• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

What is the cleanest burning black powder?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 31, 2022
Messages
16
Reaction score
9
Location
New York
Hi Folks,
I'm loading black powder 12 ga shotgun shells for old damascus barrel pieces and would appreciate a heads up on the cleanest burning powder available. Any thoughts appreciated.
 
I think it’s probably swiss also. Just my un scientific observation but swiss seems to be the most efficient by measured velocity and that seems to be related to efficiency of burn and efficient burn should equal less fouling.
 
I agree with everyone's assessment of Swiss powder. I'll add this though - I shot BP in shotgun cartridges for a good while quail hunting. I used Elephant powder and it is considered the dirtiest of powders (used it 'cause I had it). You have an advantage with a breech loader - just carry a really small squirt/spray bottle with some windex and give each barrel a "drink" every now and again. If you carry the gun in the crook of your arm for a bit any liquid drains out and the fouling stays soft. It will not harm the gun in any way.
1674767207342.png
 
I appreciate all the info guys. Seems Swiss is a favorite. I do carry an old wood rod and tips whenever I go out with them. The spray bottle sounds like a winner. I've shot the RST shells and the barrels stay pretty nice. Hoping to get close to that if possible.
 
I did a similar thing with Elephant in a 12 ga ML. My twist was to use waterless hand cleaner that came in a tube. I'd squeeze out about 1/8" and make a ring around the muzzle after dropping the powder and before ramming the wad. It kept the bore pretty wet. I never had to clean until the end of the day. IF it killed any powder I'll never know. The doves dropped the same as they always did.
 
I've shot swiss and found it to leave a stick residue down at the breech. Older lunsford is pretty darn clean shooting. Goex, scheutzen, gear hart owen, meteor, they have all been great. It really boils down to what you're using as a patch lube.

Water based lubes, spit, alcohol based.... these are normally the lubes that allow you to literally, shoot all day without having any trouble reloading.

But, they suck as a hunting patch lube.
 
Yep. In a 12 ga. I'd try their F or 1.5F. When Goex discontinued their Cartridge grade I experimented for two years trying to duplicate the accuracy I had previously enjoyed. Finally found a winner with Swiss 1.5F.
GOEX Cartridge powder was pretty good. I still use it in a few of my rifles.
 
Does it have to be actual black powder? You might want to experiment with Hogdon's Tripple 7. It is much cleaner than any black powder. I have used it in pistol cartridges... mostly .44 Special. Only drawback I found was that I needed to wash the brass in water for reloading... something you gotta do with any black powder cartridge... which are unmentionable on this forum, BTW.

Obviously, if you are gonna be shooting a Damascus barrel, you need to get it inspected, and you might want to use a reduced charge weight with the T7 loads if you go that way. As some Damascus guns have been shot with smokeless powders, I would guess T7 will work if the barrel is in good shape. You probably want to use their 2F granulation.

It has no sulfur in it, so no rotten egg smell and no corrosive residue.... but you still gotta clean the gun after shooting it... with hot soapy water. I use Murphy's Oil Soap... and remember to put some kind of oil in the bore when you are done. Use a well-oiled wool mop. Something that will penetrate any rough spots in the bore preferably as all Damascus guns I have seen in the past forty years or so have been pretty scary-lookling.

Another poster here with more experience shooting Damascus guns might give you some advice regarding barrel lube(s). I just don't shoot 'em. Never did. A Damascus gun that is intact has a certain value as a wall-hanger, blown up they are scrap metal.

Dunno your experience level loading BP shotshells, but be careful. BAD THINGS can happen at the loading bench.

If you try T7, please PM me with your results. I am curious.
 
Not nearly so much as actual black powder...

The thing about T7 and Pyro is that it's a whole different corrosion threat from the perchlorates. Prompt and thorough cleaning should neutralize them but as far as I know there is no actual research on how it reacts in the short term. Or what damage may be done by any remaining residue even after cleaning.

They certainly do foul less.
 
Uh, no.

All the black powder substitutes, including BH 209, contain potassium perchlorate. Only Pyrodex is seriously corrosive, that's due to another ingredient.

The Mad Monk wouldn't have agreed with that, rest his soul.

What are these other ingredients etc. Gotta be more to the story 🤔
 

Latest posts

Back
Top