powder storage

bluesako

Well-Known Member
hi ive just had my home visit for my renewal, everything went fine no problems, except he asked if i reloaded and i said yes i do, right where and how do you store your powder, i told him i store my powder in a wooden box, oh no you have to have a approved wooden storage box its the law, ive never in almost 40 years of reloading had a problem with storing my powder, can someone tell if its law, i phoned basc who said yes its law, so who and where do i get a wooden approved storage box, can someone tell me do i need one, because if i dont get one i dont get my renewal bs.
 
Up here in Highlands, the officers have told us that it is desirable to keep nitro in a wooden box but it is only mandatory for black powder users.
In my case I have two wooden boxes - one for black & the other for nitro. This has been the case on two inspection visits within the last three years, (the last one this month).
Ian
 
hi ive just had my home visit for my renewal, everything went fine no problems, except he asked if i reloaded and i said yes i do, right where and how do you store your powder, i told him i store my powder in a wooden box, oh no you have to have a approved wooden storage box its the law, ive never in almost 40 years of reloading had a problem with storing my powder, can someone tell if its law, i phoned basc who said yes its law, so who and where do i get a wooden approved storage box, can someone tell me do i need one, because if i dont get one i dont get my renewal bs.
Ask them to state what exact law they are referring to.
Because I think you will find they’re confusing Black powder storage requirements.
 
hi ive just had my home visit for my renewal, everything went fine no problems, except he asked if i reloaded and i said yes i do, right where and how do you store your powder, i told him i store my powder in a wooden box, oh no you have to have a approved wooden storage box its the law, ive never in almost 40 years of reloading had a problem with storing my powder, can someone tell if its law, i phoned basc who said yes its law, so who and where do i get a wooden approved storage box, can someone tell me do i need one, because if i dont get one i dont get my renewal bs.

maybe it's one of those "stealth" laws that creep in without being noticed,,, but usually "welcomed" by somebody or other.


Posted February 5, 2016
Its a misuse of the term shooters powder. I cant speak for the other organisations, you will need to contact them to see what they are doing about it, but BASC are in discussion with the HSE about this.

For nitro-cellulose propellants of hazard type 3. no separation distance applies for stores of powder less than 15kg. A home loader does not need to store nitro-cellulose propellants in a partitioned wooden box so long as he is storing less than 15kilos where no other powder (i.e. black powder) is held. Regulation 7 of the Explosives Regulations 2014 provide full details of what explosive and ammunition combinations may be held
 
Black yes ,never been told to store other in a box ! but who knows what shat they come up with ! as it sure is't the same rules as set out ? we have more ad-hoc home made up rules than a Sunday kids football team in the UK :doh: I wish the same book of rules/laws were kept too all of the time by all the forces !!
 
See page 100 HSE document below states it should be stored not it shall or must be stored, go back to basc and ask the question again because I am surprised by the advice BASC has so far given you. Also ask them and the FEO to put it all in writing. As has been said lots of shops would be wrong to display openly smokeless powder on their shelves.

Should is used to mean a recommendation only

1 Regulation 27(3)(b), (c) and (d) disapplies separation distance requirements for keeping small quantities of shooters’ powder, water-based explosives and detonating cord. The following sections describe the conditions that should be met to qualify for the disapplication. These conditions apply at all premises including domestic premises

Shooters’ powder

2 Shooters’ powder includes both black powder and smokeless powder.
3 The powder should be kept in containers with no more than 1 kg of powder
per container. The containers should be constructed in such a way that, in the event of a fire they do not provide additional containment that will either increase the explosive force of any deflagration or cause smokeless powder to detonate. Normally plastic/polythene or paper/cloth containers should be used. Metal containers with a screw cap or a push-in lid must not be used.
4 Although shooters’ powders are generally not very sensitive to ignition by electrostatic discharge, homeloaders or others who decant the contents of plastic containers should take care to reduce the risk of static electricity build-up. Advice on precautions may be sought from the manufacturer.
5 The containers of powder should be kept in a box constructed of plywood with a minimum thickness of 18 mm and a maximum thickness of 24 mm.
6 Where the box holds more than one container, each individual container should be separated by a 6 mm wooden partition that is securely fixed to the outer walls of the box. Each compartment should allow 30% additional height between the top of the container and the inside of the lid.
7 There should be a good seal to prevent a flame path between the lid of the box and the interior. An intumescent strip should be fitted around the edges of the lid to give a good seal or alternatively, a stepped lid or internal second lid should be fitted.
8 The box should be constructed so that there is no exposed metal on the inside. Internal nuts should be covered by a glued wooden liner not less than 6 mm.
9 Figure 1 shows a box that would meet the requirements set out in the previous paragraph.

See

personally I would keep black powder in a wooden box as detailed above.
 
cheers guys, well the feo said its law, b.a.s.c said its law, ive stored my powder in the same box for nearly 40 years and no problems, so ive just bought one of spud, i really at my time of life cant be arsed arguing with them now, if ive got to have one or not bs .
 
It’s not law, get the FEO to put it in writing with reference to the law that applies or tell him you have decided to stop reloading and will only buy factory ammo get your certificate renewed then decide to start reloading again.

recently renewed my certs and the FEO sat in my reloading room with smokeless powder above his head on shelving and never asked if I reloaded or raised the storage of bottles of powder your FEO need training.
 
I wet store mine in a tinplate box with a loose lid. In between each bottle of powder is a filled with water plastic one litre milk container. I believe these keep the internal temperature moderated and if a container were to ignite the plastic on these containers would melt and release their water. Like the wet stowage I saw in Chieftain.
 
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