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Grains by weight or volume???

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Traditionally black powder is measured by volume.
Measuring by weight is more precise, but bringing a powder scale to the range os a pain, and bringing one hunting seems ridiculous.
While a gram of water will weigh a gram on a scale,,,, black powder is not the same. So far my experience has been that my 3f Goex weighs slightly less than my volume measure reads when the charge is weighed on a scale. A charge from my 65 grain volume measure generally weighs a little under 65 grains when weighed on my powder scale. So, not a huge safety concern, but I would try not to mix up loads listed as by weight with loads listed as by volume.
 
Has anyone put together a chart that shows the volume to weight ratios of the various powders in the same sized volumetric measure? Also with a corresponding velocity.

I'd be curious to see where Swiss fits in vs. Goex and the other less expensive powders, as, we generally tailor our loads for velocity (with the exception of the very very light loads that have to have enough volume to get the ball high enough off the breech to let the pan ignite the main charge).
 
Has anyone put together a chart that shows the volume to weight ratios of the various powders in the same sized volumetric measure? Also with a corresponding velocity.

I'd be curious to see where Swiss fits in vs. Goex and the other less expensive powders, as, we generally tailor our loads for velocity (with the exception of the very very light loads that have to have enough volume to get the ball high enough off the breech to let the pan ignite the main charge).

Swiss, as we have read here a number of times before, tends to be at least 10% more energetic than the best US-made powder, whatever that might be.
 
Yes indeed we've seen that posted, but I was actually looking for a chart. When we buy powder it's sold by weight though.
 
Measured by WEIGHT. Dispensed by VOLUME.

Get it right folks and quit confusing the issue. It's done this way with ALL powder. Set the measure with a scale, the measure dispenses by volume
 
Here you go @Col. Batguano

BLACK POWDER & SUBSTITUTES
Volume to Weight Conversion ChartDecember 2012
AmericanJimJimHodgdonHodgdon
GoexPioneerShockey'sShockey'sTripleTriple
vol.vol.GoexExpressPowderGoldGoldSevenSevenPyrodex
ccgr.FFFgFFgFFFgFFgFFFgFFgFFFgP
6.67100101.1104.678.488.383.077.281.476.0
6.339596.099.474.583.978.973.377.372.2
6.009091.094.270.679.574.769.573.368.4
5.678585.988.966.775.170.665.669.264.6
5.338080.983.762.770.666.461.865.160.8
5.007575.878.558.866.262.357.961.157.0
4.677070.773.254.961.858.154.057.053.2
4.336565.768.051.057.454.050.252.949.4
4.006060.662.847.153.049.846.348.845.6
3.675555.657.543.148.645.742.544.841.8
3.335050.552.339.244.241.538.640.738.0
3.274949.551.338.443.340.737.839.937.2
3.204848.550.237.642.439.937.139.136.5
3.134747.549.236.941.539.036.338.335.7
3.074646.548.136.140.638.235.537.434.9
3.004545.547.135.339.737.434.736.634.2
2.934444.546.034.538.936.534.035.833.4
2.874343.545.033.738.035.733.235.032.7
2.804242.443.932.937.134.932.434.231.9
2.734141.442.932.236.234.031.733.431.1
2.674040.441.931.435.333.230.932.630.4
2.603939.440.830.634.432.430.131.729.6
2.533838.439.829.833.631.629.330.928.9
2.473737.438.729.032.730.728.630.128.1
2.403636.437.728.231.829.927.829.327.3
2.333535.436.627.430.929.127.028.526.6
2.273434.435.626.730.028.226.227.725.8
2.203333.434.525.929.127.425.526.925.1
2.133232.333.525.128.326.624.726.024.3
2.073131.332.424.327.425.723.925.223.5
2.003030.331.423.526.524.923.224.422.8
1.932929.330.322.725.624.122.423.622.0
1.872828.329.322.024.723.221.622.821.3
1.802727.328.321.223.822.420.822.020.5
1.732626.327.220.423.021.620.121.219.8
1.672525.326.219.622.120.819.320.419.0
1.602424.325.118.821.219.918.519.518.2
1.532323.224.118.020.319.117.818.717.5
1.472222.223.017.319.418.317.017.916.7
1.402121.222.016.518.517.416.217.116.0
1.332020.220.915.717.716.615.416.315.2
1.271919.219.914.916.815.814.715.514.4
1.201818.218.814.115.914.913.914.713.7
1.131717.217.813.315.014.113.113.812.9
1.071616.216.712.514.113.312.413.012.2
1.001515.215.711.813.212.511.612.211.4
0.931414.114.611.012.411.610.811.410.6
0.871313.113.610.211.510.810.010.69.9
0.801212.112.69.410.610.09.39.89.1
0.731111.111.58.69.79.18.59.08.4
0.671010.110.57.88.88.37.78.17.6
0.6099.19.47.17.97.56.97.36.8
0.5388.18.46.37.16.66.26.56.1
0.4777.17.35.56.25.85.45.75.3
0.4066.16.34.75.35.04.64.94.6
0.3355.15.23.94.44.23.94.13.8
0.2744.04.23.13.53.33.13.33.0
0.2033.03.12.42.62.52.32.42.3
0.1322.02.11.61.81.71.51.61.5
0.0711.01.00.80.90.80.80.80.8
This is a revision of the chart I put on Captain Baylor's Ranger Camp in 2005. Then I used an adjustable
measure to measure 100 gr. FFg by weight then use that measure to produce the same volume of Black Powder Substitutes.
This time I started with a 4.0 cc. Lyman dipper and weighed 5 samples of each powder, then averaged.
Black Powder Loads are normally measured in volume. 15 gr. vol. is 1.0 cc.
1.0 cc. weighs approximately 15 gr. This chart converts to weights of equivalent volumes.
Weights were rounded to the nearest .1 gr. Duplicating results closer than the nearest grain using BP and subs is difficult and unnecessary.
The old chart is still on the site at :
Black Powder Conversions
Your mileage may vary, but Black Powder Ain't Brain surgery
Ounces to Grains--useful for adjusting shot charges using a powder scale that measures in grains.
Ounces to Grains
OUNCEGRAINS
167000
1438
1.125492
1.25547
1.275558
1.3569
1.325580
1.35591
1.375602
1.5656
Drams to Gr. BP
DramGr. BP
127.3
254.7
2.2561.5
2.568.4
2.7575.2
382.0
3.2588.9
3.588.9
3.75102.5
 
I couldn't find anything that included Swiss.

And I want to add that my insistence on using volume comes mainly from me using nothing but Goex. I luckily have a lot of it, it's what I started with and I've never changed. I have other brands, but don't use them. I've tested my measures and they're consistent. Now if I was using multiple brands of powder, then weighing would make sense.
 
I don't think I've ever loaded a muzzleloader by weight. I only do that when I'm loading modern firearms, I can't imagine how one would carry around a scale to weigh black powder. Maybe pre-weighted loads.
You only THINK you're using modern by weighing. We've been over this before. You set the powder measure by weight using a scale. The powder measure dispenses based on volume. The only way you're going exclusively weight is if you drop a charge and use a trickler to bring it up to weight.

Now in black powder, many just go by volume but they aren't shooting competition.
 
well it is both. For smokessomewhatlesss powders we masure a VOLUME that WEIGHS
well spit my computer hiccuped.
...a volume that weighs the required amount.
However with Black Gunpowder supposedly with some granulation of some brand of Gunpowder the "grain" weight equals the measured "volume" in theory.
Unless you are shooting a sub MOA muzzle loading rifle find the volume and brand that works and don't worry about the weight.
Sorry about the two layer post but my (expletives omitted) computer sometimes does that.Very annoying
Remember it is not so much how FAST the ball goes
It is WHERE the ball goes.
IMHO
Bunk
 
You only THINK you're using modern by weighing. We've been over this before. You set the powder measure by weight using a scale.
Have you ever considered that some people who only shoot muzzleloaders, or that don't reload for cartridge guns,,,,, don't even own a powder scale?! Maybe they only have one of the adjustable volume measures sold as a black powder accessory? Maybe they developed their load using this and then made a dedicated individual measure or charger for that load based on the volume of the adjustable measure?

Of course, this could never really work and they would be all wrong wouldn't they.... 🙄
 
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