If a bottle of reloading powder ignited?

[Oldbloke]

I think you will find that the regulations only apply to worksafe licensed premises where large quantities of explosives are stored. That would normally include firearms dealers, manufactures or uses of large amounts of explosives under those regulations. The quantities that shooters store do not require a worksafe licence, they are too small.
However the regulations regarding storage are a very good guide for us to follow. Remember FISH, Friction, Impact, Spark, Heat.

[Harts]

Here you go regarding quantities of storing powder in VIC.

How much ammunition can I store, sell, collect and import?
Licensed firearm dealers can sell, possess and store any quantity of cartridge ammunition but larger amounts of cartridge ammunition store have greater storage requirements. Dealers can also import any amount of cartridge ammunition as long as they have an import permit from LRD.

Licensed ammunition collectors can store and collect any amount of cartridge ammunition and can also import any amount of cartridge ammunition as long as they have an import permit from LRD.

Licensed firearm dealers can sell any amount of gunpowder and propellants provided they have a Worksafe Licence to Sell Explosives. Although dealers can also store any amount of gunpowder or propellants, they must have a WorkSafe Licence to Store Explosives in order to store more than 20kg of propellants or more than 5kg of propellant gun powder. Dealers must also have a WorkSafe Licence to Import Explosives to import any amount of gunpowder and propellants.

So you can store 5kg however is secure, WorkSafe stuff aside if you're a shooter I guess.

[1290]

I think you will find that the regulations only apply to worksafe licensed premises where large quantities of explosives are stored. That would normally include firearms dealers, manufactures or uses of large amounts of explosives under those regulations. The quantities that shooters store do not require a worksafe licence, they are too small.
However the regulations regarding storage are a very good guide for us to follow. Remember FISH, Friction, Impact, Spark, Heat.

The regs apply to all classifications of explosives (even smokeless powder which is not technically an explosive).

Firearm licence holders satisfy the licensing requirements to allow the purchase under the Act....more than just a guide as the storage requirements cover all scales of storage and limit Firearm Lic holders storage too! I believe it is 20kg, which is 'only' 5 jugs.... for small scale storage, any more and there are more stringent requirements, maybe DG lic as well....

I would be more than pleased for you to telephone worksafe tomorrow and suggest that the Dangerous Good Laws dont apply to Firearm lic holder... please report back here too!!

[Pilch]

Easy enough to double sided tape a few sheets of non-sparky stuff inside your ammo container in your safe I guess... Just to be sure...

[1290]

5kg for Black powder, 20 for smokeless.....

[Apollo]

You are lucky. 10kg for Smokeless in NSW.

It's a Workcover Law that is last time I knew under dispute.

[Herdsman]

Easy enough to double sided tape a few sheets of non-sparky stuff inside your ammo container in your safe I guess... Just to be sure...

Pick up a 1-2mm sheet of balsa wood from your local hobby shop.

That's do it.

[Oldbloke]

That dangerous goods act generally applies to workplaces that have "manifest" quantities stored on site.

Smokeless powder is considered an explosive under the DG act and the Australian dangerous goods code.

Worksafe are not generally interested in private homes. However, I just had a quick look and the VIC explosive regulations state a dangerous goods license is required for premises that stores more than 20 kg of dg class of 1.3c or 1.1c. Class. Fyi smokeless powder is classed as 1.3c.

These quantities are usually set to exclude individuals such as sporting shooters with a low level of use. Mmm, perhaps there are a few here who should apply for a DG license?

It is then that the storage regulations would apply and then Work Safe may be interested in how you store propellants.

[Lorgar]

I reckon there would probably be a few guys that would have over the 20kg mark?

If you're loading for a few different calibres and have different powders... buy a few 4kg tubs to save yourself repeat trips to your local gun shop... I guess it happens...

Nothing to do but get out there and shoot

There are worse problems to have I guess

[1290]

That dangerous goods act generally applies to workplaces that have "manifest" quantities stored on site.

Smokeless powder is considered an explosive under the DG act and the Australian dangerous goods code.

Worksafe are not generally interested in private homes. However, I just had a quick look and the VIC explosive regulations state a dangerous goods license is required for premises that stores more than 20 kg of dg class of 1.3c or 1.1c. Class. Fyi smokeless powder is classed as 1.3c.

These quantities are usually set to exclude individuals such as sporting shooters with a low level of use. Mmm, perhaps there are a few here who should apply for a DG license?

It is then that the storage regulations would apply and then Work Safe may be interested in how you store propellants.

I'm looking forward to the response from worksafe when you ring up and tell them that the DG laws dont apply to us shooters...

[chookah]

Here's 50grams (770 grains) of powder burning. This is smokeless rifle powder, do not try with black powder or you may loose some eye lashes

Thanks heaps Chronos. Really appreciate you taking the time to video this.

And spending your precious powder

[SendIt]

$4 whole dollars of powder!

J/K

[Oldbloke]

You should re-read my comments in the context and spirit in which they were written.

[chookah]

$4 whole dollars of powder!

J/K

Still, the effort's appreciated

[Oldbloke]

As I said , "generally" worksafe are interested in large storages of dangerous goods, dealers etc. By my calc 20 kg = about 7700 reloads at 40 grains each. Not sure who would need that much powder at home. Safer to minimise your quantities. Staying under the 20kg limit would perhaps be easier than applying for and maintaining the lic.

[Chronos]

Still, the effort's appreciated

appreciate it mate, a lot of people have never seen powder burn and while it's not that scary it's important people know how intense it is and once it starts (took a while LOL) there's no putting it out

well worth "a whole $4 worth of powder" if it saves someone's house or even a life. A very well known and experienced shooter in the ACT lost his life a while back due to a fire in his reloading shed. this was a guy who had spent probably 60 years shooting and reloading and teaching others to shoot.

Chronos

[eeckle]

A very well known and experienced shooter in the ACT lost his life a while back due to a fire in his reloading shed.

Wow really?

How long ago was this?

[Chronos]

A very well known and experienced shooter in the ACT lost his life a while back due to a fire in his reloading shed.

Wow really?

How long ago was this?

His name was Jim McKinley, the benchrest range at Majura Pk is named after him. He passed away in 2012 or 2013.

Chronos

[Rakk]

Article here on it from the Canberra Times.

House fire victim respected shooter and 'fine man'

A few snippets here touching on the reloading element.

The victim of a house fire in Watson has been described by friends as a ''fine man'' and as a well-respected member of Canberra's sporting shooting community.
...
One nearby resident, Teig Sadhana, heard what he first thought were fireworks in his street at about 10pm on Sunday evening.

They turned out to be explosions from his next-door neighbour's Antill street home and by the time he stepped outside to investigate, the house was fully ablaze.
...

[1290]

Maybe he stored his powder in the safe....

Nothing saying in the report that it was started by the ammo or powder, there would certainly be plenty of flammable and potentially explosive materials and fuels in the garage, not just the gun gear.... As probably mentioned; propellant is sold in containers designed to split and not build pressure for an explosion.... was there a follow up story with the investigation findings??

This is an interesting SAAMI test, burning ammo test starts mid-way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

[Rakk]

SAAMI do heaps of good videos on this stuff.

There are a couple where they set entire pallets of ammo off for test for fire fighters... Showing the result for them if entering building which store ammo or shooters places etc.

[bunnybuster]

Black powder flashes instantly,a container even with no top will burst and the flame will spread over a considerable area.

Try 50gr of black in a pile on a hard surface,with your PPE in place,ignite it with a bbq match at arms length and you

will get the picture. If you do the same with smokeless it will burn fiercely but not flash like black.

Obviously do this at the range or other safe area,not on your kitcher bench.

Be SAFE BB.