GAHUNTER60
40 Cal
As I wrote in my post on this subject, I'm getting low on true black powder, and have started experimenting with duplex loads (small amount of real black under a heavier charge of Triple 7, BP substitute) as a means of stretching my remaining BP supplies.
Last week I tried loads using 10 grains of Schuetzen 3f under 80 grains of 777 in my Kibler Colonial flintlock. My priming powder was, as always, Goex 4f. It actually shot pretty well, and I had no misfires, however ignition was noticeably slower than loads with real black. Thinking that maybe 10 grains of true black might not be enough, I said I would return to the range this week and try 15 grains of the 3f under the fake stuff. That is just what I did yesterday.
The results were, well..... inconsistent! I wasted the first five shots chasing zero, because someone (who shall remain nameless), when trying to fine tune my windage by a couple of inches, beat the front blade the wrong direction).
When I finally got it back to close (not perfect) zero, I had shot half my pre-measured loads. Then I shot this five-shot group at 80 yards:
The high flyer in the group was caused by what I would classify as a true hang-fire, as it seemed that I had time to smoke a cigarette and drink a cup of coffee between pulling the trigger and going boom! The other four shots varied in ignition time -- from almost instantaneous, to a very annoying delay!
So, I conclude that duplex loads are a way to stretch my existing powder supplies; that accuracy is on par with true black powder; That ignition is definitely slower than true black; that 15 grains of 3f did nothing to increase ignition time over using 10 grains; and that I wish-to-heck that the folks who bought Goex would hurry up and get their product on the market!!!!
Last week I tried loads using 10 grains of Schuetzen 3f under 80 grains of 777 in my Kibler Colonial flintlock. My priming powder was, as always, Goex 4f. It actually shot pretty well, and I had no misfires, however ignition was noticeably slower than loads with real black. Thinking that maybe 10 grains of true black might not be enough, I said I would return to the range this week and try 15 grains of the 3f under the fake stuff. That is just what I did yesterday.
The results were, well..... inconsistent! I wasted the first five shots chasing zero, because someone (who shall remain nameless), when trying to fine tune my windage by a couple of inches, beat the front blade the wrong direction).
When I finally got it back to close (not perfect) zero, I had shot half my pre-measured loads. Then I shot this five-shot group at 80 yards:
The high flyer in the group was caused by what I would classify as a true hang-fire, as it seemed that I had time to smoke a cigarette and drink a cup of coffee between pulling the trigger and going boom! The other four shots varied in ignition time -- from almost instantaneous, to a very annoying delay!
So, I conclude that duplex loads are a way to stretch my existing powder supplies; that accuracy is on par with true black powder; That ignition is definitely slower than true black; that 15 grains of 3f did nothing to increase ignition time over using 10 grains; and that I wish-to-heck that the folks who bought Goex would hurry up and get their product on the market!!!!
