Homemade BP in CR

[Boz330]

I have been messing with making my on BP for several months now for deer hunting. I have shot a number of groups with it in cartridge rifles as well as MLs. While this group isn't competition quality it is sure minute of deer quality.
For reference the orange dot is 3" across and there are 17 rounds in the group. I'm not sure where the 2 low shots came from since I never would have called anything that low. The group did rise as the barrel heated up. This group was 3F and I tried some 2F right before this and while it was minute of deer as well it wasn't quite this good. In the past the 2F gave the best groups. There were 2 different primers though between the 2F and 3F, although I wouldn't have thought that would make that big a difference at 100yds.
The boolits are yawing somewhat as they are going through but it doesn't seem to hurt the group much. The twist might be a little fast for this boolit.

Bob

[Boz330]

Bill, that was shot in a 40-65 C-Sharps highwall.
Some of the previous loads that I have chronoed were running around 1200 give or take a little bit. Recoil and some Swiss loads felt the same and shot into the same group. My Swiss competition loads run around 1275. The clean up took a couple more patches than the Swiss but wasn't all that hateful to deal with.
The big difference is the density of the powder. A case full weighs 51gr and then I'm compressing that .470. A case full of Swiss would run around 75gr, my comp. load is 65gr. I intend to eventually try it at 300yds in a match. It is really fun to play with, and of course it is nice to know I can make my own if need be and expect reasonable results.

Bob

[TXGunNut]

Looks like you've got it figured out, been at it long?

[Boz330]

A couple months.

Bob

[texasmac]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/RealTexasMac/MakingmyownBlackPowder.jpg

:grin::twisted:

[Boz330]

Thank you for the concern, but I am an adult and aware of the dangers involved and willing to take my chances. The reason that I want to make my own powder is the same thing that led me to working on my own vehicles, building my house and repairing my farm equipment. I want to be self sufficient and I don't have a money tree in my back yard.:bigsmyl2:

Bob

[texasmac]

Hi Bob,

It wasn't my intentions to try to influence you to stop making BP. I just wanted to inject a little humor into the conversations and thread. Now, if you were making up a batch next door to me, I would be concerned. But, based on your comments, you live on a farm, so "go for it". I'm all for being self-sufficient as I do all my electronic, mechanical, gunsmithing and other repairs myself, including a few things I'd rather not tell my neighbors about.

Wayne

[TXGunNut]

If Bob were making a batch next door I'd like to be sitting on a stool in the corner watching quietly, if he didn't mind. Shooting, reloading and casting is serious business. Making BP is a natural progression for some folks. I suspect it's actually a lost art and most of the "technology" has been lost for all but a very few craftsmen.
With my luck I'll die in a crash on the way to work or have a stroke or heart attack, not doing something interesting like making homemade BP. ;)

[Boz330]

Wayne, no offense taken but this has been beaten to death on several occasions. At this point my batches are pretty small (approximately 4oz). There are more people than you would think making BP for fireworks. A few common sense precautions makes it no worse than the handling of store bought BP.
I haven't read the forums but apparently BP is getting so hard to get a hold of in NZ that the LRML competitors are being forced to make their own in order to support their interest. Maybe Jeff could comment on this.
There has already been an attempt a couple years ago to regulate commercial BP out of existence and it is getting harder and harder to get through normal channels. In the 70s when I started shooting MLs there were several places to get BP locally. There is one place now 50 miles away that might still handle it. I buy enough at one time to make it worth while to drive up to Deer Creek Products in IN to get it. His prices beat any of the on line vendors not counting the hazmat fees.
My powder isn't good enough, YET, to use for competition, but I think that you have to admit it is sure good enough for hunting the wiley whitetail. Plus the price is less that $5 a pound, and I enjoy doing it. To me it is a natural extension of making my own Boolits.:cbpour:

Bob

[texasmac]

Bob,

I even considered trying my hand at making a batch of BP at one time for similar reasons that you mentioned. At the time I researched the subject and bought a couple of books. One you may be aware of is titled Black Powder Manufacturing, Testing & Optimizing by Ian von Maltitz, which is now available to download as a PDF file (http://www.freepyroinfo.com/Pyrotechnic/Black_Powder/Black_Powder_Manufacturing,_Testing_and_Optimising _by_Ian_Von_Maltitz.pdf). 4oz is a small batch. Are you keeping it that small for safety reasons?

Wayne

[texasmac]

Bill,

I just clicked on the link in my post and it worked fine. Another option is to find the link by doing a Google search for "Black Powder Manufacturing, Testing & Optimizing by Ian von Maltitz". Look for the link labeled [PDF].

Wayne

[Boz330]

Bob,

I even considered trying my hand at making a batch of BP at one time for similar reasons that you mentioned. At the time I researched the subject and bought a couple of books. One you may be aware of is titled Black Powder Manufacturing, Testing & Optimizing by Ian von Maltitz, which is now available to download as a PDF file (http://www.freepyroinfo.com/Pyrotechnic/Black_Powder/Black_Powder_Manufacturing,_Testing_and_Optimising _by_Ian_Von_Maltitz.pdf). 4oz is a small batch. Are you keeping it that small for safety reasons?

Wayne

The ball mill that I have does that amount comfortably. It won't quite do a double batch so I just combine several batches and then corn it. There is a thread on the ML section that goes into several methods but I didn't have the results that I was looking for in the non corned powder. It doesn't seem to have the same energy. For me there is no rush at this point so the smaller batches aren't an imposition. After I get this refined some I''m going to get a Thumblers Tumbler to mill in.
I have seen links and mention of the above book but haven't read it. Change that to reading it.

Bob

[Boz330]

of my homemade BP in a 40-65. Not the best deer that I have taken but acceptable.

Bob

[waksupi]

Nice!

[bigted]

of my homemade BP in a 40-65. Not the best deer that I have taken but acceptable.

Bob

definitely not something to apologize for...meat on the table...[ and grand meat at that ] and all from a cartridge...[i assume anyway ] that you have done for in every respect lacking maybe only the case and primer.

this is the coolest sir...hats off n all that!!!

[RMulhern]

Not this schitt again!!

[Boz330]

Not this schitt again!!

Not sure what your point is Rick. It is black powder, albeit homemade, being shot out of a cartridge rifle in an original 1800s cartridge. I double checked the header and this is the BPCR forum. I'm sure not the first to post about hunts with a BPCR.

Bob

[TRX]

There are more people than you would think making BP for fireworks.

There are several fairly busy forums dedicated to the subject. Though there are other propellants, BP is still popular.

My first boolit casting experience was casting several hundred .54 caliber round balls for my ball mill...

Once I finish my two BP guns (No.4 Enfield in .45-70, Mossberg 12ga with brass cases and non-saboted grease groove bullets) I'll be doing a lot of powder testing. Hopefully I can get the .720-caliber bullet mold for the Mossberg done in the next couple of weeks.

I have some notes on what I want to test - different types of wood for the charcoal, different oxidizers, sulfur/no sulfur, charred straw instead of wood, etc. If nothing else, it'll provide ample justification for getting a chronograph.