Powder Too Hot

[CJW]

Guys,
I live in Georgia and reload 75 % of the time on the range while I am shooting.

My 500 meter range is under a tin roof and it was hot as blue blazes under there today…..

All of my powder is thrown with an ancient powder measure. It has to be close to 100 under the shed.

Do you think my powder is being degraded at that temperature.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Chuck

[Harpoon1]

I think the percentage of humidity has a much larger effect and is degrading it more. The higher the humidity, the lower the power.

https://youtu.be/OIvVBPCwXAw

https://youtu.be/pzDHRwi3QVk

[lazyengineer]

Guys,
I live in Georgia and reload 75 % of the time on the range while I am shooting.

My 500 meter range is under a tin roof and it was hot as blue blazes under there today…..

All of my powder is thrown with an ancient powder measure. It has to be close to 100 under the shed.

Do you think my powder is being degraded at that temperature.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Chuck

No

Though I'm curious, would like to see chrono data froma spectrum of load days with variable conditions where T (and humidity!) Were tracked.

[CJW]

Poon & Lazy,

Thanks for your thoughts. I did not ever think of the humidity, GA in the summertime is very much like living in a sauna.

That would be a very interesting test with T & H.

I can really get down in the weeds about stuff like this sometimes.


Chuck

[lazyengineer]

Poon & Lazy,

Thanks for your thoughts. I did not ever think of the humidity, GA in the summertime is very much like living in a sauna.

That would be a very interesting test with T & H.

I can really get down in the weeds about stuff like this sometimes.


Chuck

Please do! We will be here waiting.

Now T CAN have an effect on performance, as some powders light off more vigorously at warmer kernel T. Buy that's not degradation or damage from the exposure.

As to the science of powder degradation, fairly fascinating. From what I can tell, degradation begets degradation, from the byproducts. So they put in stabilizers to consume such. As long as there, powder is effectively indistinguishable from brand new in basically every way. Once gone, degradation goes quickly. But it takes many decades to get to exhausted stabilizers. And yes, high T does shorten that - though your conditions aren't of note, so long as you return home and store it ok.

[Harpoon1]

Poon & Lazy,

Thanks for your thoughts. I did not ever think of the humidity, GA in the summertime is very much like living in a sauna.

That would be a very interesting test with T & H.

I can really get down in the weeds about stuff like this sometimes.


Chuck

Humidity is a prolific load killer! I’m born and raised SE VA! Pretty swampy here too in the summer! It’s amazing how much difference humidity exposure matters in load development. At distance, it’s a problem! Normal, reasonable hunting ranges, under 300………it’s less of a variable? IMO