Individual premeasured charges with reduced moisture content and method of producing same

A transport container having a removable cover which is repeatedly removable and refastenable to the transport container, the transport container accommodating a plurality of tubes with each tube carrying an individual premeasured charge of gunpowder, each one of the plurality of tubes being open at least one end thereof, the open end of each tube being sealed with a removable cap once a suitable quantity of a loose granular charge of gunpowder is loaded therein to form an individual premeasured charge of gunpowder, and the gunpowder, for each individual premeasured charge of gunpowder, having a moisture content of less than 5.0% by weight to facilitate reliable ignition of the gunpowder, upon detonation of the firearm, and substantially complete ignition of all of the gunpowder;

• the removable cap is completely removable from the tube to facilitate an end user removing the cap from its sealing engagement with the open end of the tube;
• each one of the plurality of tubes carries between 20 to 200 grains by weight of gunpowder;
• and
• each one of the plurality of tubes has an inside diameter of between about 0.300 inches to about 0.650 inches and has an axial length of between about 0.50 inches to about 7.50 inches.

A method of packaging gunpowder with a reduced moisture content, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a transport container having a removable cover which is repeatedly removable and refastenable to the transport container, and sizing the transport container to accommodate a plurality of tubes each containing an individual premeasured charge of gunpowder;
• forming an open end in at least one end each of the plurality of tubes;
• drying gunpowder, prior to loading, to have a moisture content of less than 5.0% by weight to facilitate reliable ignition of the gunpowder, upon detonation of a firearm, and substantially complete ignition of all of the gunpowder;
• loading the gunpowder, with a moisture content of less than 5.0% by weight, within the one end of each one of the plurality of tubes;
• sealing the open end of each tube with a removable cap, following loading of a suitable quantity of loose gunpowder therein, to form an individual premeasured charges;
• and
• placing the within the transport container and sealing the transport container with the removable cover.