I found this very interesting as I have never heard or read on any forum or website of this happening. My question for you all is “Does this happen often and how old is to old for gun powder.” Most of the powder I have is just months old (from when I received it after purchasing it). My buddy has some that is 12 yrs old but been kept in a dry place and sealed tight. He asked me if he should be getting rid of it and I said IDK. Hence why I am posting this new thread. I did a search but didn’t come up with anything. Any suggestions or insight to why this happens or doesn’t would be appreciated. Here’s a link for you all you to read also.
http://www.kptv.com/story/15268309/investigators-find-ammunitions-after-apartment-fire-in-astoria
This was in my local area. If this is in the wrong spot I apologize and please move it.
Investigators say the cause of the fire was spontaneous combustion from some old or damaged smokeless powder.
I don’t buy it. My father was a fireman and investigator for over three decades. He told me in all his training with hundreds of substances, including gun powder, there is no physical way smokeless gun powder will spontaneously combust. There has to be spark. He said those investigators are dead wrong about the cause. Gun powder does not behave like that.
I kinda thought it was BS. But I haven’t been around gun powder all that much besides whats been in bullets. So this does help me. I told my Buddy and he’s keeping it. Thanks for replying I knew there wold be someone here that would have the knowledge as every time I log in I learn something new.
Yep just like C4 smokeless powder is very stable. With out a spark or ingition source it will not ingite! Story is total BS. There fire investigator needs to be fired!:rolleyes: Now Black powder is a whole different animal! 
I know it is different but could that have cause this fire and someone just said it was smokeless that caused it.
Wonder if it was stored in a closed container, like a ammo can.
DemonRat
I’d bet that the old guy had some BP laying around! :rolleyes:
Tennvol12345
Wouldn’t have made one bit of difference. Not a good idea to put powders in in metal containers though - tends to make very nasty bomb frags if the do get ignited!:rolleyes:
OK got an update for you on this. The talk around town was that he did have some BP but it was stored in the original containers with his other powder. This could be just gossip as I haven’t talked to the person this happened too. So for all we know and what has been said on the news this is it so far.