Real Black Powder

[Woody Morgan]

As mentioned the Goex 2f powder will be the first actual black I have shot. 60 grains by volume is a good target load to start with for .50 cal?

I was shooting 60 grains of 2f behind a 250 REAL and backed off to 50 yesterday for some range guests. Guess what? Stilll plenty of smoke and flame drama and the bullet went exactly where the gun was pointed at 50 yards. A "square load" I believe it's called. .50 caliber, 50 grains of powder. Think I'll leave the measure there and save a little powder.

wm

 

[mooman76]

As mentioned the Goex 2f powder will be the first actual black I have shot. 60 grains by volume is a good target load to start with for .50 cal?

I start at 50 for a 50 but 60 is good too. Just personal preference.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Perfect, thanks. I will start with 50 gn.

 

[Okie Hog]

For many years beginning in in September; i would get a couple dozen neglected muzzleloader rifles to restore for deer season. About half were trashed using black powder and about half trashed from using Pyrodex. There was virtually no difference in the extent of damage done by either powder. Black powder and Pyrodex residue were equally damaging to the bores.

Some muzzleloader owners became testy when i could not restore the accuracy of their guns. So i quit messing with their neglected muzzleloaders.

Personally, i have one use for black powder; busting cedar stumps.

 

[hanshi]

I've never tried any subs in a rifle but did give it a workout in a c&b pistol. A friend had given me three cans of Pyrodex and I chose to test it. It performed so poorly in the revolvers I ended up pouring it out in the back yard. I experienced no corrosion only poor accuracy, very wide velocity variations between shots and was not impressed. I started off with BP over 60 years ago and never needed to change.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Shoot a lot and you might change your mind. Aside from the fact that our competition rules only allow real black powder, my experience with Pyrodex in 40+ years of muzzleloading/black powder convinces me that the real deal is best hands down. All the guns I've seen ruined by corrosion were nearly all shot with Pyrodex, supposedly cleaned and oiled and put away only to corrode quietly in the safe. Never saw that happen anywhere nearly as bad with black. My brother ruined the bore of his 58 Remington like that. He went as far as to clean with boiling water, scrub, let it cool, wiped it down with alcohol to get rid of any excess moisture, oiled it and ran a grease patch down the barrel before putting it away for several years. Now the barrel is a sewer.

I go through upwards of 40lbs of Goex Old Eynsford per year and if real black weren't available, I'd either make it or quit muzzleloading. For those using Hazmat fees as an excuse, get with some like minded individuals and pool your order. Find a local reenactor group and pool with them. There are ways to amortize that fee out to where it's less than $1/lb. There's really no excuse to whine about hazmat if you get creative. If and when I order powder and caps, it's going to be 15+lbs and 3k caps and I'll pool with one of our team to increase the overall totals, all that for one hazmat fee.

Respectfully disagree. Have a 1993 new englander that I have shot for 26 years. The barrel and lands and grooves are still fresh and it still shoots well. I used nothing more than soap and water with a good oiling. I f some want to remain faithful to old black by the way which I use also, so be it.....

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Respectfully disagree. Have a 1993 new englander that I have shot for 26 years. The barrel and lands and grooves are still fresh and it still shoots well. I used nothing more than soap and water with a good oiling. I f some want to remain faithful to old black by the way which I use also, so be it....

I am not going to to get into a contest of preferences.
Use what you want to use.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Focus should be on for newcomers to maintain what you have like your life depends on it.

 

[mooman76]

I've been using Pyrodex for close to 40 years. Never a problem that I can blame on Pyrodex. I have a dozen guns that have all shot it. I just don't understand the problems people are talking about. I am using the real stuff now that I have it and will continue to but I have no problem switching back if need be.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I gave Pyrodex a bad rap but once I cleaned it boiling water it cleaned up fine. Cold water not so much.
It shoots fine for me but I prefer Triple 7. Will shoot real black for the first time in a couple of weeks when I get some. Good to have options.

 

[Dillon W.]

Focus should be on for newcomers to maintain what you have like your life depends on it.

+10

I can’t reliably get black. I can get mounds of pyrodex. My GPR puts round balls into 1-1/2” groups at 50 yards consistently. I haven’t had rust/corrosion problems. After two years of owning the rifle since it was new the bore is still pristine. I think I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing... opinions are like... well, never mind

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Gentlemen, Respectfully to All. I have burned both in my mentioned New Englander for many years. Each session over the years have been met with a through cleaning followed by oiling with motor oil. It has wear and dents and dings through use..no doubt. If I were to white patch the barrel it would come out brown from the oil color. I would load it and shoot it and it would still be for the most part right on target. My cleaning practices for the most part have been hot tap water and a patch and brush with dawn dish detergent. I have stuffed my rounds both lubed patches and conicals with no lube what so ever. weather two shots on a hunt..or a day at the range. At the end of the day it was cleaned hospital room clean. If I were to put it up for sale with photos there is no doubt in my mind it would sell right away. I would not sell it though....I have great Nephews waiting on it when I am done here. I have left them with what knowledge I have have to keep it going for a very long time. As I will do the same with my other Flinters. Its about what we hand down to others,trials and tribulations,personal experience, is what will carry them through their days should they choose to follow. Respectfully submitted.....

 

[Dashing Leper]

Been using T7 in cap locks. Satisfied but I do clean properly. The flinters - that is a different story. Black powder all the way. I did think of trying black in the pan and T7 in the bore but why fool around with what works?

Triple Seven will not ignite readily from the flash of a side-firer and it's suggested you use a 5-grain charge of black powder in the chamber to set off any T7 charge you load into a side-firing caplock or flintlock longarm.

And that advice isn't hearsay-- it's printed on the side of my can of Triple Seven!

 

[rp77469]

Thread reminded me I have a can of Golden powder in the shop somewhere. Bought it on a whim (that means filthy cheap) when our local Gander Mountain store was closing along with a couple pounds of other substitutes. I normally only shoot the holy black. Might have to see if I can find it again.

 

[jfaldo]

I can’t reliably get black.

I don't understand this comment Pretty simply you send Powder Inc. money and they send you powder. Up to 50lbs. if you want. Stored correctly it never goes bad. Hazmat and shipping are included in the cost.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

You can get real bp from powderinc.com in bulk of at least five pounds, and they are shipping, albeit behind right now. You pay one hazmat fee, and they are fully licensed. BP is much more corrosive than Pyrodex, and only stinks half as bad, not unpleasantly so. If you clean your guns with soapy water, dry them completely and oil right away, you won't have any long term problems caused by the corrosive effects. But go back and check them just in case, in and around the lock especially. BP keeps forever, even in sheds and garages with humidity. So the investment is worthwhile.

I find your statement that, "BP is much more corrosive than Pyrodex," interesting because my experience with both products shows the exact opposite.

 

[Throwdown58]

I find your statement that, "BP is much more corrosive than Pyrodex," interesting because my experience with both products shows the exact opposite.

You must not clean your guns for a while. Short term pyrodex is fine for a day. BP is not. Long term they will both destroy it, but BP is just less forgiving for missed small spots inside the action as well.

 

[William Lincoln]

Both products require cleaning. For unknown reasons, I believe that black powders
vary some in corrosiveness, depending upon the manufacturer, grade and particle size used.
Also, as to how you swab out the bore in the field or range. The truth is that steel is tough
and resilient. But, just like failing to change oil in a car, failing to clean your barrel
promptly results in a diminished usable life span of the steel. Pyrodex is every bit as corrosive
as black powder, if not a little more so. We as humans like to take the easy way out, so think
ahead. Shoot fewer guns and you wind up cleaning fewer guns. Use two step cleaning.
When coming back home do a quick clean to remove residue and fouling and soak with
ballistol or preferred cleaning mix. Then come back within 24 to 48 hours and finish with
a deep clean after being rested. If you make it an Ordeal you will try to avoid it and end
up with bad results. Know yourself and know human nature-- you are human. Over many
years of shooting, all kinds of guns except cannon, my bores are nice and serviceable.
I have never lost a gun due to negligent failure to clean the gun.

 

[Justin.44]

Know yourself and know human nature-- you are human

Viewing the "who's online" list, it looks like not all of us are human...

 

[dave951]

You must not clean your guns for a while. Short term pyrodex is fine for a day. BP is not. Long term they will both destroy it, but BP is just less forgiving for missed small spots inside the action as well.

I shoot quite a bit of real BP in competition and have shot some Pyrodex when it first came out and from my experience, your statement is completely backwards. BP is easier to clean, less corrosive, and is a much more consistent product.