I just got 1 lb. of Universal Clays powder and noticed that the color is black with gray flakes instead of the tan as was in my other bottle.

The label says that it was made in Australia and the bottle has an orange label on the bottom.

Anyone run into this before?

The Clays line of powder have not been manufactured in Australia since prior to 2013, the plant suffered an explosion and to the best of my knowledge was never rebuilt.

Todays Clays powders are now being manufactured in Canada.

You got Australian ADI powder, which is the plant that made Universal before they had a drying plant fire back about 2012. The name is the old name (Universal Clays). It should load just fine, though, using current Universal data. Color is different because powder was made in a different plant, not the current Canadian plant, and the Aussies used slightly different base components.

Not to worry, mate! It's all good.

good luck, garrisonjoe

I didn't know about the powder plant explosion, I hope that no one was hurt. The reason that I ask about the colors, is that the powder in one container is tan and the other is black with the gray flakes.

Both are made in Australia.

It usually takes many years before a powder starts to decompose and change color. My can of Aussie Universal Clays contains black and gray powder.

Does your tan color powder have a sharp, acrid, acidic smell to it? This would be different from the normal smell like acetone/ketone solvent that is used in making the powder. Was it stored at real high temperatures (above 100 F) for a long period of time? Not a lot of modern smokeless powder is tan in color because most of it has a final graphite coat applied to it to make it flow and meter well.

Those would be two obvious symptoms of a powder that has decomposed and would be recommended to be discarded. But if you have been loading shells with it that have good performance, it probably is still good to load.

good luck, garrisonjoe

I've been using the tan colored powder which works ok, the black/gray was bought recently. Of course, I don't know how long it was stored for.

The black/gray powder doesn't have a strong smell but like more like a regular powder. The smell is not strong. From the description of your powder (black/gray), it seems that mine is normal.

The powder made in Canada, does it have that designation on the label?

You answered


Your new bottle is not what I was concerned about.

But if you have been loading the tan powder, it's OK.

It's pretty obvious that your black/gray powder is OK.

The Canadian made Universal should just say Universal in big letters. It may have fine print on the label that says Made in Canada. As this picture from Hodgdon does.

All my Universal Clays powder has the made in Australia on it. It would be nice if they had a made on, use by or expiration date on it. Make it much easier to know how old the powder is.

Thanks all for the answers and info. You guys never let us down!

Smokeless powder is normally good for MANY years if stored at room temperature and normal humidity. Many - like 50 or more.

If you examine some original bottles/caddies of powder, there will be a lot number usually on a small sticker. Sometimes you can get the powder company technicians to correlate that lot number to a date of manufacture. What's on the small orange label on your bottle bottom? That could be a lot number.

I write on my bottles when I buy them the month and year, and the vendor. So I can use my oldest powder first. I have some from the 1970's that is still good.

I have tossed out a couple of bottles that smelled "off" or exhibited clumping of powder. Makes good lawn fertilizer.

good luck, garrisonjoe

None of the powders are clumping, flows easily and loose. The orange label is: 1 0918013851.

I think that is your lot number. But that one I don't know how to parse out a date from.

i think that I figured it out. The stand alone 1 is for 1 lb. Next numbers are the date: 091801 (Sept. 18, 2001). 3851 is the lot number.