Black Powder Lot Variation

[Bent Ramrod]

In my lurking days on the Blackpowder Cartridge section of the old Shooters' site, there used to be a lot of discussion about the ballistic and accuracy differences in a given years' production of Goex, Elephant and Swiss powders. Some people would send in detailed reports on how they had to change their loadings once they ran out of the 1999 production lot and had to switch to 2000, and so forth.

The changes they had to make in their loads were often considerable. There were instances where they would advise a newbie who had just bought his first pound of powder that he was wasting his time developing loads with it, because when it was gone, he would have to start his development over again if the store was out of that lot.

There were some who claimed they had to buy 25 lb of powder at a time and shoot 10 lbs of it just to dial in the right loading recipe. They would then husband the remaining 15 lbs through as many matches as they could. When it finally ran out, they would get on the site and query whether the current year's production of whatever powder they fancied was any good. If the reports were favorable, they would buy another 25 pounds and go through the drill again. If not, they would send out inquiries and try to track down the remaining stocks of whatever vintage year they were set up with. Often while denouncing whatever they were forced to use in the meantime as barely adequate for firecrackers and blowing stumps.

Have the manufacturers reached a stage where the year-to-year production is pretty reproducible? I don't hear much about this extreme variability anymore. When I bought my Pedersoli Sharps, the seller included two cans of Swiss produced in 2002, claiming that that was an expecially choice year. When I ran out of the two cans, I ordered 10 lb of whatever current lot of Swiss that Powder Inc was offering and can't see any particular difference with the same loading, either on the target or the sight settings. Of course, I'm far from an expert shot, so I guess this is a question for the experts of years of experience. What say ye?

Thanks in advance.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I always used GOEX or its predecessors all the way back to C & H and never looked back. I skirmish and shoot BPCR for the hunt, and a bit of C & B pistol and small bore caplock rifle for pleasure.

Buying cases or half cases of the same brand caused any thoughts of elephant cr*p or Swiss chocolate to disappear. Working up a load in any of the above guns was relatively easy.

That "used half a case" is a sign of a great lack of understanding, as is chasing lots, although lots do vary. If you know your technique and accuracy level, deviations are easily corrected when you transition to the next case.


Certainly you understand the mystique connected with "vintage" wine. So it is with exotic powder. $$$$$$$$$$. Forsee your needs, buy the same lot, and keep going. BvT

[missionary5155]

Good morning
There are those fellers still about and they win matches I do not bother to enter.
What I do not understand is why they buy just 25 pounds ? They can buy 100 pounds and find the storage room. But then as some have told me " What do you know' "...
In my shooting I can see minor variables.. but I work around them. My loads do not vary that much... certainly not 5 grains. My rebarreled ( Bauske) Roller 45-70 1-18 twist churns out completely satisfying shots. I can hit bowling pins at 100 yards off cross sticks (well 2 years ago) and smack the 200 and 300 yard gong routinely ( again 2 years ago) at the DRPC range. So I do not see that much variation in 2F. But then I do not shoot 10 pounds looking for that perfect load this year only to turn around and do it again next year. That just does not make much sence. Buy more powder of that lot up front ..
Mike God Bless you.

[Boz330]

I just changed lots a couple months ago and nothing changed. Same sight settings and group size. I think that the velocity range of a given boolit is probably more important and of course the extreme spread.

Bob

[BPCR Bill]

I find lot to lot variation to not be an issue. Different manufacturers vary of course. A given volume of different manufacture (i.e. Swiss vs Goex 2F) will weigh differently when put to the scale. I concern myself more with boolit weight (+/- 2grains) and loading practice for a particular powder. Even the often denounced Elephant powder can shoot very well. And I still have a case of that. Believe me, anyone can make any powder shoot bad, even Swiss. My Swiss loads shoot best with a Large Pistol primer, even in my big 45-110 Sharps. So much for the theory that you need a Large Rifle Magnum primer for a large volume of BP.

Regards,
Bill