Powder

[jmdc]

Once I am done reloading my 9mm I fully clean up for the day and that means putting the powder back in its original container. My question is do I need to do this? What do you guys/gals do?

[Sandspider500]

Yup, put it back.

[JackEllis]

I might leave the powder in the hopper for a day or two if I'm only part way through the batch of brass I want to reload, but that's the limit. If I can load it all in a day, powder goes back in the original container as soon as I'm finished loading.

I also leave the original container somewhere on my reloading bench until I'm done and put everything away. That way I know exactly which powder is in the hopper (no guesswork).

[ysr_racer]

I only have one powder at a time on my bench, the rest stays in my closet. I leave my powder in the hopper as long as I'm loading.

A day or a week. After that it goes back in the bottle.

[TFA777]

The newer Lee powder droppers screw the bottle directly as a hopper.
Haven't tried it yet since I went progressive but it's an interesting idea

[jmdc]

I only have one powder at a time on my bench, the rest stays in my closet. I leave my powder in the hopper as long as I'm loading.

A day or a week. After that it goes back in the bottle.

Ok this is good to know that I can leave it a few days. Usually I put away daily, just to be safe. But sounds like you don't have issues else you wouldn't do it.

['ol shooter]

It puts the powder back in the container or it gets the hose...

[PoorRichRichard]

I load shotshells on Mec single stage presses exclusively. I always leave powder in the press bottles until it gets used up, or until I need to change powders because I’m changing the load, in which case I pour it back into its original bottle. Never had any issues, and I’ve left powder in the press bottles upwards of six months.

[tabascoz28]

Anyone ever done a test to see if there's potency drop after x time? Leave like 3 or 4 pre-measured loads around out in the open, then load and chrono every month...

I'm sure every powder is different, maybe some will last and some are duds after a few. Someone with years worth of powder do this test for us, for empirical evidence. 9mm doesn't take a lot of powder at all.

[acourvil]

Powder absorbs moisture, and that will definitely have an effect. For handguns and shotguns, I doubt it makes much difference. If you are loading for precision rifle, you really want to maintain your powder in a way that the moisture content doesn’t change significantly. Very dry, moderate and moist samples from the same powder will give different results. I’ve seen some limited data indicating that the moderate powder is the most consistent. If you work up a load with moderately dry powder, and then leave your powder out in humid weather for a while, your results will change (and probably not for the better). I try to keep my rifle powder between 40-50% humidity.

[Red9]

Keeping the hopper empty is a good habit.
Yes I empty mine every time, unless I know for sure in using it the next day.

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[ysr_racer]

Ok this is good to know that I can leave it a few days. Usually I put away daily, just to be safe. But sounds like you don't have issues else you wouldn't do it.

Yes, sometimes I'll leave it in there for a week or so. No issues.

I will say my loading room is pretty stable for hot and cold. If you're loading in your garage and it gets really hot, that may be an issue.

I'm only loading pistol, and I've never had an issue with powder going bad or changing.

[anyracoon]

Back in the early 90's I left some powder in a RCBS uniflow. Bad mistake, stuff etched the plastic inside the tube.

[divingin]

I've got a tube from a Hornady measure that is etched, clouded, and deformed from leaving powder in it. I'll try and remember to post a pic of it. Years ago, had a similar thing happen to a hopper on a Dillon 550B.

From what I understand (and this is from memory, so may be incorrect in more ways than one) it's the nitroglycerin in powder that doesn't play nice with the plastic often used for the hoppers.

[TomReloaded]

I'll keep it in the hopper for weeks sometimes. I toss in a bag of dissicant and it's never been a problem. Done this for years now, tens of thousands of rounds worth of powder.