30 plus year old Red Dot

[oldmower]

I just received some old shotgun reloading equipment. A 3 pound metal can of Red Dot, 500 old federal 209 not A primers, and a MEC 250 press. The press was missing some pieces and a member here named beagle sent me some parts for price of shipping. My question is how accurate is red from lot to lot over 30 years. It smells good looks good. I poured some on ground and lit it. Also I received 2 small cans of powder but never heard of them one powder was yellow in color. Are those cans collectible if I get rid of the powder.

[skeettx]

Hello Oldmower and welcome to the site
If the power was stored well, it is very usable.

Red Dot is Red Dot from batch to batch and is accurate.

What other powders did you get,
Mike

[oldmower]

I can't remember they are at my friends house.

[oldmower]

One is Shultze by DuPont the other is Laflin and Rand orange extra sporting

[Fluxed]

One is Shultze by DuPont the other is Laflin and Rand orange extra sporting

Those are REALLY old.

[desi23]

There are certainly people interested in collecting old powder cans and both of those would be quite old. If the powder in them isn't decomposing I would not dump it. I believe both of them pre-date WW II, maybe WWI, and some collectors might want them with the powder (though some may not). I don't have the link but there is the International Ammunition Association forum, some of the collectors there might be able to give you more info and suggestions on where to sell the cans.

[RayinNH]

Dupont Schultz Shotgun, introduced before 1900 and discontinued in 1926. Schultz was a member of the Dupont bulk shotgun family. It has a very clean, irregular egg-shaped granulation of a soft creamy white color

From the book "Complete Guide to Handloading by Philip B. Sharpe

[oldmower]

where would I sell this stuff because how would you ship it. right now the 2 old gunpowder's are outside in the gas grill because I don't want them in the house

[Watergoat]

No need to exile them to the gas grill, they will keep better in a cool dry place in the house. That's where they have been for the last 100 years or so..........I see you tag is oldmower. Do you collect such things? I have 3 from the early 50s that need a home.

[elginrunner]

I opened this can of Red dot this weekend. A friend of a friend gave it to me. Best as I recall, Gibson's went out of business about '83-84.
It shot just fine....

[oldmower]

No I don't collect them I just like to get free lawnmowers from the side of the road and make them work. I haven't bought a lawnmower in the last 10 years.

[oldmower]

I opened this can of Red dot this weekend. A friend of a friend gave it to me. Best as I recall, Gibson's went out of business about '83-84.
It shot just fine....

my can is older its all red and the top is metal no plastic

[Harter66]

Ol',
I'm shooting 1 just like that w/69' lot number. Shoots fine for me just real sooty.

[Shiloh]

Do you know how it was stored?? Properly stored powder lasts a LONG time. Cool, dry, consistent. Dark or subdued light is good as well.

Shiloh

[oldmower]

In a basements is all I know

[lylejb]

Laflin and Rand became Hercules powder co. in 1912, so your powder is at least that old.

From wikipedia.com

Laflin & Rand and DuPont together commanded over two-thirds of the United States explosives and gunpowder industry by 1900. In October 1902 DuPont purchased Laflin & Rand and operated the company as a subsidiary until Federal antitrust action required divestiture in 1912. When Laflin & Rand was dissolved, the reorganized Hercules Powder Company received Laflin & Rand patents for smokeless powder[2] and continued manufacture at Kenvil, New Jersey under the direction of Haskell ballistics laboratory director Bernhart Troxler.

[Reload3006]

I am betting that powder is no good you should send it to me for proper disposal. Seriously I have and use powder older than that if it has been stored properly I guarantee you its still good. when you open the can does it have a chemical smell? read the thread on bad powder so you know what to look for. Take a teaspoon full of it outside and light it with a match if it flashes its good if it doesn't pour it on your garden.

[oldmower]

All three cans of powder flash that is the first thing I did with it. Since there is no load data for the 100 year old cans of powder and I am not going to ship them I was going to waste them. by pouring into big piles and lighting them. The Red Dot smells good it is light and fluffy and kind of looks like salt and pepper mixed together.

[skeettx]

Elginrunner !!! That picture is of a GREEN DOT can



Good reading here

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/...971#Post317971

If you choose to dispose of it, gunpowder makes GREAT fertilizer

[1Shirt]

Some great pics here, and a few memories as well.
1Shirt!