Moving my 1400*F Powder Magazine

I have spent the past year unconsciously moving every piece of my BP, Muzzle Loading, and modern cartridge reloading kit to the house next door I inherited from my Dad last year .(MISS YOU EVERY DAY DAD!)
I had Dad out shooting front-stuffers as old as 81 y/o......it's what we did together from the time I was 9.....i'm 56 now.

I looked around last night and realized that not only is all my gear over there, but also the state legal limit of BP (10#), Caps (1000), modern propellants, primers, etc...."hypothetically" even a tad more.

I also realized my 400# fire safe is sitting in my living room at my wifes & my house, empty except a few legal documents.

My wife is going to help me move the magazine (holds 25# +/-) next door this week and set it up as it is now.
(Dads house is also my Harley repair shop)

IF you don't mind saying.....who here stores in a magazine, who stores loose, etc.etc?
Currently I have cans of powder all over the living room next door and it has me suddenly nervous as a cat.

I store my powder in a locked out building locked in a metal cabinet.

Fleener

I store loose in my shop, I probably have 15# of BP, my shop is divided with one half being for my tractor, 4 wheeler, riding lawn more and enough gas and diesel to make everything run. The shop is separate from the house but only by about 20'. I keep modern cartridges in my house, thousands of them, if the house ever caught on fire it would get interesting in a hurry.

ATF requires the powder NOT to be stored in sealed metal containers. Properly vented and rated metal cabinets are acceptable
I store mine in a gap controlled fire treated wood box constructed of 2 x 8 fire treated wood and lag bolts.
In case of fire, the powder will cook off in a flash and is not likely to actually explode.
I have 2 of these - one for black - one for the "other" stuff.
Primers\caps are kept in a metal (non sealed) cabinet.
Texas law allows up to 25 pounds (in an R-3 Single family dwelling)
Policy for multifamily semi private is set by the property owners, but not less restrictive than state law.
------------
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 7. REGULATION OF LAND USE, STRUCTURES, BUSINESSES, AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
SUBTITLE A. MUNICIPAL REGULATORY AUTHORITY
CHAPTER 229. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF MUNICIPALITIES
43.002 of this code and Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a municipality may not adopt regulations relating to:
(1) the transfer, possession, wearing, carrying, ownership, storage, transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories;
(2) commerce in firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories; or
(3) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport shooting range.
(a-1) An ordinance, resolution, rule, or policy adopted or enforced by a municipality, or an official action, including in any legislative, police power, or proprietary capacity, taken by an employee or agent of a municipality in violation of this section is void.
(b) Subsection (a) does not affect the authority a municipality has under another law to:
(1) require residents or public employees to be armed for personal or national defense, law enforcement, or another lawful purpose;
(2) regulate the discharge of firearms or air guns within the limits of the municipality, other than at a sport shooting range;
(3) except as provided by Subsection (b-1), adopt or enforce a generally applicable zoning ordinance, land use regulation, fire code, or business ordinance;
(4) regulate the use of firearms, air guns, or knives in the case of an insurrection, riot, or natural disaster if the municipality finds the regulations necessary to protect public health and safety;
(5) regulate the storage or transportation of explosives to protect public health and safety, except that 25 pounds or less of black powder for each private residence and 50 pounds or less of black powder for each retail dealer are not subject to regulation;

I said it in another post. Storing BP in a sealed safe is probably not a good idea. Just in case your fire rated safe is in a fire and gets hot enough to cook of the BP inside. Without a pressure release port it becomes a pretty serious bomb.
To get my fireworks license (most of the mortar shells are based on BP.. and a lot of it) requires a "bunker". BATF has the specs. But mine is a small cinder block shed with the top and bottom course laid side ways. The holes are filled with pest control spray foam. That keeps out the critters but offers very little resistance should there be an "over pressure" situation inside.
The gun shops in VA that sell BP have to keep it.. no kidding.. in a wooden crate. for the same reason, it may burn but it won't become a shrapnel producing bomb.

Some lock up and some laying around. Its not going to go boom by it self.

I don't have much on hand but in the future will and have a proper case. What I have now is in the plastic cans in a plastic pelican. There is a vent and I keep all those silica packets I find in there trying to keep moisture out. When travelling I have a heavy duty leather portmanteau.

I use and old freezer in the barn to store my powder, except for two lbs or less which is on an open shelf in the shop.

I keep it in the cardboard shipping boxes it arrives in. In an indoor-wall closet with louvered doors.

No shrapnel.

Half is in my pantry on a shelf. Half is in the bedroom closet on the floor.
What was it that Alfred E. Newman used to say?....

Having rethought my methods, I now store BR and substitutes in a big plastic tool box....and percussion caps / primers are still in a .50 cal. ammo can...y'all make sense that a large "FOOF" is infinitely better than a huge BOOM.
part of my decision was based on the fact that the supposed "fire resistant" safe....sold as guaranteed to 1400*F ....won't cover many house fires that can and do go well over that temp.
it now is a document and coin collection safe.

Sometimes a guy has to use his imagination to handle stuff like this and still stay within the laws...however goofy they can be at times. I had a friend in California that did cannon shoots for years, but legally couldn't transport over 5 lbs. of black powder at a time back then. He found a group of large brass cannon shells, and made up wooden bullets to fit in them that could be easily be removed or replaced. He would put the powders in plastic zip lock bags and fill the cannon shells for transport....as loaded ammo was not restricted at that time for transportation.

Redstick Lee said:

but also the state legal limit of BP (10#), Caps (1000),

Click to expand...

Hi Redstick, I have been trying to find the AL State limit on private BP storage as well as the percussion caps. Where did you find the above? I would like to look at it.

Thanks Redstick!

Historian said:

Hi Redstick, I have been trying to find the AL State limit on private BP storage as well as the percussion caps. Where did you find the above? I would like to look at it.

Thanks Redstick!

Click to expand...

I got that bit of info off the (I believe now defunct) "Bama Carry" forum.......i'll try to Google it & do it as an attachment here.

I am going to talk to the Madison County Fire Marshal tomorrow and will let you know. Another forum stated AL Housing codes listed the limit at 20lbs BP max. We'll see.
Thanks.

There is a old thread on the highroad forum from a few years back that discussed this. I reload and keep powder, caps, primers, bullets, balls, shot, etc in couple of storage buildings away from the house. Gas, oil, LP cylinders and other combustibles in another storage building. Powder, primers and caps are kept in original containers on shelf or in old cabinets. None would hinder flame or allow pressure to build. All over 50 yards from house. Insurance company is satisfied and my policy cost is reasonable. It would be nice to reload in house instead of shop but lower policy cost is nice. At my age walking down to the shop is good exercise. Good luck asking any government person about rules and regulations. Ask to see them in writing, not the persons opinion, if it aint on paper Bubba's opinions aint law.

I would suggest thinking hard before speaking to fire marshals and insurance companies about this kind of thing.