Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: Greg on June 08, 2009, 09:34:39 PM

Title: Goex shelf life
Post by: Greg on June 08, 2009, 09:34:39 PM

I'm gettin' ready to take a couple cb pistols to the range for the first time in many years.  Have a can of Goex fff that's probably ten years old. Powder looks fine. What's the shelf life of this stuff?

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Post by: Bruce Bogart on June 08, 2009, 10:43:36 PM

I've got some that's probably 20 years old (deceased Father in Laws stash) that shoots just fine. I wish I could say the same about me!
Bruce

Title: Re: Goex shelf life
Post by: rollingb on June 08, 2009, 10:47:06 PM

Quote from: "Greg"

I'm gettin' ready to take a couple cb pistols to the range for the first time in many years.  Have a can of Goex fff that's probably ten years old. Powder looks fine. What's the shelf life of this stuff?

A couple'a hunert years plus probably a century or two,... if it's stored in a  place that isn't subject to extreme temperature variations.  :rt th

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Post by: Three Hawks on June 08, 2009, 11:47:07 PM

Black Powder has a half life of approximately 800 years.   If it's dry it's good.    If it has been wet and has been dried out it is good.

It is a mechanical mixture of fairly inert components and none are damaged by water.  

Three Hawks

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Post by: Lady of the Woods on June 09, 2009, 07:02:26 AM

seems like I've read about a civil war pistol that went off while a collector was cleaning it - if that gives some idea...
Z