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Thread: Here is the write-up "My homemade black powder"

  1. #21
    Boolit Master omgb's Avatar
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    Interesting but I can't believe I can cook in my kitchen using my basic controls, anything near as good as Swiss 1.5. So, I'll file this away as interesting but not practical.
    R J Talley
    Teacher/James Madison Fellow

  2. #22
    Boolit Master
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    Wow
    I gotta hand it to you,that is awesome,here in Australia,we pay over $40-$50 per pound for the black stuff.
    I'd love to do it,but I'd probably blow myself up and probably would not be able to obtain the sulphur.
    Cheers

    no34570

    "I'll tell you what rule we applied sir,We applied rule 3-0-3, We caught them and we shot them, under rule 3-0-3." :Lt Harry " Breaker" Morant at his court martial in January 1902.

  3. #23
    Boolit Buddy blueeyephil's Avatar
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    Where I live the confederates made powder on the bluffs by the White and Buffalo rivers. There are lots of caves where they got the saltpeter. And of course there are black willows all along the gravel bars. They used huge cast iron kettles at least 3 feet across. The Union army would raid the powder works and roll the kettles off of the bluffs and break them. I've seen a couple of them with pieces broken out of them. I may just have to try making me some. We've got lots of Willows along the creek. I've been wanting to make some charcoal anyway.

    I think they made the saltpeter out of bat guano from the caves. Does anyone know if that is correct? I know there are several caves around that are called Saltpeter cave.

    As far as the alcohol, I'm sure they made their own from corn.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master omgb's Avatar
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    Some times they used guano, other times they had women collect their urine and spread it over stable manure. The KNO3 precipitates out as a white fuzz on the straw.
    R J Talley
    Teacher/James Madison Fellow

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
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    Excellent post, great pics. Thank you very much for the information

  6. #26
    Boolit Master
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    Atom73,

    Very well done!!!

    Thank you allowing us to see your process!

    Three 44s

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    KNO3 can be purchased at home improvement stores as "tree stump remover". Not sure what grade it is but I've been told its 99%. Its used as fish-safe fertilizer for aquatic gardening, among other things off-label.

    I'd also bet the activated carbon granules available in pet stores for aquarium filters would be the most excellent charcoal you're likely to find.

    ETA: Oh, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned this already... DON'T THROW AWAY THE OLD WATER! It does in fact still contain just less then the saturation level of KNO3. It can be reused over & over to conserve the KNO3. Alternatively, the water can be left out on a tray to evaporate & 100% of the remaining KNO3 can then be recovered in dry form. However, IMO, KNO3 is currently cheap enough to not be worth the hassle.
    Last edited by Oreo; 07-27-2011 at 05:01 PM.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master XWrench3's Avatar
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    How would one make cartridge grade BP?
    you will have to excuse my ignorance, but i have never seen black powder labeled as "cartridge grade". 1-4fg, but not cartridge. is there such a thing, and what is the difference?

    also, atom73, THANKS for sharing your process. i have been thinking about just this project. but i think you need to recalculate your expenses. in my neck of the woods, just the bottle of alcohol is $1.97. and you need to add shipping costs into the cost of chemicals as well. i am very certain that the net cost is still way cheaper than buying real B.P. the last pound i bought was $25.00, and i spent close to $10.00 in gas trying to find it.
    Silver and Gold are for rich men. Lead and Brass is MY silver and gold! And when push comes to shove, one of my silver and gold pieces will be more valuable than a big pile of actual silver and gold.

  9. #29
    Boolit Bub
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    I have been making BP for about 11 months now. I use a little different method but I get a very good end result. As far as cartridge grade, I use mine in my 45-70 Rolling Block. 65gr under a 500gr cast boolit gets me a bit over 1100fps. Very consistent velocities shot to shot. Like any other BP, compress the hell out of it. I've also used it in my .44 cap/ball and was getting around 830fps out of that. Great tutorial though. I've though about doing the same.

    Tom
    "I love sleep, my life tends to fall apart when I'm awake you know." Ernest Hemingway

  10. #30
    In Remembrance

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    Don't confuse Tree Stump Remover with Root Killer.

    Root killer is a different chemical.

    I did a post on the subject of electroplating copper:
    http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbu...-Lead-Bullets?

    You need saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate, it's chemical name is KNO3) for the GP.
    This is the product to look for at the hardware stores:


    Here's the MSDS for the stump remover:
    http://www.spectracide.com/~/media/S...S_DEC0308.ashx

    Here in the states, you can get it at all of the big box stores, including Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot.


    Quote Originally Posted by Oreo View Post
    KNO3 can be purchased at home improvement stores as "tree stump remover". Not sure what grade it is but I've been told its 99%. Its used as fish-safe fertilizer for aquatic gardening, among other things off-label.

    I'd also bet the activated carbon granules available in pet stores for aquarium filters would be the most excellent charcoal you're likely to find.

    ETA: Oh, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned this already... DON'T THROW AWAY THE OLD WATER! It does in fact still contain just less then the saturation level of KNO3. It can be reused over & over to conserve the KNO3. Alternatively, the water can be left out on a tray to evaporate & 100% of the remaining KNO3 can then be recovered in dry form. However, IMO, KNO3 is currently cheap enough to not be worth the hassle.
    Last edited by DukeInFlorida; 08-22-2011 at 07:16 AM.


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  11. #31
    Boolit Master

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    I have found that some stump removers have a yellow color I am not sure what it is but it ruins the powders burning rate. I do not use the powder I make in firearms but have mixed it with powdered Habinero peppers to stop animals from digging under out buildings. The smoke is set off in their hole then fill in they tend not to dig it back out again.
    Last edited by firefly1957; 08-25-2011 at 09:37 AM. Reason: spelling
    When I think back on all the **** I learned in high school it's a wonder I can think at all ! And then my lack of education hasn't hurt me none I can read the writing on the wall.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master
    Suo Gan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by no34570 View Post
    Wow
    I gotta hand it to you,that is awesome,here in Australia,we pay over $40-$50 per pound for the black stuff.
    I'd love to do it,but I'd probably blow myself up and probably would not be able to obtain the sulphur.
    It is a common soil amendment, check out a fertilizer dealer or ask a farmer. We can buy it by the truck load here.
    Lotta people die in bed: Dangerous place to be!

  13. #33
    Boolit Master
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    HI,
    I enjoined your post. Thank you.
    How to posts like these may become very valuable in the future.

  14. #34
    Boolit Master bearcove's Avatar
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    I made a list of sources from the thread.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=131827

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
    ghh3rd's Avatar
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    Saltpeter

    My dad was in the military in the '40s and said that they used to mix it with the salt to keep a certain part of their anatomy from being able to salute

    He said that in the mess hall he often heard someone saying "please pass the salt, Peter..."
    Plata o plomo?
    Plomo, por favor!

  16. #36
    Boolit Bub
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    Amazing, really enjoyed this.

  17. #37
    Boolit Bub

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    Outstanding

    Great read! Thanks for taking the time to put this out there for us all to enjoy.

  18. #38
    Boolit Mold
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    The subject of which charcoal is best for gunpowder is something that was researched heavily in the 19th Cent. Work done at the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey, Essex concluded that the charcoal from the following plants was the best for making ballistic gunpowder (as distinct from blasting powder):

    Williow - Salix Alba
    Alder - Alnus Glutinosa
    Black Dogwood - Rhamnus Frangula - considered the best!

    Cordwood not less than 1" and not more than 4" was used. The bark was removed and the material checked for cleanliness. It was cut in the spring so as to ease the removal of the bark, and then stacked to dry under cover.

    The bundles of cordwood were then loaded into metal cylinders which fitted into retorts where the wood was heated to convert it into charcoal at around 500F for about 3 hours. The hot coals were then dumped into sealed canisters where they stayed for about 6 hours until cool.

    Charcoal is not the same a graphite. The fiberous wood structure is transformed into a honeycomb like carbon lattice with an extremely large surface area. Even when ground down, charcoal retains this lrge surface area. The carbon structure is molecules thick in most places. This is what makes activated charcoal such a good adsorber of gas.

    Wood charcoal also retains a significant quantity of tar and pitch which is what get removed when you "activate" it with steam. Removing the tar reduces the flammability of the charcoal, so activated charcoal is not a good substitute for powder making..

    British powder making did not use alchohol. A "green charge" of saltpeter, charcoal and sulpher was placed in a cast iron edge runner mill and dampened with plain water (2-3%). The charge was milled for 3 hours for cannon powder or 5 hours for rifle powder.

    After this the charge was put in a hydraulic press between copper plates to increase the density. The resultant cake was broken up by spiked bronze rollers and seived to separate out different grades. The grains were then tumbled in heated drums to glaze them. Occasionally graphite was added at this stage.

    The powder was then dried in a stove to reduce the moisture to below 1%.

    If you are ever visiting the UK, Waltham Abbey is worth a visit. It is north east of London in Essex.

    I happen to live in a village which had the last working, dedicated powder mill in UK. It closed in 1952. With gunpowder now retailing at over £40.00 a kg, I wish it was still running!

  19. #39
    Boolit Master

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    I recently read that cherry wood is commonly used now as it is consistent and available.
    When I think back on all the **** I learned in high school it's a wonder I can think at all ! And then my lack of education hasn't hurt me none I can read the writing on the wall.

  20. #40
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    nice "Kodachrome" quote. very true! Rick

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check