Anyone has experience with KNO3 + Aluminum powder [homemade Blackpowder substitute]?

[Tracy]

Who cares about Skylighter anyway. Here's five lbs of the exact same aluminum powder as the best Skylighter carries, for about the same shipped price as one lb from Skylighter. http://amzn.to/2aY0KBX

[cal50]

This is a flash powder used for pyrotechnics. I think it would be far too dangerous to use as a propellant. It's several times more powerful than BP and the temperature of the burning aluminum would most likely damage the firearm if it didn't just blow it up.

I don't think I'd even try mixing it in a ball mill.

Flash powder uses Potassium Perchlorate as the oxidizer, NOT KNO3 or Potassium Nitrate.
BIG difference and the type of powdered aluminum used also makes a world of difference in burn rates.

Flash powder can me made very tame , like a photo flash or flash pot using a spheroidal aluminum powder. Flash powder used in salutes is a fine micron flake powder. Flake powder has more exposed surface area and burns faster than a powder grain line a sphere.

Making ANY quantity of flash powder requires a federal manufactures permit for explosives and a approved storage magazine, etc.

Stick with traditional BP with 10% sulfur using a willow or light wood charcoal pressed to the same commercial density and you will have excellent performance.

[Tracy]

Making ANY quantity of flash powder requires a federal manufactures permit for explosives and a approved storage magazine, etc.

Only if sold, transported, stored or used for commercial purposes. That requirement doesn't apply if mixed and used right away for personal uses. BATFE says so explicitly right on their website, and cites the law to back it up.

[Ianagos]

I see a lot of misinformation on chemicals.
Ditch the aluminum and do 80% kno3 20%charcoal (high quality made of something like willow) and ball mill it. I think you'll have more problems than it's worth with the aluminum and it's reasonably safe but maybe not with chemicals in primers.