall apart" if you will, before explosive pressures are reached is the key. Actually just sitting the containers it is sold in on an open shelf is fine, so long as they stay dry.

The whole idea being to allow the powder space to burn off in case of fire, rather than containing it and letting pressure build, ie. having a bomblike creation as your storage system.

Wooden boxes, holding several plastic bottles/cans, with a handle on the top for a quick grab and go are popular. You can find plans for them on the net if you are interested.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gun+powder+storage+container

nhmoose said:

Black powder storage just needs dry. Attics will work Dry is the needed part. It will not break down from heat or cold.

Smokeless needs cool and stable temps. Don't get confused by the smokeless guys ideas.

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From GOEX;


"STORAGE PRECAUTIONS: Always store in a cool, dry place. Obey all laws and regulations regarding quantities of explosive material and methods of storage."

Belleville said:

I think homeowners insurance...
The Feds require a quantity over 5# to be stored in an approved metal box, non-sparking material lined and 2 locks in an outside building away from a dwelling. Seems like the distance is defined.

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That's only true for the licensed dealers who sell black powder. The Fed's don't have any control over what private individuals can do to store black powder except for 18 U.S. Code §922(g)(5) which controls (among other things) interstate shipment of explosives..

As far as private individuals storing black powder, the State and city/town the person lives in has control of what storage is legal and what is illegal.

Carbon 6 said:

From GOEX;


"STORAGE PRECAUTIONS: Always store in a cool, dry place. Obey all laws and regulations regarding quantities of explosive material and methods of storage."

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Kept cool, in wooden containers, black powder will remain energetic for decades :

TNGhost said:

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It's that kind of Hollywood film distortion that gives people the wrong perceptions.

Wrong perception?

TNGhost said:

Wrong perception?

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Yep; that Nicolas Cage is a good actor...

I keep mine in a wooden box in the basement right by the furnace to keep it dry.

JB67 said:

Check local laws. As an example, NY requires it in a wood box, half inch thick walls, painted red, with white or yellow letters at least 6" high saying Low Ex. Said box can only be stored in a basement or on the ground floor, within 10 feet of an exterior door.

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Do you have to paint day-goo "H E" in foot high letters on all exterior walls?

Being currently low on powder I have one plastic "can" in the basement and two full horns in my bedroom/man cave. It stays dry in both places. I used to store powder cans in a large picnic ice chest. I don't like the idea of storing powder anywhere near moisture.

RB POWELL said:

Do you have to paint day-goo "H E" in foot high letters on all exterior walls?

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Only if the powder in question is 4f.