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Shot Goex for first time

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Bassdog1

32 Seneca Guy
MLF Supporter
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Jan 18, 2018
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Location
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Had a friend who knew I was getting into small caliber muzzle loading introduce me to a gentleman who due to age and health was getting rid of lots of old muzzle loading supplies. We met and he gave me 8 lbs of 3f goex although some of the cans were so old the company name wasn't goex . Cans were in excellent condition and had been kept dry. Went to range with my 32 TC Cherokee and shot 12 loads using 20 grains with a .310 ball and .018 pillow ticking patch and Hoppes patch lube and had a little better group than I had had with Swiss 3f. Then shot 12 rounds using 15 grains and group came in much tighter. I had been using same charges of Swiss but may back those charges down a bit and see how groups look since I have been told Swiss burns hotter than Goex. But overall really liked it, cleanup was no different and 8 lbs at 15 grains a shot will definitely last a while. Also wanted to thank all of you for the advice and information I have gotten I am really enjoying the small caliber muzzle loaders that I own and am getting much better at developing loads.
 
Goex is good stuff and black powder seems to keep forever. That fella saved you a ton of cash with that powder gift. In the local store here that handles it gets twenty eight and change, plus tax, for a pound of the stuff. Buying online for me was a lot less costly.
 
That was a fantastic gift from the older gent. And load development is part of the fun of the hobby. Glad you are having a good time.
Suggestion: If you have a way to do so, send the old man a handwritten note letting him know his gift is being used and enjoyed. I'm sure he would really appreciate it.

Jeff
 
Will definitely be thanking him. Some of the cans are marked Gearhart-Owen Industries while the others are marked Goex industries with the same address. He also had a few cans of Elephant 4f, Elephant cannon powder, Goex cartridge powder and a can of Dupont 4f. I wasn't real familiar with these and didn't know what I would use them in since I don't own a flinter,cannon or cartridge gun.
 
The two cans of 4Fg, both brands, will be just fine for priming a flintlock. Hold on to them. Keep the cannon and cartridge powders also. You may one day find someone who has a use for them. Just store in a dry location. You got a real treasure with all that fine powder. Use and enjoy, that's what the old timer wants you to do.
 
Goex is very good powder as was the Gearhart-Owen powder I used long ago. I even found Elephant satisfactory. I'd sure like to have a friend like the one you have.
 
Good to know what order the powders were made in. If weather is suitable tomorrow I am going to take out the 36 Seneca and shoot some of the GOEX through it also. I was really shocked at the difference in the granulation between Swiss 3f and the Goex 3f. I am a State Police Officer and had firearms qualifications on Tuesday with handgun, rifle and shotgun but nothing is as relaxing or as enjoyable as taking the small muzzle loaders to the range and spending a couple of hours tinkering with loads, patches and different lubes. The older gentleman also had a custom flintlock made by a gentleman from Indiana cant remember the name but it was new in the box and he said he bought it 30 or more years ago. He was asking 200 dollars for the lock so I may have to research it and think about having a 40 cal flintlock built around it.
 
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Well I got out and did some work with the 32 Cherokee. Came up with this load 15 grains Goex .315 Hornady swaged ball .015 cotton patch from the Eastern Maine muzzle loader supply and Hoppes BP lube. Sighted in at 30 yards since this will hopefully be a squirrel gun this fall. Shot off bench with backpack as rest. 3 shot group. The pic with my finger in it is to show target size
 
That was a nice gift. I just started shooting bp about a year ago. When I was at Friendship for the spring shoot, a fellow shooter suggested I try Swiss powder. So I bought several pounds. It seemed to burn a little hotter and cleaner and had descent groups. Just recently I found out that my local gun shop sold Goex, so I bought a pound. This past weekend I thought I would compare the two. So I shot 1 shot with Swiss and then 1 shot with Goex. Didn’t change anything. Just alternated between the two. After 5 shots of each, the Goex had a tighter group, but shot a couple inches lower at 25 yards. It also didn’t seem to kick as much either. Now I plan on expanding my experiment.
 
Eight pounds....wow what a find. Good on you!

Dupont, G-O, GOEX, is all I've ever used, with pretty good results. Got a lb of pyrodex that i never shot much...found it doesn't keep like the real stuff.
I recently won 2 lbs of 2f Schuetzen powder at a local match...I cant wait to try it.
 
Bassdog 1,
Show the "old Gent" those targets, and he will know that he gave that powder to the right fellow. It doesn't get any better than that, on so many levels.

Thanks for sharing this.

Richard/Grumpa

PS: We used to call Gearhart-Owen "Garryowen". I have a pound that has to be 45 years old, still as good as ever.
 
Will definitely be thanking him. Some of the cans are marked Gearhart-Owen Industries while the others are marked Goex industries with the same address. He also had a few cans of Elephant 4f, Elephant cannon powder, Goex cartridge powder and a can of Dupont 4f. I wasn't real familiar with these and didn't know what I would use them in since I don't own a flinter,cannon or cartridge gun.
Others may disagree, but unless you have plans for a BP cartridge gun or flintlock in the future, you may want to consider using the cartridge and ffff powder in your 32 cal Cherokee. Should give similar results to what you are seeing with fff using 10 to 15 grain charges. Can't sell the stuff, so might as well use it.
 
Good tight groups with that Cherokee! Nice of that old feller to gift you the powder. There are a lot of generous people in the muzzleloading community that give of their time, experiences, knowledge. You may not have enough powder now that you are hooked! Sounds like you may need a shotgun and a pistol too. Save them powder cans when empty. Some collect them.
 
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