Heads up for those looking for powders

Would you be good enough to cite this please?
Might be dated - but BASC came out with a document in 2005 - copy of which happens to be on reloading.co.uk:


Basically - you cannot manufacture ammunition which uses 2kg of powder & primers at any one time. To do so requires a license to manufacture. See section 19b.

I make 50 rounds at a time - so not an issue.
It just refers to the amount you have at the work station. So you can have a 1 kg tub on the go plus 1 kg split between the rounds and in your thrower/ trickler but you can’t have more on the bench.

So a 3.5kg tub is a no-no.
 
Actually, the law is here:
Thank you.




Shooters’ powder
  1. 2 Shooters’ powder includes both black powder and smokeless powder.
  2. 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 paragraphs.

IMG_6024.webp



Page 100 of 114
Health and Safety Executive
Explosives Regulations 2014: Safety provisions
Figure 1 Storage of shooters’ powder. Note intumescent strip on box lid
10 Boxes constructed in line with the findings presented in HSE research report RR9916 can be used for the storage of between 1 and 25 (5 x 5) containers without being type tested. They are expected to provide at least eight minutes of fire protection to a box that is involved in a major conflagration.
11 The box should not be located:
  • ■■ under or near any means of access or escape, for example under stairs;
  • ■■ in the same room as flammable liquids; or
  • ■■ in areas where there are risks of fire.
12 Metal boxes, including ammunition boxes, are not suitable and must not be used. This is because while metal is fire resistant it also transmits heat very well, and because the metal container adds additional containment that significantly increases the explosive power of the powder.
13 Similarly a box constructed from plywood must not be kept in any form of metal box, drawer or cupboard.
 
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The doc seems to be co-authored (or at the very least, endorsed) by BASC. CDSG are a BASC Trade member according to their website - if anyone here is a member of BASC, might be worth making an enquiry with them about the legal status of these 3.5kg contaners which are sold everywhere. Worst case scenario, you decant into re-usable HDPE screw top containers which can be bought pretty inexpensively.
 
Just to complicate matters.

Use of ‘must’ and ‘should’

The word ‘must’ is used where there is a specific legal or regulatory requirement that you must comply with. ‘Should’ is used for minimum good practice guidance you should follow unless there’s a good reason not to.
 
Actually, the law is here:


Just take note of the wording. Some things are 'must' and other things are 'should'. I believe there is a difference.

The bits which concern us are 'shooters powder'. The guidance in the link you provided adds to that and gives much needed context.
Yes, I realised that, the link I post makes reference to the law and explains it, which is whe I thought it might be useful.
 
I've often wondered if the people who specified an intumescent strip on storage boxes for black powder actually understood how they worked.

How do intumescent seals work?

An intumescent material is one that swells up when exposed to heat: the heat from the fire reacts with the seal material, such as sodium silicate or graphite. A fire will reach around 200 degrees within 10-15 minutes of starting and it’s at this point that the intumescent strips will expand. This helps to prevent the fire from spreading through the door to other areas.




I had to ask a 'friend'...


Unknown-18.webp😇
 
Actually, the law is here:


Just take note of the wording. Some things are 'must' and other things are 'should'. I believe there is a difference.

The bits which concern us are 'shooters powder'. The guidance in the link you provided adds to that and gives much needed context.

Should is the important word not legal requirement however a very good idea for black powder 1.1D in fact 500gm limit is better still, however not such an issue for smokeless powder 1.3c. when confined smokeless burns back powder explodes.
 
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