ordering black powder

[KinkBreaker]

ive ran out of the goex that was given to me
there are no stores around me that i know of to purchase black powder. where do you guys order from and why that store, also info about brands if you know

[ktw]

http://www.powderinc.com/

Better price than you can find retail, shipped to your door.

I've only ever purchased GOEX and 90+% of my shooting is FFFg.

-ktw

[John Allen]

http://mainepowderhouse.com usually has a pretty good price on it.

[Randy C]

http://www.goexpowder.com/distributors.html

Factory contact list) Nice folks I bought a case of cartridge grade I don’t know what there minimum order is. I sent them a check.Coonie's Explosives & Black Powder, Inc.
512 East Lea, Box 2062
Hobbs, NM 88240
800-713-6321, 575-393-0166,
Fax: 575-393-6060
E-mail: cooniesblkpdr@aol.com

[Don McDowell]

ive ran out of the goex that was given to me
there are no stores around me that i know of to purchase black powder. where do you guys order from and why that store, also info about brands if you know

The already mentioned link to Powder Inc is the one I use the most.
Grafs also does a good bit of mailorder blackpowder, and they carry Goex, Shuetzen and Swiss, and they also sell repackaged Shuetzen with their own label.
The best part of both those outfits you can order in as small as 5 lb lots, which can come in handy if you're wanting to try a variety of powders and not wanting to buy a case of something that really sucks...

[Tatume]

Here's where I get my powder. These folks are very nice and easy to deal with. Leave a voice message, they will call you back, usually in a few minutes.

http://www.blackpowderva.com/

[oldracer]

I buy mine from Coonies in wonderful Hobbs New Mexico. They are great folks and do give out those "I love explosives" bumper stickers! You have to buy a case (25x1 pound cans) at a time which works out great for me.

[KinkBreaker]

thank yall for the help

[bob208]

try a serche on line for a goex distrubtor. there is one nere me i can buy balk 25 lb kegs. i reuse my old cans.

[Baja_Traveler]

http://addictedtoblackpowder.com/2.html

Here's another good source to add to the list - not a Goex dealer though, but beats everyone else on Swiss.

[Skirmisher]

Ditto on what Tatume says. Jackie at Back Creek probably sells more BP and caps than any other dealer. Practically every skirmisher in the N-SSA buys from him and he's a long time shooter. The shop is on his farm and he's generally out with his cattle, fixing fence or on the range with his mortar. Check his prices and you'll be a customer also.

[Chill Wills]

I agree that John V at Black Creek is a great guy. He used to help run the the NRA BPCR Creedmoor Nationals under George Harris every summer at Raton's Whittington Center range in New Mexico. John was always on top of things and a problem solver. Good guy.
Michael Rix

[RMulhern]

There's a program on computers called GOOGLE! Damn nigh amazing what one can find on this program for instance if this were typed in:

SALES OF BLACK POWDER

https://www.google.com/search?q=SALES+OF+BLACK+POWDER%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[KinkBreaker]

There's a program on computers called GOOGLE! Damn nigh amazing what one can find on this program for instance if this were typed in:

SALES OF BLACK POWDER

https://www.google.com/search?q=SALES+OF+BLACK+POWDER%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
i just checked out your link, almost all of the places everyone else told me about were on there

[KinkBreaker]

are there big differences in the brands or are they largely the same thing with a different label? i keep seeing that swiss will produce higher velocities, do they just state their granulations differently?

[Boz330]

are there big differences in the brands or are they largely the same thing with a different label? i keep seeing that swiss will produce higher velocities, do they just state their granulations differently?

Yes there are differences and sometimes big differences. Swiss does give more energy. For me Swiss has been easier to develop loads with BUT, it is pricey. It also burns cleaner than some of the other powders. I have had some good luck with Kik as well at a much better price. I'm not sure what lot to lot differences will make. With Swiss the lot to lot difference seems to be very little. I stocked up on Swiss when it was $15 a pound, but that is close to coming to an end.

Bob

[cal50]

are there big differences in the brands or are they largely the same thing with a different label? i keep seeing that swiss will produce higher velocities, do they just state their granulations differently?

The heart of any BP is the charcoal used to make it. This can vary lot to lot from the same manufacturer to big differences between brands. How it performs depends on the application & loading practice used.

[John Boy]

The heart of any BP is the charcoal used to make it. This can vary lot to lot from the same manufacturer to big differences between brands.Yes, the charcoal is the 'engine' of black powder. Swiss and KIK use the best wood for their charcoal - Alder Buckthorn. Schuetzen uses subcontracted straight Alder. Goex uses subcontracted yellow Maple and Diamondback uses bamboo.

For the Alder to be quality, the branches must be cut in late winter when the root sap is rising up to the branches. In the case of Swiss, they buy the branches from gypsies in Slovenia and then in house remove the bark and batch rick it for 3 years to dry. The wood is then put in the retort and for Sporting powder, is heated to 300 to 320 degrees Centigrade for 8 hours which gives a fixed carbon content of about 65% (the ideal percentage) in the finished charcoal

I have compared KIK and Swiss charcoal as part of the foul that I dried in the oven. I'm impressed with the small micron size of KIK charcoal and the lesser amount of it unburned in the foul. It is comparable to the same test observation for Swiss.

IMO, the 2010 shipment of KIK is one of the best powders on the market for velocity and foul control.
Here's what the bore of my 38-55 looked like after a 50 round KIK consecutive shot string with no patching or blow tubing and accurate POI... one water wet and 3 dry cotton balls

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgway%20May%202011/DSC00399.jpg

[cal50]

If you want to really read up on charcoal's....

http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/charcoal_tests.html


Or if you want to "cook" your own....

http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/charcoal.html

[drhall762]

I purchase mine from Graf and Son. They carry GOEX, Swiss and a house brand. Competative prices and very easy to deal with.

[M-Tecs]

I concur with John Boy about the 2010 KIK. It is now my go to powder.

[Mike Brooks]

Ditto on KIK. It's what I use when I want to hit something. Swiss is just as good, but expensive. I have all kinds of Goex, Schuetzen, Elephant that I use for revolvers and shotguns.

[Texantothecore]

It appears that Swiss and Kik are smaller grain sizes than Goex. Although there is a lot of disagreement as to the actual screen sizes it appears that:

Goex grain size ffg: 12-24
Swiss grain size ffg: 16-30
Kik grain size ffg: I have not read anything on it but from the performance that is described on the board I suspect that is about the same as Swiss.

[Don McDowell]

I get the exact same velocity with 2f KIK as Goex 2f express, and KIK 1.5 f corresponds very well to Goex Cartridge.

[KinkBreaker]

holy **** this is the perfect kind of info,even including the technical stuff. thank you guys

i suppose i will try to order the kik in FF for the 45/70 would anybody say no way thats a terrible idea

[KinkBreaker]

i just got censored i think i cant write different words for poopy

[Baja_Traveler]

When I ran out of Swiss this past fall, I went in with a shooting buddy on a case of KIK for BPCR. The KIK is fluffier than the Swiss, and takes up a bit more capacity in the cartridge, but seems to shoot just as well. My 45-70 shoots exactly the same with either, so I think KIK can't be beat for the price. Lots of guys at the range are making the switch. Nobody shoots Goex at our shoots any more (other than the occasional shooter using up old stock from when it used to be good).

[cajun shooter]

Kinkbreaker, The best powder for the dollar that is being sold at this time is the KIK that bears lot 3910 and I purchased mine from Powder Inc.
Just remember that the prices you see on the Powder Inc site are including the Hazmat fee. The other sites have to add it on after your purchase.
Seeing that you are new to our forum, we don't use any words that are not rated "G" for family viewing. If you use a little change to make it better it will still have you in the wrong. Keep all the adult language in your mind and outta print and you will be fine.

[KinkBreaker]

yeah i was looking at kik and getting it from powderinc, looks like it is probably the best value for the dollar right now. just waiting on a few more dollars

yeah what i had written there was pretty g rated i thought. maybe the forum machine just thought a four letter word preceded by holy was just gets auto *ed, i was laughing about it anyways

[MikeS]

Another option to get black powder is Bass Pro Shops. If you have a store near you they probably carry it. You won't see it out on display, you have to ask for it at the gun counter. If all you want is a couple of pounds, even tho they're more expensive than most of the places already mentioned in this thread, they don't have a minimum order, and there's no hazmat fee. It's the hazmat fee that's the deal breaker unless you're ordering large quantities at a time.

[cajun shooter]

Mike S, If you just purchase 5 pounds and it is $10 a pound then the HZM will only make it another $5 and change per can. Bass Pro in our area is unreal with all of the prices they have. They sell lead shot for $63 a bag and you may buy it for $39 in the same area.

[Don McDowell]

It doesn't matter where you buy your powder,you will be paying some portion of the hazmat fee. The difference is that when you buy across the counter (which is a good thing to do if that option is available) you don't see the hazmat fee. When you order from one of the mail order houses you do see the 27.50 total ( which will buy you what 7 maybe 8 gallons of gas to drive across town to buy that single pound of powder not to mention your time...) and so the more powder you order the less per pound that hazmat actually cost you.

[KinkBreaker]

the bass pro is about 1.5 hours from me. i just assumed they dont carry it, there is some law in south carolina that requires that black powder for retail sales be stores in some kind of out building i think. at least thats what ive been told at the local gunshops

[41wyom]

Just checked the 10-pound shipment of KIK that I received a week ago from Powder Inc. Half of the containers are lot # 3910 and the rest are 4411. Next time I will need to ask them to send me all the same lot #. Kind of thought they would know to do that and maybe it ain't no big deal. Handloaders can sometimes get a little anal over not so big a deal things....


Tom

[TXGunNut]

I got started w/ Swiss but I like the price & performance of KIK and the customer service the good folks @ Powder Inc provided. Heard good things about Powder Valley as well, just haven't tried them myself.

[cal50]

the bass pro is about 1.5 hours from me. i just assumed they dont carry it, there is some law in south carolina that requires that black powder for retail sales be stores in some kind of out building i think. at least thats what ive been told at the local gunshops

Bass proshop & Gander mountain type stores are retail or retail +in some cases and always a last resort for supplies.

BP is classified as an explosive and to sell or deal with you need a license or permit from the BATFE. Along with it you likely need a magazine or approved storage for the powder. These are a couple reasons why some shops avoid selling BP. This is separate from any individual state requirements or structure insurance coverage.

We had one shop that use to be VERY cheap for powder because they had their own trucks make the run to transport it but they are no longer in business.
It's far cheaper for me to order a case when needed.
It rarely goes down in cost so order what you can afford & store. Elephant brand use to be $3.50 a lb. Now I am happy to get Goex for under $8 a lb.