My homemade black powder

[MarkS]

Thanks to Atom73 for starting this thread. I just stumbled upon it and now I need a BP Rifle so I’ll have something to use the end product after trying this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pwc]

I read that during the Civil War there were caves around these parts that provided not only a good hiding place but a key ingredient. Bat poop. So if a bunch of half starved rebels did it that way it ought to be taught in school or something. I'd love to know how just to say that I really know how.

Get the book "Foxfire 5"; it is part of a series of books from the 70's - 80's on preserving early american life in Apalachia, "affairs of just plain living". Page 252 of gunmaking tells how to get saltpeter from cave bat poop. Also shows how to set up a forge, make a flintlock / caplock rifle, how they were rifled...all with hand tools. Foxfire series is the most interisting read until WEB Griffen came along. Bettern' Clancy's series'

[Markopolo]

PWC, the improvised munitions manual has lots of ways to get saltpeter... pm me if you need a copy...

[LAGS]

Bat Guano is still used today in the Air Bag Systems in cars.
I have several friends that have worked for local Air Bag Manufactures.
The Propellant is called Goonie.
There are lots of old Bat caves here in southern Arizona.
And during the 1800's it was a good source for fertilizer and probably Saltpeter.

[Vettepilot]

I would like to see those plans.

Vettepilot

[Froogal]

If and when I find a local source for salt peter and sulphur, I may pursue making black powder.

[pwc]

PWC, the improvised munitions manual has lots of ways to get saltpeter... pm me if you need a copy...

My post was in reply to how it was originally done during the civil war. I get it now commercially, but send the link....always willing tp learn new way of foing old stuff.

[Fly]

Best book ever on making of black powder during the civil war was Never want for powder. It may still be available from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Want-Po.../dp/1570036578
Fly

[pwc]

PWC, the improvised munitions manual has lots of ways to get saltpeter... pm me if you need a copy...

Thanks....got it!

[Fly]

I think it is great some here want to make or process KNO-3. But remember what you come up with can be subpar to what you buy.
But anyway keep us posted on how it goes for that kind of stuff fascinates me. I,m just to lazy (wink).

Fly

[pwc]

I first discovered this thread around post #2053, and spent 3 long evenings reading from #1 thru 2053. I copied and pasted the essential elements of the components (make or buy), how to make-mix-screen/puck-grind-test and use homemade black and all the user comments for comparison.

This site is the gold standard for DYI black powder. I see it referenced on other forums and I see others that seem to be scared to death of making home made black notroglycerin just waiting for a "boom".

For newbies I recommend going back to the early posts from Fly. It will soon become apparent who the others are with good experience and help.

There's a lot of dangerous info about homemade black on the net.

[LAGS]

The KNO-3 may be Subpar to the stuff you can buy.
But the knowledge you will gain from researching how to make your own, or even trying to make your own will be Priceless.
Some say our Homemade BP stuff is Sub Par.
But Who really cares.
We have Banked the Knowledge that we can make it ourselves, and be proficient.

[Vettepilot]

I think this fantastic thread ought to be made subpart "A" to the Second Amendment of the Constitution!

Vettepilot

[Fly]

I do not find our powder subpar if made right for shots out to 100 yards. Bob has tested it be on 100 yard to Swizz & said be on 100 yards
Swiss is more accurate. I almost never shoot be on that. Many deer have been taken with home made.

Fly

[LAGS]

Subpar depends on what you set your standard for being Par.
But no matter what you make, If it Meets "Your" Needs, it is far better than having Nothing at all.
But like I said.
Any Knowledge Banked away, is in no way any kind of failure , even if it does not come up to the standards of others.

[Fly]

Spot on Lags. I have a Gibbs long range target muzzle loader. Those rifles can be shot a 1000 yards or more. Many of those that compete
in those matches I,m told use Swiss powder. Bob can tell you much more about that than me, for he shoots some in those comp,s. But he hunts
with home made.

Fly

[Vettepilot]

Why would our homemade powder, if it's well done, not be accurate at long ranges? If you are getting nearly equivalent power density to commercial powder, relatively clean burning, and low standard deviation in your velocities, then why would accuracy be any less, at any shootable range?

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

Well, I ask because it's not the first time that I have heard or read; " Homemade BP is good to a hundred yards or so, but for long range you have to go with commercial BP."

If your powder is well made and graded, I just don't "get" that....

I can see it in the civil war: "Uh oh, that enemy soldier is at about 175 yards, hand me the store bought powder Sam."

;>)

Vettepilot

[Fly]

I would think it would be grain conicity? 1000 yards is world class shooting. I have never shot my Gibbs over 200 yards & I did use swiss.
This rifle can shoot better than I ever could. But really over a 100 yards is a long way where I live with all the trees & such. You guys in
AZ, NM, West Texas not so much. I,m going by what Bob has said & he pretty reliable on such matters. Maybe sooner or latter he will see
this thread & comment.
Fly

[Boz330]

I do not find our powder subpar if made right for shots out to 100 yards. Bob has tested it be on 100 yard to Swizz & said be on 100 yards
Swiss is more accurate. I almost never shoot be on that. Many deer have been taken with home made.

Fly

I'm comparing MY HM to store bought. Some of you guys are probably going to more pains and if you are getting good results, great.
I have shot my powder out to 500yd in my Gibbs and 300yd in my BPCR on Pig silhouettes and hit 12 out of 20 which I thought was pretty good but I'm usually in the upper teens with Old Eynsford. I don't have the time or inclination to make enough powder for my competitive shooting. But I have fun hunting with that powder and it shoots minute of deer or squirrel with the trade gun.
At 500yd on the Creedmoor target, my vertical stringing was bad enough to miss the target high and low. This may have been because of velocity variations since that is much more critical at the longer distances. It might also be because of the large volume of powder in order to get the weight equivalent, 115gr volume to get 95gr by weight. Bullet seating compression on that much powder would cause problems as well as consistent powder burns. The fire from the cap has to make several changes in direction before it gets to the patent breach and lights the fire. While at closer distances this isn't a problem, it compounds exponentially the farther out you go.
Also consistency from batch to batch is an issue, from pressure making pucks, and time under pressure to differences in making the initial charcoal. Length of time charring, temperature, moisture content of the wood, etc. These variables are tough to control in a backyard powder making process like mine.
I'm not bad mouthing home made against commercial I'm just saying that for my purposes home made fills my needs for hunting and anything within 100yd. Here is a group I worked up for deer hunting a couple years ago. The reason for the duplex load was so I would have time after work to practice without spending all of my time cleaning or blow tubing, not shooting. I would have no problem pushing that load out past 100yd if I had a shot I felt comfortable with.

Bob