Thread: An observation on powder "shelf" life

Something has caused the 2206 to deteriorate. I have a feeling that nitrocellulose will release some water as well as nitric acid when it does, though I haven't given any thought to the reaction pathway. I have also found the interior of cases corroded and the powder clumped, green on the base of the bullets - this from powder that seemed dry on loading the ammunition at the time. In this case it was recycled IMR4740 so was already very old when I re-used it. The initial sign of problems showed up as rust on the inside of the metal storage tins, even when the powder still had a clean ether smell. Two problems I see here: cases could become weakened from the corrosion towards the head lowering the pressure that can safely be contained, and possibly more seriously the burn rate could be altered in a non-advantageous way. I dumped all the remaining powder, affected brass, bullets.... the lot.