Keep It In the Container or Load It?

[JackEllis]

While I'm waiting to see whether we have to evacuate for the Caldor fire I'm wondering what to do with my powder. There's some IMR 4350 in a tin (metal factory container) that I was planning to use for .30-06 practice rounds. I'm not prepared to neutralize it with water but I also don't want to make the job of protecting our home any more hazardous for firefighters than it already is.

The question of the hour is, should I load it, in which case ammo that cooks off is unlikely to hurt anyone or blow out windows and doors, or should I leave the powder in the container and run the risk that it could harm someone if the room its stored in gets hot enough?

And that leads to another question for any firefighters who read this. The door leading from the rest of the house to the room were I store my powder is spring-loaded to be shut and it opens into the room. Should I prop that door open so gases from a potential powder ignition have somewhere to escape other than windows?

['ol shooter]

As a former state wildland firefighter I advise you to pack your valuables instead of worrying about what to do with your powder. The best answer I can give about the powder is move it as far away from your structure(s) as possible and divide it up so it doesn't cause a monster flare up if it goes. I am dead serious here, get your stuff ready and at the first sign of danger, leave.

[M1NM]

Smokeless powder does not explode. It's not a big package and you could have tossed into the car by now. Or just stick it in a plastic bag and bury it a foot or two in the back yard away from the house.

[hambam105]

When in doubt refer to post #2.

[tabascoz28]

That's a tight spot. All are hard to find, but I'd probably make sure my dies and reloading equipment is in the car first. Powders are around and many can be used to load 06.

[divingin]

A single tin? Even if it's an 8 lb jug, the flare-up from that igniting will be far less than the conflagration that ignites your house.

Leave the cover off (so the can doesn't build pressure), and leave it in the yard.

Get your actual valuables (the stuff that can't be replaced) and get somewhere safe.

Best of luck, Jack.

[JackEllis]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I emptied the remaining contents of the powder tin into about 200 .30-06 cartridges while I was sitting around waiting to see what the fire would do so that problem is out of the way.

We've been primed and ready to go for the last week, although where we live an evacuation warning is less and less likely by the hour.

[LynnJr]

As was previously posted smokeless powder in the tin won't build much pressure.
Our local range caught on fire burning the reloading building down and we could watch the jugs igniting.
The fire department sat around while the owner put the fire out with his cat tractor.