I know this should not be pyro related but a question on BP

[Merlin]

Is the BP we make for shells (except for granulation size) any different than BP used for BP guns? I have several and thought it might be fun to use my own BP now the fourth is over. I sure someone on this forum can offer an informed comment. Thanks

[MrB]

In theory... no. People use commercial GP if they have it accessible and cant be bothered to make their own.

In reality... Yes, some. nothing that should be critically game changing. Manufacturers are more concerned with making a reliably, always same performing BP rather then the best performing stuff.

Also, now days they sell "Black powder replacement powder" which is less smoke producing, has no sulfur content and generally is both easier to clean out, and less aggressive on the metals in the gun then regular BP is.

 

If your going to play around with the home-made stuff... Be careful, start with a small load, and work up, good BP from your own pyro supplies might very well be hotter then the pre-fab stuff. Don't want you to end up with gun-shrapnel in face and hands...

B!

[dagabu]

Nope, same stuff they were using around 30 years ago but like MrB says, most everyone hunting (that I know of) with BP uses the commercial pellets etc.

[Merlin]

Thanks. I dont hunt at all but do own and reload a wide range of guns from handguns to centerfire rifles and shotguns. I have a number of synthetic bp replacements like triple seven, pyrodex and so on and they are much easier to clean up. I would likely (just for the heck of it) start off with 50 grain minimum and not exceed 90 grains by volume of home made BP as the gun is rated to 150 grains FFG. I am not going to use it on a regular basis because actually I dont shoot BP guns much anymore at all- just kinda historic and nostalgic. 50 grains of my BP cannot be anywhere near 150 grains goex so I figure should be safe. I am of course going to continue my 1st priority- shell development until I get it right. My 3 inchers will and must out perform the commercial 1.75 shells however clever the chinese may be.

Thanks

Edited July 9, 2014 by Merlin

[Poindexter]

Well, it's about the same stuff.

 

I started out trying to make my own BP for my own firearms and ended up joining here because the pyrotechnicians like I find here are much more safety conscious the typical homemade BP shooter - in general - no offense to anyone.

 

I am into my project about $1000. I have made, I up to letter P, so 16 batches, 21? 16 batches, 125 grams each. In 1873 a factory new .45 Colt could be expected to toss a 250 grain bullet at 800-950 fps muzzle velocity, out of a 7.5 inch barrel. Best I have done with my home made out of a 5" barrel was 605 ft/ sec, the average for that string of six shots was closer to 575.

 

I have a long way to go.

 

Making consistent BP as a pyrotechnician is relatively straight forward once the process is dialed in. Lots of wiggle room in pyrotechnics to shovel a little more mix into the bottom of the mortar to get the height you want. The volume inside a 45Colt case with a bullet in one end and a primer in the other is the same no matter which powder you are loading.

 

Not so much in shooters BP. You are going up against Kik and Goex and so forth, each of them has their process and materials dialed in to be competitive with each other with every pound they put their name on. I have a road trip coming up and plan to bring home a pound of every brand of FFg I can get my hands on to see how they do out of my old 45.

 

In a muzzle loader you may use lighter than published loads, the risk being not enough energy to push the bullet back out of the barrel. In brass cartridge reloading a short or under capacity BP load is asking for trouble, please don't try the latter.

 

The behavior is a little bit different too. Same ingredients, but notice in firearms the bullet makes a firm gas tight seal against the inside of the barrel. In pyrotechnic devices the golfball or shell will often rattle a bit as it is lowered into the "barrel".

 

If you don't have a chronograph your best bet would be to set up a target at 25 yards or so (maybe a lot closer), make sure your sights are still zeroed on the bull with whatever commercial powder you like, and then see how much lower the bullet powered by your home made hits.

 

If you aren't pressing pucks and corning grains back out of them you might ought to bring the target into ten yards and prepare for feet of drop. Seriously.

 

best wishes, stay safe.

[Merlin]

I made BP using alcohol and red gum. The granulation is courser than FFg. However, I fired 100 grains of pyrodex with a 300 grain sabot round at twenty yards using iron sights then

I the loaded 100 grains (volume) of my BP under exactly the same conditions. There was no difference. The bullets struck within less than a inch apart. Felt recoil the same. I am sure on a shot to shot string my BP wouldn't group as tight as the pyrodex because of my grain size. I am confident that if I granulated another run of BP to FFg grain size it would be every bit as good as

Goex. The gun was a inline muzzle loader 50 caliber. I never had any success with any type of BP or synthetic in a cartridge gun. On another note I have got lift and burst powder for 3 inch shells now without a booster- just BP. I made the cut rubber stars as discussed on Skylighter and they work great- very bright. I used Strontium so I dont know how barium or copper will work in the same formula but the red is really bright. I have my fusing and pasting down and cant wait until New Years to have an excuse to shoot them!

[Poindexter]

Happy for you Merlin. I suspect my problem is my charcoal.