Does Pyrodex "Go Bad"

[bloodhound]

So 16 years or so ago, I had a gunsmith friend that wanted to take advantage of a distributer promotion. The distributer had a bunch of New/Old Stock Austin Halleck in-line Muzzleloaders. I got one with the synthetic stock, and he bought the upgrade with a beautiful maple stock. We played with them a bit at the range, and then my hunting plans changed and he decided to hunt with a centerfire that he had built in GS school.

I sold my Austin Halleck the next year to a guy at work who had been bugging me to buy it. The next year I asked my Gunsmith friend about his, and he said he sold it because he couldn't get it to "Group" before Bear Season, but he took it anyway and he missed a nice bear so he sold the rifle as he figured it was the gun. He told me he was sorry he had sold it, because he had since learned that the Pyrodex he had been using wasn't "Fresh" and that is why the accuracy was off on the Austin Halleck. He said that he had learned that Pyrodex had to be fresh to be consistent.

I hear people all the time talk about old ammo and old powder and old primers and I kno0w that as long as its kept in a dry space ammo/powder and primers last adn last and don't "Go Bad"....is Pyrodex the same or????

Thanks

 

[Fyrstyk]

Once a Pyrodex bottle is opened, it is best to use it, and to keep the opened bottle in a cool dry place. You know when it is going bad by the smell and the change in color. It will still ignite, but with less enthusiasm. When I used to shoot Pdex, i placed several of those moisture absorbent packages in the bottle before sealing it up. Seemed to work, as the powder smelled and looked the same till it was gone.

 

[sheriffjohn]

Once opened, in my experience, it tends to get more "disappointing" than "devastating" over several years sitting on my shelf. Loose seemed to age better than the pellets, but I think it does absorb moisture (just my experience, based on no scientific knowledge). Only black powder and Hoppe's #9 smell good, no matter how old.

 

[brad502a]

+1 on the Hopes #9

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

Pyrodex has a tendency to absorb moisture from the air and turn into a hard mass, has been my experience.

 

[11th Corps]

This can belonged to my Dad who passed in 1996. Not sure how many years he had this, but this year I shot up what was left of the opened can. So it's at least 25 years old and not sealed, although the red rubber stopper was still in place. It's been stored in a closet at my house. I used most of it in .45 Colt loads for a revolver. Some in a percussion cap pistol and rifle. All seemed to function fine, I couldn't tell any difference between it and freshly opened containers of Pyrodex. No doubt storage methods make a big difference.

 

[FishnRod]

I eventually noticed the same thing, groups would open up after the can had been open for awhile. Sold a great rifle because of it, blamed it on the gun. It would group great one day, then a few months later it wouldn't even shoot a pattern. Someone mentioned the problem with pyrodex and it all clicked. Unfortunately it was too late for that TC Renegade. That was probably 20 years ago, it might be better now.

 

[280Bravo]

I was cleaning my man cave and came across this it was half full so it Depends on how it stored.
This can is 6 years old and it still goes boom.
I use it for plinking only and it doesn’t do to bad.
I did shot some this last weekend alongside Goex 2f and noticed no difference overall.
If you ever want to know what year it was made look on the bottom of the can.

 

[ourway77]

I had a box of pellets at least 5 years old still went boom used them at the range. But for hunting buy new

 

[Squint]

I have some of that pyrodex that I bought back in the 90s and when I looked at it a couple years ago, there were some lumps but I was able to easily shake and break them down. They didn't seem a bit damp, But now I'm curious if it is as powerful as new powder, and if my memory serves me right it should be about the same as black for FPS so when spring comes, my chronograph might tell me how it is. I will try and check it for accuracy too. In the meantime, I found 777, that's been my main choice for my percussions, but that is definitely hotter so it wouldn't be a fair comparison. At my age I'll see if I can keep track of this till spring.
Squint

 

[hairybird]

Once a Pyrodex bottle is opened, it is best to use it, and to keep the opened bottle in a cool dry place. You know when it is going bad by the smell and the change in color. It will still ignite, but with less enthusiasm. When I used to shoot Pdex, i placed several of those moisture absorbent packages in the bottle before sealing it up. Seemed to work, as the powder smelled and looked the same till it was gone.

Three deer seasons ago I was loaded with 92 weight grains of Pyrodex under a 260 grain Nosler Saboted bullet. A really nice buck walked out for a perfect profile shot at 40 yards. When I pulled the trigger the notice of what sounded like a half load report from the muzzle. Later my son hunting some 200 yards away thought the shot was in the far distance for lack of report. The power was enough to puncture both lungs and the deer made a 75 yard run before going down. Later at the shooting range I used the same powder and load with the same results. The Pyrodex had been opened 3 years prior but never left open. Was kept in a cool dry climate control. It does go bad at least with me it did..

 

[gmstack]

I certainly do agree with all of the above re pyrodex .

 

[bloodhound]

Thanks all for your info and experience. I do put a layer of sandwich wrap over the opening/under the lid...I do this with all my reloading powders and store in a cool dry space. So I am hopeful that its fine at the range.

Thanks again

 

[edmehlig]

A friend of mine had.a can of Pryodex P that was about 5 yrs old. A nice doe came by under 75 yds away. When he pulled the trigger the cap went off and a couple seconds the gun fired. Naturally he did not get that doe. He tried it again with the same results. After that experience he only hunted with a fresh can and used the old can for target shooting

 

[FDC chief]

I have a jug of phrases that's been around for about 15yrs. Yearly, just before I go to the range I would pour a bit on the ground and light it off. Burns just fine and makes a nice boom when I shoot my smoke pole. Those moisture, absorbant packs help.

 

[Sportsman]

I though if you dried out wet powder it still sends it.

 

[eekjellander]

Thanks all for your info and experience. I do put a layer of sandwich wrap over the opening/under the lid...I do this with all my reloading powders and store in a cool dry space. So I am hopeful that its fine at the range.

Thanks again

Think I would run out of sandwich paper first trying that . And my sandwich's would get old and crusty ,why I shoot a lot . Fresh powder equates to better lunches , another reason to shoot more/Ed

 

[CVA Fanboy]

NOPE like Black Powder if stored correctly, kept dry Pyrodex will last just as long under the same conditions, I use silica packs in mine that remove moisture from air while in shipping just throw a couple pack in with the Pyrodex I have had for 5 years now, not a single issue