Chinese powder

[tnlonghunter]

I was talking while at the woods walk the other day with a guy who stated that he shoots Chinese powder. He stated that it shot a little hotter than GOEX and he gets it at the rendevous in Friendship for about $6 a pound, even if he doesn't buy a whole lot at a time. I had actually emptied my horn during the walk and he let me finish using his.

I normally shoot 75 grains, but with his measure shot 68 grains with no noticeable difference in accuracy. I'd shot enough at that point that I couldn't really tell any difference in fouling from the time I switched from my GOEX to his. So, my questions are: does anybody here use know much about this Chinese powder, and if so, how do you find it? Does it foul much. Does it burn "hotter" and affect accuracy in any way? I'm a big fan of paying 6$ a pound if it works about as well as GOEX.

 

[Swampman]

I have 2 cans of it in my collection of 3fs. I haven't tried it yet.

 

[bezoar]

Well never used any chinese powder before, but since they still use black powder(so they say) for fireworks, and many chinese fireworks companies have blown up over the years, so judging from the damage ive read in papers and seen on tv, their is not much difference!

 

[JeffinNZ]

It is all that is commericially available here in New Zealand. There is a little GOEX around from the filming of 'The Last Samurai' but generally Chinese is it.
I have tested it and it produces velocity on par with Elephant in my .40cal flinter however the fouling is more. Compared to the stash of Swiss I have the Chinese is REAL dirty but I guess it's better than NO blackpowder.

cheers

J

 

[tnlonghunter]

So, do you think that the extra fouling is acceptable if indeed I can buy the Chinese at so much less than GOEX costs? Any ideas on differences on ballistics?

 

[Swampman]

Are you using 2f or 3f?

 

[Old Charlie]

I'll stick with Goex,made in the USA. Seems like every dam thing else I buy says made in China.
Old Charlie

 

[Birddog6]

That is on of the biggest reasons everything made of metal in the USA has skyrocketed. The Chinese bought up all of the scrap steel, brass, alum inum, iron & lead when the prices were low & emptied the scrap yards. Because of this you are about to see a jump in metal goods prices that has never been seen in the US now.

After that, the scrap yards were low on scrap & the economy here started rising & there was no scrap for the melt shops. So they raise the scrap prices to meet the demand & they price of scrap was at $200 a gross ton for heavy ment scrap at one time, now has settled a bit. But it is still over double of what it was 3-4 years ago & this is having a tremendous impact of production prices of steel, copper & aluminum, etc.

 

[Ed Blake]

Under what brand name is it sold?

 

[Berk]

I have been using chiese powder for a couple of years. I find that it is a little bit dirtier than Elefant & Goex but not that much. Alot of the shotgunners at Friendship use it. I also use it in my .40 cal rifle. I found out that I can use 2f Chineese in my rifle but I cant using Goex or Elephant. Wen using 2f goex or Elephant in my rifle it throws balls all over the place. Not so with the 2f Chineese. 3F works great in both my shotgun and my rifle. I have no complaints at all with it.

Berk

 

[Berk]

I have bought in under the name of LUDU and Dragon. I dont know if it is the same stuff or two dirrerant brands.

Berk

 

[tnlonghunter]

I appreciate the opinions. I definitely understand the problem with outsourcing the Chinese businesses buying up everything. I'd much prefer to use GOEX or other American brands. But right now I have a hard time shooting as much as I'd like with paying the higher prices. I guess it is just one big nasty cycle.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Thanks for providing the names of some of this Chinese powder. I am NOT going to buy the stuff, but I have been waiting for someone here to tell us the brand name of the powder you are talking about. I will stick with Goex, too. Frankly, I have put in too many hours working up loads with Goex, to start all over with a different brand of powder. If you buy Goex in quantity- as in get together with other shooters and place an order- the price is reasonable.

 

[Chiefs50]

I try not to buy anything Chinese because IMHO, and experience, most of it is junk. Black powder may be an exception since they invented the stuff; but most Chinese made goods should be shipped straight to the landfill. We should be charging them a tipping fee rather than buying the stuff.

You say it fouls more than Elephant??

 

[Rebel]

"You say it fouls more than Elephant??"

I didn't think that was possible.

 

[JeffinNZ]

Hi

I was trialing Chinese '3Fg'.

All powder varies on ballistics depending on the quality of the chemicals used to make it. I would never expect a cheap Chinese product to be as good as an expensive European one.

Yes it is dirty in the fouling department. I volunteered to clean a freind's wifes rifle at the last rondy as they were both busy after the shoot preparing for the evening entertainment. It takes about 5 patches to clean my .40 burning Swiss, took for EVER :shocked2: to get her .50 clean burning Chinese. Still, she was grateful.

The bottom line is this. If we in New Zealand had the chance to purchase other than Chinese of course we would but we are such a small market that no one will cough the money to bring in Goex, Swiss, KIK etc when the Chinese is so cheap and the shooters are SO mean :nono:

cheers

J

 

[Nightwind]

I started using it 5 years ago when it was $4.00 a pound. It works as good as Goex for me in any of my rifles that are above 40 cal and using 45 grains and up. It does not work well for me in any of my pistols or rifles under 40 cal. Low power loads seem to be inconsistant in velocities and my groups show it. I've shot alot of 50's with the bigger rifles using Chinese, and the price is right for me.

As others have said, it is a little bit dirtier, but since I swab between every shot, it's no big deal. The wife and I go through about 20 lbs of Chinese and about 15 lbs lbs Goex per year. We buy by the case.

I really like the Swiss brand, best stuff around in my opinion. But too pricey for the amount we go through

 

[JeffinNZ]

I thought I had better tell you what we pay for powder down here.

Chinese at the moment through the club is USD17.50lb but some are paying retail USD24.00lb.

I was lucky enough to come upon a source of Swiss though very limited and only due to the generosity of a fellow shooter and paid USD32.00lb for it.

Oh, CCI No. 11 percussion caps at presently USD6.50 per 100.

cheers

Jeff

 

[crmyers]

Here in North Carolina I pay 10 dollars a pound for Goex.

 

[Hoyt]

It's $20 a pound in Orlando's Basspro store.