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Graff and Sons Black Powder

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Joined
Nov 14, 2019
Messages
161
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241
Location
West Tennessee - Memphis Area
When I got back into traditional Muzzleloading a few years ago with the purchase of my Lyman GPR 54 one of the things I wanted to do was get away from BP substitutes and go with the real thing. I was also trying to buy a gun that looked as traditional as I could afford . Well I bought Graff's FFFG to start with and so far it has been all I have used . The most interesting thing about is is how much easier it is to clean than Pyrodex RS. I shot the Pyrodex in my 54 cal TC Renegade and it was very accurate with the maxi-ball and round balls but a real Bi%ch to clean . I've got some Goex FFFG that I am going to try but honestly the Graff does all I need it to do. I like what I read about Swiss and I will probably get around to trying it but so far Graff's seems to be the ticket for me.
 
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When I got back into traditional Muzzleloading a few years ago with the purchase of my Lyman GPR 54 one of the things I wanted to do was get away from BP substitutes and go with the real thing. I was also trying to buy a gun that looked as traditional as I could afford . Well I bought Graff's FFFG to start with and so far it has been all I have used . The most interesting thing about is is how much easier it is to clean than Pyrodex RS. I shot the Pyrodex in my 54 cal TC Renegade and it was very accurate with the maxi-ball and round balls but a real Bi%ch to clean . I've got some Goex FFFG that I am going to try but honestly the Graff does all I need it to do. I like what I read about Swiss and I will probably get around to trying it but so far Graff's seems to be the ticket for me.
Stopped in at Graf's a few weeks ago (Mexico, Mo.) They had no black powder on hand. Started buying at Graf's when it was a filling station/gun store 60 years ago. Same as everyone, they're having a tough time getting product. I. too, have a partial can of their powder left. It's stable, for sure.
 
When I got back into traditional Muzzleloading a few years ago with the purchase of my Lyman GPR 54 one of the things I wanted to do was get away from BP substitutes and go with the real thing. I was also trying to buy a gun that looked as traditional as I could afford . Well I bought Graff's FFFG to start with and so far it has been all I have used . The most interesting thing about is is how much easier it is to clean than Pyrodex RS. I shot the Pyrodex in my 54 cal TC Renegade and it was very accurate with the maxi-ball and round balls but a real Bi%ch to clean . I've got some Goex FFFG that I am going to try but honestly the Graff does all I need it to do. I like what I read about Swiss and I will probably get around to trying it but so far Graff's seems to be the ticket for me.
Well then, why do people even buy black powder substitutes? I remember reading 30 years ago that black powder causes serious fouling, and that the substitutes were cleaner to shoot. So I believed it. Also it was said that real black powder detonates as opposed to ignites, so theoretically you could drop a can of black powder and it could go off. Is any of this old information I have in my head actually true?
 
Well then, why do people even buy black powder substitutes? I remember reading 30 years ago that black powder causes serious fouling, and that the substitutes were cleaner to shoot. So I believed it. Also it was said that real black powder detonates as opposed to ignites, so theoretically you could drop a can of black powder and it could go off. Is any of this old information I have in my head actually true?
Real black powder is classified as an explosive, requires a special license to sell, and a special magazine to store. Black powder has an ignition temperature around 480 degrees Fahrenheit, plus/minus.

The various BP substitutes are classified as propellants, and have much higher ignition temperatures, which is why they don't work worth a darn in flintlocks. Anyone with an FFL can sell propellants, and storage requirements are less rigid. I did some tests with Hodgdon Triple 7, and got lower velocity variations across ten shot strings by using the magnum caps from CCI.

As far as ease of cleaning, my experience is they are about the same- clean 'em with warm tap water and a few drops of dish soap, get the barrel dry, treat with rust preventative (I prefer Barricade) and store muzzle down in a dry place. I use 91% rubbing alcohol to remove the rust preventative before loading, just a couple of moist patches, then a dry one.

Above all, clean the gun before you go to bed!
 
I tried most powders but prefer GOEX over all others for my rifles and smoothbore. I have GOEX one pound cans that I have storied for more than 12 years with no issues. Fires like I purchased the powder yesterday. All cans are metal and I see that all powder is now sold in plastic containers either black powder or smokeless. I do not think plastic containers are good for long term powder storage.
 
Not sure how this applies to Graf & Sons but this afternoon I went on a search for BP. EVERYONE on my list is Out Of Stock of All flavors and brands, even the places with a 25lb min order??
Then I saw a note at TOW, it said:
"Out of Stock untill 2022"
?!!?

Good thing I'm not out, just wanted to hoard a little....

Btw: I prefer the metal cans too.
 
Might want to try calling them. I was in their store 6 days ago. They had no black powder and didn't know when they would get any in. May have changed in a few days but the way things are going, probably not. They did have percussion caps and some cartridge primers in stock at almost normal prices. Nice people.
 
I tried most powders but prefer GOEX over all others for my rifles and smoothbore. I have GOEX one pound cans that I have storied for more than 12 years with no issues. Fires like I purchased the powder yesterday. All cans are metal and I see that all powder is now sold in plastic containers either black powder or smokeless. I do not think plastic containers are good for long term powder storage.
Black powder is a mechanical mixture as opposed to tnt or possibly some smokeless propellants. So it is extremely stable I’m shootings goex made in the early 80’s just fine. Also bought some old meteor powder from the 1960’s works great!
 
Graffs s just Goex and will shoot well. You’ll probably have better results with Swiss
 
Goex had a fire at their plant in June. They were hoping to get back up and running in October. I spoke with a muzzle loader shop owner and he said it looks like January of 2022 that you will see BP from Goex. He mentioned they can’t find anyone to make the plastic containers.
 
This just popping up all over Facebook
 

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