[hamholfarm]

Hello,

This is my first post. What a great site! I’m a total noob as far as reloading, so I’ve been lurking for a while trying to learn as much as I can. Also, I have been collecting my equipment and supplies as money allows. Hopefully I will be able to start loading in a couple of weeks.

My first question is about climate control or lack thereof and how it might effect the loading process, equipment, and components. Specifically, I have a small detached building that I am considering using for my reloading. The issue is that the building would not be heated or air conditioned, unless I were in there. This small building is insulated, and wind proof. So, what I would like to know, is how freezing temperatures in the winter, and 100+°F temperatures in the summer, might effect the equipment, components, and loading process? I would bring the room to a comfortable temperature prior to reloading by either heating or cooling as necessary.

I look forward to hearing your experiences, thoughts, and recommendations.

Thank you,


Chip

 

[wildhobbybobby]

All I can say is that I store all of my powder, primers and ammo in an unheated metal pole building where it is subject to 100 plus degrees in the summer and minus 30 sometimes in the winter. I have a very large stash of components including WWII surplus powder that I have had since about 1969. The powder is on shelves in tightly sealed containers and primers are in ammo cans,

I have never had anything go bad, and that WWII H4831 still smells sweet and shoots even sweeter. It's older than I am and I wish I was holding up as well as it is.

My loading equipment, however, is in the house, but as long as you keep everything dry and let things come to room temperature, I cannot see why you would have any problem.

 

[jodum]

Welcome to the forum. Temperature variations as long as they are not to extreme will not be a problem. I try to keep the humidity to an acceptable level to keep my metal stuff from rusting. I keep my shop air conditioned in the summer and keep a container of chem dry sitting on a shelf to keep the humidity down.

 

[naumann]

Component storage should follow mfg. guidelines. As to the conditions present during the actual loading: climate control has little significance.

I say this because I have a local friend who is a benchrest competitor of the highest level. He is a retired engineer. For years he ran a bench testing lab at the University of Wyoming. During that time he sought to determine the effect of barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity on handloads. And he had the equipment to control all the variables. His conclusion was "no effect." He could not measure any difference in the accuracy of the loads assembled under widely different atmospheric conditions.

I know this is a second- (third-?) report. But I have seen this man's groups, the rifles he builds, and attended his local training seminars. I'll take his word for it.

 

[dmsbandit]

Heat and humidity/dampness are the biggest enemies or primers and powders. If you can vent the building to keep the heat and humidity reasonable, you should be fine. Put a temperature controled exhaust fan up high on the outside wall and it will make the temp. more stable in the summer.

 

[ranger335v]

High tempertures speed chemical changes, low temps retard or even stop them. Ergo, heat is the only potential temp problem and even that in moderatation means little. If it's not to hot for humans to function safely it's really not too hot to store components, even for periods of years.

Sealed against humidity in their containers and only exposed during the brief loading sessions, your powder won't be affected by that.

Primers can be water soaked and still work fine after drying. In fact, that's the way the explosive compounds are handled during primer manufactoring, it's only allowed to dry after they are completed.