My homemade black powder

[perotter]

What is the name of the Tenny Davis book? Sounds like one reference I need to have and read.

The title of the book is "The Chemistry of Powder & Explosives". He was a prof at MIT. Wrote the book in 1941 at the request of the US gov to help with the war effort.

FWIW, the guys with Phd's(North American ones) in this topic believe that maple is the wood to use for BP. The reason being that the pore size from tree to tree is more uniform & uniform chem make up. The one's from Japan say use charcoal from coconut hulls(rare in Minnesota & Wisconsin).

[waksupi]

Well, I was going by what he said in his 1st post it "performed really well" when he used it in his gun. Since he is a muzzleloader shooter I assumed that "really well" would mean something more than it just went BANG. And fly-I''ll play-what does CIA stand for? I know you're dying to tell me. Shoot Straight T-Bird

When previously asked, accuracy had not been determined, and I seem to recall a bit of a snit that the question would be asked.

[Fly]

Thats funny you brought up maple.Some of the best charcoal of my testing is Silver Mable.
During the civil war the north used willow & the south used cotton wood.I think it was more,
do to avaliblity at the time.
Fly

[atom73]

My definition of "working well was four shots giving a 2 inch group at 50 yards. I have not chrono'ed it yet, I was using 230 gr 45 cal saboted in a .50 Black Diamond by TC. The recoil was less than with pyrodex but it felt crisp/sharp, not slow at all.
mike

[Charlie Sometimes]

I think that is why I picked the apple wood to try. I read something somewhere about it, and I remember something about sugar maple, too. I also remember something about coconut hulls, too. Probably another thread about this topic.

So many trees, and so little time!

[atom73]

No snit meant about the performance question to anyone. The only issue I have is when someone tries to tell me I am making it wrong. I know folks do things differently here, I originally posted the project hoping others would get excited about a throwing our own lead with our own powder. I have since learned a bunch about bp and even look forward to ball milling my own someday (for now I will stick to the wet method until I get a mill). The process I originally described isn't the only way or the best way but it is a way that works. By 'works' I mean, a good group at 50 yards with a saboted .45. When I vs chrono it I will, that will be the true scientific test. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this little corner of knowledge. No offense meant to anyone (Waksupi).

[atom73]

should we start to call the guys that ball mill "ballers" and the wet process "wetters" when we talk about how we make our bp

[Charlie Sometimes]

should we start to call the guys that ball mill "ballers" and the wet process "wetters" when we talk about how we make our bp

Now that is FUNNY right there, I don't care who you are!

When you chrongraph, be sure to include as many factory powder loads as you can. I'd love to see grain for grain load and velocity comparisons!
If you need samples, I have some Elephant 2Fg, and some Goex 3Fg that I could send you small amounts to include in the test.

[waksupi]

No snit meant about the performance question to anyone. The only issue I have is when someone tries to tell me I am making it wrong. I know folks do things differently here, I originally posted the project hoping others would get excited about a throwing our own lead with our own powder. I have since learned a bunch about bp and even look forward to ball milling my own someday (for now I will stick to the wet method until I get a mill). The process I originally described isn't the only way or the best way but it is a way that works. By 'works' I mean, a good group at 50 yards with a saboted .45. When I vs chrono it I will, that will be the true scientific test. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this little corner of knowledge. No offense meant to anyone (Waksupi).

None taken, I just am interested in having all the facts and figures possible available, so people can make good consistent powder.

[Fly]

The only issue I have is when someone tries to tell me I am making it wrong.

Atom I certainly hope you did not take what I said as saying you were doing it wrong.If
you go back & read my post, I said I have never made it that way & can't comment on
that.

I did say most people make it with ballmill grinding as do the manufactors.I also ask
T-bird to try yours & post back the results.

I'm glad you posted making it that way, for it's another way to skin the cat.I never quit trying
new charcoal & so on in the "quest for the best" back powder.

All I can say is mind has out performed Goex & that is what I set out to do.
If you would like to PM me please do for two heads are better than one.

Fly

[T-Bird]

Well, I'm going to try it. I have everything but the sulfur(I don't think that will be a problem).Life has intruded again on my project . It might not be for a week or 2, but when I make it, if it burns vigorously in the yard, we're going to the range. Y'all will hear either way. Shoot Straight, T-Bird

[nanuk]

ingredients are the real issue up here

seems the Gov't has listed everything they could think of on a restricted list as it can all be used in Meth production or something

I went looking for KN02 and was told by most that the Gov't sent letters around telling them not to sell it, return to wholesaler for refund.

and most just look at you funny when you ask about sulpher

[montana_charlie]

I think I am going to try to locate a coffee grinder to grind my charcoal, or a used bullet chopper or similar appliance to make it like flour, I hope.

I have no expertise on this subject, but...

My wife uses a kitchen appliance to make very fine flour from wheat kernels, or any other grain. It may be somewhat pricey for your intended use, but it's rugged and strong...and turns two cups of grain into flour in less than a minute.

It's called the Vita-Mix.

CM

[Skipper]

ingredients are the real issue up here

seems the Gov't has listed everything they could think of on a restricted list as it can all be used in Meth production or something

I went looking for KN02 and was told by most that the Gov't sent letters around telling them not to sell it, return to wholesaler for refund.

and most just look at you funny when you ask about sulpher

You can buy it here hassle free:


http://www.seattlepotterysupply.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=sps_ecat&Produ ct_Code=72345&Category_Code=

[Fly]

Kno3, also called salt peter is used as fetilizer for tomatos.It it legal in the USA or I would
never started making it.I can list you places to buy it & sulfur if you would like.

The ONLY reason I started making it was most gun stores quit handling it for insurance
reasons in case of a fire.

So I make my own for less than $2 a lb.
Fly

[perotter]

Most garden supply stores have sulfur.

There is KNO3 listed for sale on the Canadian Ebay. If you can't get KNO3 in Canada, you can make it from most "instant cold packs" & Lite Salt or lye(potassium hydroxide).

The cold packs that you want are the ones that list ammonium nitrate on them or list nothing. The ones that use urea in them won't work with the above method. Again these are available on the Canadian Ebay. Many garden supply store have calcium and/or sodium nitrate. These can be converted to KNO3.

[perotter]

FWIW. If ordering for Seattle Pottery Supply, one may want to also buy some potassium carbonate. Then making yellow priming powder for a flintlock can be done. Yellow priming powder is what guys were switching to when percussion cap came out.

I don't have flintlock so I've never tried it. But I might make some for educational reasons.

[T-Bird]

I meant to ask, is it safe to store this black powder in smokeless canisters? They are plastic, but surely non-sparking (is that a term?). T-Bird

[Fly]

T-Bird plastic is fine.Static is not setting it off & I,m not going there again with anyone.

Fly

[wills]

Try skylighter for your chemicals.