black powder comparison

[7-30 Waters]

I recently just started shooting real black powder in my 54 caliber 1:66 twist barrel. A friend provided me with a pound of GOEX 2F powder.

My question is this:

Does Swiss Powder offer any advantages over the other brands of black powder?

Thanks,

[wgr]

some like it others dont. i shoot goex most time. i dont see any advantage and it cost alot more

[DIRT Farmer]

It depends. What do you shoot, how much do you shoot and so on. In my shotguns cheaper is better, all of the boxes have two pounds in them and for a bigger shoot I take several more cans. In the .40 off hand rifle Swiss shines, but I shot one of the best groups I have ever shot in my Gibbs with Goex (including modern bench)
The answer is to load it up and find the answer, which I find is the fun of the game.

[7-30 Waters]

I have a source for Swiss & Schutzen black powder. Two hours driving is definitely cheaper than paying Hazmat shipping charges.

I guess some shooting tests are in order.

GOEX vs Swiss vs Schutzen black powder. What fun I will have.

Thanks,

[wgr]

I have a source for Swiss & Schutzen black powder. Two hours driving is definitely cheaper than paying Hazmat shipping charges.

I guess some shooting tests are in order.

GOEX vs Swiss vs Schutzen black powder. What fun I will have.

Thanks,

i have know way of knowing how your rifle will do. but my 54 i can shoot goex and switch to schutzen with the same charge and cant see a differance

[John Boy]

Does Swiss Powder offer any advantages over the other brands of black powder?

Yes, but the 2010 lot of KIK offers more advantages over Swiss.
The density is excellent - the sieve ratios are exact with hardly any fines - the foul is moist and I have been able to shoot a 50 shot string of 38-55's with no degradation in accuracy and only took 4 patches to clean the bore

If you want to delve deeper into the details, read the KIK threads on Schuetzen Powder LLC ... http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/forum....php?board=4.0

[HARRYMPOPE]

i shot Schutzen FF and GOEX FF today @ 70g in a TC 54(1-48) and at 50 yard accuracy was identical(3 shot groups 1" or so) and neither seemed to foul very much.i shot 9 shots with each and didn't wipe the bore once.I'm not a BP guru and keep it simple but both outshot Pyrodex RS. I use .015 ticking patch/saliva lube and .530 ball and CCI#11 cap.I thought about trying Swiss but its $25 compared to $16 for the other two.

[357maximum]

My .50 Underhammer actually prefers Wano Shuetzen over Goex or Swiss by a margin of 1/4 inch @ 100 yards. Seeing as how the steel gongs nor the deer are ever going to notice that 1/4inch I have purchased Goex the last couple of times that I actually bought BP. GOEX =real BP and MADE IN U.S.A

[10 ga]

I think the Swiss shoots a bit "hotter" for measure in my PRB rifles. The ball drop out past 50 yd is less with the swiss than others. This indicates a bit more velocity. No chrono so just a guess. 10 ga

[Boz330]

I shoot Swiss in my cartridge guns but can't tell the difference in my MLs. The Swiss is about 10% heavier per volume measure and gives about that much more speed. An advantage in a cartridge gun but in the ML just add more powder if it is a problem.
The next time I need powder I'm going to give the Kik a try, it is about half the price.

Bob

[451 Pete]

In my mind the biggest advantage of Swiss over other powders is that it seems to leave less residue or fouling in the bore. This is more so important for small cal. BP rifles ( such as .32 or .36 ) and rifles using paper patched bullets. If this is not a consideration then the less expensive powders, I would think, should do fine.

Just my thoughts ... Pete

[Hanshi]

I am cheap and go for the less expensive powders. Goex has been a fine performer for me with no complaints. Swill is much too costly for my taste so Goex or anything that costs less is what I use. Also I prefer an American product.

[Maven]

"Does Swiss Powder offer any advantages over the other brands of black powder?"

On the American Longrifle forum, there are many who are wildly enthusiastic about the Swiss powders. I have a friend who uses it in competition as well. Judging from the comments I've read and heard, you'd think it's the best thing since sliced bread. Apparently this much is true about it: It is faster than other brands. E.g., FFg Goex or Graf's = 1.5Fg Swiss. It also burns much cleaner than other powders. Lastly, it is easily the most expensive commonly available brand. Whether it produces better accuracy because of faster flintlock ignition may arguably be true*. Whether it is worth almost 2x the price of Goex, Graf's (Wano), or Diamondback, is something the shooter/consumer has to decide.


*Hardcore experimental designs + sound statistical analyses of the various BP brands re accuracy seem to be sadly lacking. Nevertheless, Larry Pletcher and Mad Monk have done admirable work on burn rates and powder composition, etc.

[451whitworth]

I find Swiss burns cleaner and gives much more velocity than Goex. it keeps getting more expensive though. i picked some up last Dec. from Graf's in Mexico, MO and it was $21.95 a pound. a week ago i was on their website and it was $24.95 a pound while Goex or Shuetzen was $14.95. I mainly use Goex because it's cheaper and 99% of my muzzleloading is informal target shooting and practice. i do buy a few pounds of 1.5Fg and 2Fg Swiss for use in my hunting rifles. i like the extra velocity and less fouling when hunting. my .72 Kodiak regulates better with Swiss.

[Southron Sanders]

I use Swiss in my pistols for competition. Schutzen in my muskets and carbines for competiton.

I would like to latch on to some of the new KIK for comparison purposes. Five years ago I tried some KIK but was not impressed. I understand the new KIK is a heck of a lot better.

[Boz330]

It is getting a lot of rave reviews from the cartridge guys.

Bob

[7-30 Waters]

I find Swiss burns cleaner and gives much more velocity than Goex. it keeps getting more expensive though. i picked some up last Dec. from Graf's in Mexico, MO and it was $21.95 a pound. a week ago i was on their website and it was $24.95 a pound while Goex or Shuetzen was $14.95. I mainly use Goex because it's cheaper and 99% of my muzzleloading is informal target shooting and practice. i do buy a few pounds of 1.5Fg and 2Fg Swiss for use in my hunting rifles. i like the extra velocity and less fouling when hunting. my .72 Kodiak regulates better with Swiss.

When you say more velocity, have you chronographed Swiss?

[Redleaf]

I do a lot of black powder shooting. Patched roundball mostly but also cartridge and some slug gun. It always strikes me very odd how few competitors and just casual shooters and hunters who use black powder guns almost never compare powders for accuracy. Give these same folks a 30-06 and they'll load up six different powders first thing and set in to testing to find the most accurate powder for that particular gun. The same thing works with black powders. If you test Swiss, Goex, KIK, and any other black powders in FFFg, FFg, in one gun with one patch/ball combination, you will find one load that shoots better than all the others. So, for target shooters or anyone interested in accuracy, its a test that is well worth the effort. When I get a new gun or barrel, I first try all the balls and patches that I have for that barrel, and once I have established the best one or two patch/ball combinations, then I will set in to trying different powders and charge amounts just like I would for a .243. I'll caution everyone though, be careful, you might learn something. But it wont hurt. Much.

[indian joe]

If I lived in the US I would buy GoEx and hope it is as good now as it was 25 years ago - I have some of the old stuff left and it is way better than Wano - at least 100FPS quicker for the same weight charge in a 44/40 - accuracy and fouling at least as good or better too - rumour has it Swiss is better again but $$$$$$$$double price here! -----you guys may be getting a better grade of Wano than we see?

[rfd]

for my muzzleloaders (3f) and bpcr guns (1-1/2f) i find that swiss burns cleaner, less residue, loads denser, has more "kick" ... worth the added $5 or so per pound.