Video - The Palmetto Black Powder Tester in Action

[arcticap]

I remember when Dixie Gun Works was selling this Palmetto black powder tester but don't remember ever seeing one in action before.
It would also seem to make a good black powder blank gun.
The last result with Swiss OB must be what we call Swiss Null B.
That's reputed to be floor sweepings, the leftover BP dust from making all of the other granulations.
The video lasts 1:50


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe1DJKESAHc

[Buzzard II]

Neat! Thank you! Does anyone still sell these testers?

[rancher1913]

it appears dixie gun works still sells them, 185 bucks

[arcticap]

it appears dixie gun works still sells them, 185 bucks

Yes they do! Thanks! --->>> https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/product/product_id/8501/category_id/321/product_name/PH0541+POWDER+TESTER

Having one of these would help to show whether some home made powders are as good as some claim.

[curator]

A well done video. However the producer neglected to get a "base-line" percussion cap only reading. I was shown how to use an epruvette to test black powder more than 65 years ago. Old-time hardware stores that sold black powder usually had one available for customers in the back country of northern Ontario. One could test the difference between the various grades of Curtis & Harvey and DuPont powders. The first thing one must do is fire only a percussion cap to determine its strength. Then the powder samples are fired. If one has to change brands or even tins of caps, a new cap only reading is needed. The strength of the cap only is deducted from the reading of the powder charge. My mentor explained that a flintlock epruvette did not need a cap only baseline since the flash pan provided no propulsive effect unlike the percussion cap.