Greg, I wouldn't worry about it as long as the can was properly stored.
A short story to illustrate: About 40 years ago Hodgdon was selling WW2 surplus powder, and a popular one was IMR 4831 that was made for 20 mm cannons. A friend worked at a sporting goods store where it could be bought for $1.00 per pound, weighed out on a baby scale and scooped into brown paper lunch bags that were doubled up (times have changed
). I just had a 300 Win Mag made up and this WW2 surplus IMR 4831 was THE POWDER for it at the time. Little loading data was available and it was called "4350 data powder" because Hodgdon said that recipes for the slightly faster, commercially available IMR 4350 could be used safely. Well the friend and I went in halfies on a 100 pound cardboard drum of the surplus 4831 which brought our cost down to 50 cents/pound. I still have that rifle and about 5 pounds of the 4831 remaining from my 50 pound split. And I use it every year and the loads are as hot as they were 40 years ago. Yep I have a chronograph. That powder is now about 70 years old and when I open the old Red Dot can it's now in, I get that ether/alcohol solvent smell same as I do with modern store bought IMR rifle powder. It always conjures up sweet old memories!
Frank
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