Using Black Powder . . . Lots of ?'s

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Howdy!

I have a Replica Remington Army Cap & Ball Revolver:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s220/ShawnTVT/Guns/Rem44006.jpg

I have had it about 20 years, but still have maybe 15 - 20 RB left from the original box of Hornady I bought back then, I have since gotten a mold, and want to use it more . . . I recently bought another pound of Pyrodex for it too, but . . . I have a friend who is getting a gun and we are talking of buying some Black Powder in bulk. I'm intrigued by using the "real" stuff!

Here is the thing . . . he is buying a Flintlock 20 gauge fowling gun with a 41" (or is it 43") barrel on it. He has put a deposit on it, and should have it in a few months . . .

From the little bit of reading I have done . . . he would need ffg in the bore, and ffffg in the flash pan . . . and I would use fffg in my C&B, Right?

The thing is I was looking at Powder Inc, and it seems that we need to buy in 5 can increments . . . somewhere I read that you need one pound ffffg to 19 pounds ffg, does that sound right?

About how much powder is he gonna use per shot in that 20 gauge? Is five pounds alot? (I know that five pounds of fffg will last awhile in my C&B!) Could he use a pound of my fffg in the flash pan instead of the ffffg? Or could I use either ffg or ffffg in my C&B?

I know that there are other places to buy powder, and sell in smaller quanities but the price is a bit higher . . . and I don't really want to pay two haz-mat fees!

Does anybody know of a place that sells both black powder & smokeless, as I could use some more of that too!

[bob208]

yes he can prime with 3f with no problem. i do it with my 1803 h-f rifle.

as far as the amount to buy get as much as you can b-p does not go bad. or you could just shoot more get more guns.

[mooman76]

Yes 3f will work in the flashpan or maybe he can find a local place to buy a can of 4f. A can of 4f will last him a long time.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Great! Thanks a bunch! Could he use fffg in the bore too?

Or could I use ffg in my C&B?

Stay Warm!

[Marvin S]

Yea just cut it back a bit, say 60 to 65gr 3F for a 3/4 to 7/8 ounce of shot or a patched ball.

[Odinbreaker]

I use app in my revolvers cleans up a lot easier than black or pyrodex and you get more shots before cleaning.

[Lead Fred]

Howdy!

somewhere I read that you need one pound ffffg to 19 pounds ffg, does that sound right?



I use my flintlock almost month, 20-30 shots. in the last 10 years Ive bought two cans of 4f for the pan. It does last a good long time.

Ive tired 3f in the pan and 2f in the barrel, they do work, but not as good as that I normally use.

[Hanshi]

I use 3f for everything except 4f for most priming. I sometimes use 3f for prime which is just as good. Pistols need 3f with their short barrels. Fowlers can use 3f or 2f. Under no circumstances put 4f down a bore or in a cylinder!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

I read the sticky on "Mythbusters" here on the Muzzleloading area, and there is a link in the first post to a guy using a camera to record the ignition, in one of those (video A) he used ffg in the flash pan, it seemed to have a lot of "flying, burning powder" to me.

Now here is my hypothetical question:
If you were standing in a field of dead dry grass up to your knees, and your "trophy" __________ (insert species here) walked out 50 yards away and stopped broadside to you, and you had fffg in the flash pan . . . would shoot? Would you be worried about catching the field on fire? Does the flying powder go that far?

I have never shot or even seen a flintlock fired, so I'm just wondering, (My friend may already know all this, but we did not talk about it) how mush of a catching the field/woods on fire is a flintlock?

Out here in SE AZ we have a lot of grass, but it is only green about two months, and it gets VERY dry out here . . .

[waksupi]

No more danger with a flinter, than a cap lock. The ejecta from the muzzle is where more fire originates. The culprit is a usually a smoldering patch ,and I know of no instance of a fire starting from the powder itself. When it is very dry here, I do not shoot at home, and we some times cancel shoots because of the fire danger. If we see someone on the range, who consistently has smoldering patches after he fires, we tell him to change his lube, and get rid of the problem.


I read the sticky on "Mythbusters" here on the Muzzleloading area, and there is a link in the first post to a guy using a camera to record the ignition, in one of those (video A) he used ffg in the flash pan, it seemed to have a lot of "flying, burning powder" to me.

Now here is my hypothetical question:
If you were standing in a field of dead dry grass up to your knees, and your "trophy" __________ (insert species here) walked out 50 yards away and stopped broadside to you, and you had fffg in the flash pan . . . would shoot? Would you be worried about catching the field on fire? Does the flying powder go that far?

I have never shot or even seen a flintlock fired, so I'm just wondering, (My friend may already know all this, but we did not talk about it) how mush of a catching the field/woods on fire is a flintlock?

Out here in SE AZ we have a lot of grass, but it is only green about two months, and it gets VERY dry out here . . .

[mooman76]

I kind of thought that too but have limited flintlock experience. It's my idea that even though it shoots out sparks and a flame the powder should be burned before it hits the ground. It seems like every year a fire is started somewhere out here and shooters are to blame but I have never seen a fire started by shooting. I'm not going to say it isn't possible but it is highly unlikely and would be only from special sercomstances. I think it more likely by someone doing something else why shooting like carelessly tossing a cigarette butt or some other stupid act. I hate to say it but I've seen some shooters do some awful stupid stuff while they are out.

[John Taylor]

I was surprised to find that my ROA shot better with 2F. All the books and everyone I talked to about it said that 3F is what to use in a pistol. As for flinters, 4F seems to work best in the pan but I have seen 3F and 2F used. The amounts used, 180-210 grains for 6 shot in the pistol, 60 grains ( approximately ) in the shotgun and 3-4 grains in the pan. That's about 2,000 shots with a pound of 4F.
Most important, have fun.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Most important, have fun.

Oh Yeah! I enjoy my C&B . . . I use about 30gr Eqv of Pyrodex now, but don't remember to bring it with me, or I'm short on time with another project . . . But I do enjoy it!

I'm thinking, but not making decisions yet, about a rabbit & rare coyote gun . . . thinking of a 22 Hornet or a small caliber (.40ish) black powder, not sure if I'd go with cap or flint . . .

Good to know that the Black powder doesn't hurt it any to sit around as long as it is dry!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

No more danger with a flinter, than a cap lock. The ejecta from the muzzle is where more fire originates. The culprit is a usually a smoldering patch ,and I know of no instance of a fire starting from the powder itself. When it is very dry here, I do not shoot at home, and we some times cancel shoots because of the fire danger. If we see someone on the range, who consistently has smoldering patches after he fires, we tell him to change his lube, and get rid of the problem.

OK, in the video, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=45597 it just seemed to go on & on, but it was 5000 frames per second too! Using the ffffg in the pan seemed more contained in the video, but he even mentioned seeing the unburned flakes of ffg, flying which then caught on fire . . . I learned alot!

I have poked around youtube and did see some flintlocks being fired, doesn't seem really that bad . . .

Graf's seems to have both black & smokeless in one pound containers . . .

[Lead Fred]

I have never shot or even seen a flintlock fired, so I'm just wondering, (My friend may already know all this, but we did not talk about it) how mush of a catching the field/woods on fire is a flintlock?


Id say you have a better chance with an ATV muffler (not spark arrested) The flash in the pan is self contained, and doesnt go very far.

Being your from AZ, you should check out a few Rondys in your area. They are all over the palce in the spring and summer.

http://www.cwgrizz.com/swroo1.html

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Yea just cut it back a bit, say 60 to 65gr 3F for a 3/4 to 7/8 ounce of shot or a patched ball.

So could I use ffg in my cap and ball? and would I use a touch more?

[Hanshi]

If fire conditions are bad enough to be gunfire risky, the season would be temporarily closed in that particular area. I've never heard of a fire started (hunting/woods/fields) by shooting. Other things, smoking, vehicles, campfires, etc, are what cause wild fires.

4f is best for priming though I've used 3f on occasion with no complaints. I don't like to stock several grades of powder so use 3f for all my guns. 2f can work fine in revolvers though velocities will be lower.

You can't do better than a .40 for small game, varmints & such. Plus, if legal, the .40 will take deer cleanly at the closer woods ranges. Go Flint and you'll never look back!

[runnin lead]

When you order powder you dont have to get it all the same , you can get some of it
in 2,3 &4f such as 2# of FF ,2# of FFF & 1# of FFFF

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

When you order powder you dont have to get it all the same , you can get some of it
in 2,3 &4f such as 2# of FF ,2# of FFF & 1# of FFFF

Oh . . . didn't know that, I'll have to give them (Powder inc) a call . . . I assumed that it was in 5 pound increments . . .

Here in AZ they only qualify a "muzzle loader" as a front stuffer with one projectile! So buckshot don't fly! Well . . . . you know what I mean!

If I get a muzzle loader I'm fairly sure it will be a rock lock!