| Powder Grade | Mesh Size | Average Size in mm. |
|---|
| Whaling | 4 mesh | 4.750 mm. (0.187 in.) |
| Cannon | 6 mesh | 3.35 mm. (0.132 in.) |
| Saluting (A-1) | 10 mesh | 2.0 mm. (0.079 in.) |
| Fg | 12 mesh | 1.7 mm. (0.0661 in.) |
| FFg | 16 mesh | 1.18 mm. (0.0469 in.) |
| FFFg | 20 mesh | 0.85 mm. (0.0331 in.) |
| FFFFg | 40 mesh | 0.47 mm. |
| FFFFFg | 75 mesh | 0.149 mm. |
Note that the first 3 grades are intended for use with cannon. The A-1 grade is generally used for artillery blanks used for firing gun salutes. Fg is made for using in large bore rifles and shotguns (
8-gauge and larger). FFg powder is used for historical small arms such as muskets, fusils, rifles and large pistols. FFFg powder is for smaller caliber rifles (below .45 caliber), pistols, cap-and-ball revolvers, derringers etc. FFFFg and
FFFFFg are mostly used as priming powder for flintlocks. In the image above, the two grades of powder were intended to be used in a historical re-enactment and the FFg powder was meant for the main powder charge of a flintlock rifle, while the FFFFg powder was intended to be used in the pan of the flintlock as a priming powder.
