Reloading room

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
US fire code says you should store powder in wooden cabinets with nominal 1" thickness (which
is actually 3/4") so your cabinets should qualify. I have my primers in open storage shelves
in dry basement up high. Constant temps year round in conditioned space, recommend similar
for longest primer life, although even in relatively poor conditions, as long as they are dry,
modern US primers seem extremely durable. Decades, at minimum. Keep primers in
original packaging.

Bill
 

Canuck Bob

Active Member
Wood is a surprise. I was considering a surplus ammo can big enough to hold powder and a smaller case for primers. Any reason to not use these?
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Want a storage unit that will give easily under slight pressure. If powder ignites and can be contained then pressure builds. You want a fire, not a bomb.

Primers in my loading room are on a shelf ina standard cabinet. I don't open the manufacturer packages until I need them. I like to buy by the 5K and keep them in the factory cardboard box opened.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
don't put primers in a metal box or ammo can.
if you arrange the packages properly you can get about 18-20K Winchesters in a standard kitchen drawer,
probably 5-6 million CCI's or Remington's, and about 3 packages of Federal.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Yep, we know. But Federal's can be shipped internationally because one primer going off has little chance of setting off all 100.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
Our City zoning requires powder and primers to be stored separately in metal cabinets completely lined with 1" wood.
It was a pain, but I found surplus (read thrown away) metal office cabinets and lined them myself.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Wood is for insulation, buys a little time before poofing in a fire if the cabinet is sealed properly.
 

Canuck Bob

Active Member
I found the Natural Resources Canada website regulating storage for home use, the mining connection means they regulate powder and such. They do not stipulate a container or cupboard spec but I will research through our firearms forums. None of their requirements are in odds with what has been suggested here. They are fussy about access and do recommend separating component types with static free material such as wood or painted metal shelves. Normally the government wants guns, ammo, and reactive components locked up. Not a bad idea considering liability and kids natural curiosity toward firearms.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Wood is an insulator, keeps heat away in a small fire, metal conducts heat. In a large
fire the ammo containers become bombs, containing the powder enough to get high pressures
and metal shrapnel. Wood doors pop at near zero pressure, the powder burns in a very low
pressure 'whoosh' rather than higher pressure detonation. Wood doesn't make good
shrapnel, too. If you have never done it take a 45 ACP case full of 4350 or similar rifle
powder and burn it on a rock in the back yard. Slow fizzz-whoosh. What does it do
when contained in a metal housing....like a gun barrel?

Some of this is intended for firefighter safety as much as anything.

Bill
 

Canuck Bob

Active Member
I like and admire firefighters!

Thanks again, I am planning a storage wood box for my bulk storage, a lockable shelf for active 1# factory containers on the bench, and an ammo cabinet under the bench. My quantities are well below the max for the regs. I'll be safe and legal!
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I had a friend who was doing a whole kitchen remodel, I got the nice oak upper cabinets
for nothing. Hung them in my reloading space in the basement, perfect for powder and
more, and legal.

Bill