GOEX vs. Grafs real BP

[taco650]

Was checking the Grafs website recently for real BP. The price of Grafs BP is pretty attractive compared to GOEX & Swiss. Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with the Grafs they'd be willing to share? I'd like to get some opinions before plunking down my hard earned $$$.

Thanks,

Stuart

[waksupi]

Same as Schutzen. I'm on my 4th case, so must like it.

[rodwha]

I’ve heard people feel it’s better than standard Goex. It’s not an energetic powder like Swiss or Olde Eynsford so it’s a bit of a different comparison.

[sharps4590]

What waksupi said. If you're buying by the case several places beat Graf's price....or they used to. Coonies, Upper Missouri River Trading, I think Maine Powder House and there's some others out there I've never tried.

[Maven]

I've used more than a case of Graf's and have been very pleased with it. As I'm down to my last few pounds, I will be purchasing it again very soon.

[John Boy]

Graf's Schutzen is more dense per 100 vol then weighed. Primary reason: Schuetzen charcoal = Alder ... Goex charcoal = Maple

Weight Vendor Grain
.902g/cc Goex Cartridge
0.912 DuPont FFg
0.919 KIK FFFg
0.941 Goex Cowboy
0.944 Goex FFFg 99JY02C
0.925 Goex FFFg 03 46 07NO03B
0.916 Goex FFFg 03 56 08NO02 B
0.944 Meteor FFg
0.97 Meteor FFFg
0.972 Goex Express FFg
0.978 Schuetzen FFFg
0.992 KIK FFg
1.023 Swiss FFFg
1.026 DuPont Fg
1.027 Skirmish Fg
1.044 Swiss 1.5
1.049 Swiss FFg

100 cc volume pan weighed

[frogleg]

I also have used Grafs Black powder for a number of years and am very happy with it.

[megasupermagnum]

Powder Valley just got Olde Eynsford in stock for $20.50 a pound. If you call, you can create a back order. I'm glad I did, as half of what I needed is now listed out of stock.

[indian joe]

Was checking the Grafs website recently for real BP. The price of Grafs BP is pretty attractive compared to GOEX & Swiss. Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with the Grafs they'd be willing to share? I'd like to get some opinions before plunking down my hard earned $$$.

Thanks,

Stuart

Muzzle loader or cartridge?
Ya proly gonna use 10% more to get same velocity - cuts the price differential some (not all the difference but some)

[taco650]

Muzzle loader or cartridge?
Ya proly gonna use 10% more to get same velocity - cuts the price differential some (not all the difference but some)


Muzzleloader. I've got two .50 cal cap rifles and 1860 Army .44 to feed...

I'd make by own but just don't want to spend the time to make it.

[tashaner1123]

Powder Valley is just down the road from me.. No Hazmat...

[tashaner1123]

Muzzleloader. I've got two .50 cal cap rifles and 1860 Army .44 to feed...

I'd make by own but just don't want to spend the time to make it.

I make my own from Willow. Pressed and Corned. Time consuming yes, but rewarding. Also only $5 a pound and clean burning.

[taco650]

Decided to "pull the trigger" the Grafs powder. Now to decide between 3f or 2f...

The biggest thing I have is .50 but always dreaming of an Edward Marshall in .58 or a Trade Gun in .62

[waksupi]

Decided to "pull the trigger" the Grafs powder. Now to decide between 3f or 2f...

The biggest thing I have is .50 but always dreaming of an Edward Marshall in .58 or a Trade Gun in .62

Stick with 3FFF.

[KCSO]

Just for information Upper Missouri Trading is not stocking powder any more.

[taco650]

Decided to "pull the trigger" the Grafs powder. Now to decide between 3f or 2f...

The biggest thing I have is .50 but always dreaming of an Edward Marshall in .58 or a Trade Gun in .62


Stick with 3FFF.

Got it, thanks

[Eddie2002]

I've been shooting Grafs 3F for about six years and had to switch over to Goex 3F when Grafs was back ordered. Haven't really noticed any major difference except the Goex seems to foul a little bit more. I use pillow ticking with Bore Butter and wetting down the patch with water along with the lube has helped with the extra fouling from Goex.

[taco650]

Good to know

[rfd]

i think most brand powders are good, and that includes grafs.

however, i'll stick with swiss 3f for all my trad muzzleloader long guns, while i can afford it.

[waksupi]

Just for information Upper Missouri Trading is not stocking powder any more.

Good to know. Too bad, I bought a lot of powder from Doc over the years. I'm close enough to Buffalo Arms I can just drive over for the cost of hazmat, and it's a nice road trip.

[uscra112]

Maine Powder House has been OOB for a while now. I went through quite a struggle finding a new source of Swiss that I could drive to.

[irishtoo]

Maine Powder House has been OOB for a while now. I went through quite a struggle finding a new source of Swiss that I could drive to.

Maine powder house is back sometime now located in lewiston maine. Irishtoo

[dave951]

All of the powders mentioned will go bang. The real issue is what works best in your gun, price isn't everything. I compete in North South Skirmish Assoc matches and have tried a number of powders for accuracy in my guns.

What I've found, best accuracy is with Old E or Swiss. Swiss produced a bit less fouling but I really can't justify the price difference for my purposes when I'm getting the accuracy I need for 15 shot strings (when we're having a really, really bad day!). Next up was standard red can Goex followed by Schutzen, Kik and a couple others. Nothing touched the accuracy of Swiss and OE. I don't mind $3-4 more per pound when the load is far more accurate. Back when I was into reenacting, I didn't care, price was king as we weren't sending lead downrange.

[taco650]

Just ordered 5lbs of Graf's 3f. Should be enough to last me for a while LOL!

Thanks to everyone for your contributions!

[AllanD]

I haven't bought any BP since around 1989
But I've got 7 or 8lbs after all these years.

I know I have two cans of Hodgons BP.

And several cans of GOEX as well as a couple cans labeled as Gearhart-Owens Industries (Goex before they adopted the abbreviated name, but same Moosic, PA address...

I only have three cans in the house the rest is all out in my shed and I don't feel like going out there tonight, it is raining, but as I recall I have two cans made somewhere in Scotland, Don't recall the brand,
but it was made in the 1970's.

Personally I never noticed a difference between them, but all my BP shooting is in percussion revolvers.

[taco650]

My powder arrived from Grafs on 4/19/19 and the next day I went to the local range and shot some through my two .50's. It'd been a LONG time since I fired any of my BP guns and my "Hawken-ish" .50 hadn't been shot yet. The local range has been shut down since late August do to a complete overhaul and the "Hawkenish" rifle wasn't finished before it closed.

ANYWAY... it was a ton of fun to shoot! It was a drizzly morning and the smoke just floated in the air for a few seconds before dissipating. One of the range officers had never fired a muzzleloader before so I offered to let them shoot it once and they loved it! I also realized I'm going to need to buy a RB mold for these two .50's and since I'm getting one for them, I might as well get one for my 1860 Army while I'm at it. Guess my BP addiction has been rekindled!

[Ozark mike]

I haven't checked in a while but I thought goes was lower than that over at Buffalo arms in ponderay which is about 80 mi from here they have a website might Google em

[taco650]

My five pounds of Grafs 3f was $102 & change to my front door which included the hazmat fee and shipping. I'm hoping that by the time I'm finished with this five pounds I'll have learned how to make my own

[Ozark mike]

Making bp is no biggie you need a few things and a weekend to get a rhythm

[OverMax]

I've always tried to by locally so to circumvent paying Hazmat. But in reality I paid my share of Hazmat (usually on a 2 cans purchased) out of a 24 can case. I highly doubt the business place paid it.
Not disagreeing with those users of 3-FFFg for everything but many shooters have come to know its best to let there side-lock suggest which grade of powder it prefers. (2-FF vs 3-FFF.)