Shots per pound of powder

I'm about to order my powder. I'll be going with Swiss to start and the first order of business will be to sight in the rifle, which will be a .45 caliber. But can someone give me a rough idea on the number of rounds one can expect from each pound container?

A pound of powder contains 7000 grains (Avoirdupois weight). So in simple terms if you shoot 70 grs. per shot in your rifle, you should get 100 shots give or take a couple. Using a charger set at 70 grains won't mean you're shooting exactly 70 grs. If you weigh out a charge at 70, it will most likely overfill the charger set at that increment. My chargers actually throw 2 to 3 grains under the indicated amount. Basically, just divide 7000 by the charge that you figure to use and you can get a good idea how much you want to order.

I'll easily use up a pound in a weekend, and probably just a tad more. I think I'll buy 3 Swiss 3fg's; 2 Schuetzen 3fg; and 1 Swiss 4fg for priming. Comments?

Number19 said:

I'll easily use up a pound in a weekend, and probably just a tad more. I think I'll buy 3 Swiss 3fg's; 2 Schuetzen 3fg; and 1 Swiss 4fg for priming. Comments?

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I would go ahead and get the Swiss Null-B for priming powder, but you could use 3Fg in the pan, too. You may also consider Goex 3Fg for the main charge as it is a good powder and cheaper. Although Swiss is stronger and will use 10% less than the Goex to achieve the same approximate velocity, and a little cleaner burning.

Number19 said:

and 1 Swiss 4fg for priming. Comments?

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Go for Null B for primer powder!! :thumbsup:

A pound of 3F or Null B will be good for over 2300 shots.

If I were you I would forget spending the money for either of those granulation's and spend it on a pound of 3Fg which will work almost as well for priming and can be used as a main powder charge as well.

There appears to be two distinct opinions on priming. Over on another thread we're discussing priming dispensers, which are designed for 4fg powder. I asked about dispensers that would throw 3fg. It appears if you use 3fg as your priming powder then you use a free pouring spout. For those of you here, do you agree?

I use either a free flow valve when using a priming flask or pour straight from my powderhorn to prime my pan. If I am using 3F in the gun I am shooting I prime from the horn. If 2F then I prime from a flask with 4F only because I still have 3/4# left. Otherwise I would have 3F in the priming flask. I prefer priming with 3F for the most part.

Number19 said:

Over on another thread we're discussing priming dispensers, which are designed for 4fg powder.
I asked about dispensers that would throw 3fg.

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The larger of the two brass pan primers I posted meters 3F OK because the dispenser barrel is larger diameter than the smaller brass pan primer.
People can prime with whatever they want of course...but to be clear, using a small pan primer tethered in a shirt pocket is very fast, more convenient, and produces consistent primes for every shot...compared to going back to a horn to prime from every time.
And there's no disputing 4F priming powder granulation is faster, that's simply a fact...so for me, if I was going to use a pan primer anyhow I'd just use 4F in the first place.

And there's no disputing that the smaller granulation of 4Fg absorbs atmospheric moisture faster too, so when hunting in highly humid or foggy conditions, requiring repriming more often for reliable ignition in all but the "sealed pan" flintlocks. :grin:

LD

Number19 said:

I'm about to order my powder. I'll be going with Swiss to start and the first order of business will be to sight in the rifle, which will be a .45 caliber. But can someone give me a rough idea on the number of rounds one can expect from each pound container?

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Since there is a 25 dollar haz-mat fee try to order with some other people and order 25 pounds.
5 or 25 it's still 25 bucks.

Dan

Loyalist Dave said:

And there's no disputing that the smaller granulation of 4Fg absorbs atmospheric moisture faster too, so when hunting in highly humid or foggy conditions, requiring repriming more often for reliable ignition in all but the "sealed pan" flintlocks. :grin:
LD

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Hunting with 4F is absolutely no problem at all...it's all I've ever hunted with year round under all conditions that include intentionally hunting (and killing bucks) in moderate rain.
Keeping the lock up under the flap of the coat or rain gear and occasionally flipping out the prime and refreshing it is simple, taking only a few seconds using a pocket pan primer.
I actually left the house in the rain, then after hunting in it for 2.5 hours took this nice 8 pointer, and there was never any doubt about ignition.

Loyalist Dave said:

And there's no disputing that the smaller granulation of 4Fg absorbs atmospheric moisture faster too, so when hunting in highly humid or foggy conditions, requiring repriming more often for reliable ignition in all but the "sealed pan" flintlocks. :grin:

LD

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It requires liquid water to make BP made with pure saltpeter absorb significant moisture.
Now if there is ANY fouling present is will suck up water like a sponge. This will turn fouling, and any powder it contacts, to soup in matter of minutes in high humidity.
If its foggy and misty, you will have liquid water... Use a gun cover.
Even if the lock is "waterproof" and the priming dry testing will show that water on the frizzen and flint will kill the spark.
In any event if in doubt I reprime anyway. But if the gun is in a cover repriming has its risks.
Dan

Dan Phariss said:

Loyalist Dave said:

And there's no disputing that the smaller granulation of 4Fg absorbs atmospheric moisture faster too, so when hunting in highly humid or foggy conditions, requiring repriming more often for reliable ignition in all but the "sealed pan" flintlocks. :grin:

LD

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It requires liquid water to make BP made with pure saltpeter absorb significant moisture.
Now if there is ANY fouling present is will suck up water like a sponge. This will turn fouling, and any powder it contacts, to soup in matter of minutes in high humidity.
If its foggy and misty, you will have liquid water... Use a gun cover.
Even if the lock is "waterproof" and the priming dry testing will show that water on the frizzen and flint will kill the spark.
In any event if in doubt I reprime anyway. But if the gun is in a cover repriming has its risks.
Dan

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That is the answer. I use 4Fg for priming. In humid weather I carry extra cleaning patches and wipe out the pan after each shot. I agree with the instant mud comments but really, with wiping, I have no problems.
Use only 4Fg for priming with a valve. Can't comment on the Null B, have never used it.

I have found you need to use FFFF or finer to use the "push " :idunno: spouts" FFF just doesn't feed through them!

I noticed you pulled the buck outside the no hunting area before taking the picture! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

ohio ramrod said:

I noticed you pulled the buck outside the no hunting area before taking the picture! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

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Yeah...but those are my signs I put up on the little woodlot I lease...I had dragged him out to the road and was leaning against my truck when I took the photo

I have done every “bad” thing I can think of short of pouring water on the pan and can not get my TC to stop shooting from 4f powder fouling. This is a first and last of a 20 shot string where everything was done “wrong” to try and make a mis-fire from 4f pan fouling. It never happened. The gun fired each and every time.
I think this a very over exaggerated story that keeps going around.

First shot out.


After shot number 20.


Pan wiped out to see the "fouling"!


Time lapse was more than two hours for the 20 shots.

Even the flint was left untouched.

I think the worry is when in the field hunting, not so much at the range.
When I'm hunting is serious humidity like right after a rain and/or certainly during a drizzle / light rain, I ease the frizzen back every 10-15 minutes and tilt the rifle to one side.
If the prime still slides back and forth easily in the pan I leave it alone, but when it starts to hesitate before sliding I flip it out and reprime.

I wipe out my pan with a patch every few shots, and use the same patch to wipe the flint, but have never had a problem. Comne to think of it, I'm not sure if I just wipe due to reading all the stories or if I had a problem in the past and just can't remember. Will have to try and remember to not wipe next time out to try and figure it out. I do however use FFFg for both main load and prime though, having never bouth any FFFFg. I do know that priming with FFg seemed slightly slower sometimes, but I dont think it was slow enough to make much difference.