Is making your own black powder worth trying.

[Themoose]

As the title says, I am wondering if the expense, learning curve, and quality worth the effort to get good BP? I know it would bring satisfaction if I could do it. Right now I use Swiss and only use about 5 lbs a year. Your thoughts are welcomed.

[Wayne Smith]

There is a long sticky on making black - and reading through that will give you a very good idea about the complexities of doing it. If you make it through reading that complete stickie you probably have the patience to do it! At five pounds a year and, if you have plenty of spare time and the room, it probably is worth it.

[Froogal]

There is a long sticky on making black - and reading through that will give you a very good idea about the complexities of doing it. If you make it through reading that complete stickie you probably have the patience to do it! At five pounds a year and, if you have plenty of spare time and the room, it probably is worth it.

I have read through that long sticky. I am convinced that I CAN do it, and I will do it. Someday.

[Eddie2002]

It's not that hard to do and is a lot of fun. I've made a few pounds of screened black powder that works well in my front stuffers, it's when you start to make corned (compressed) bp the process gets a little more complicated and you need more equipment. At five pounds a year you are right on the bubble. The hardest part is getting the density of the home grown comparable to commercial powder.

[indian joe]

It's not that hard to do and is a lot of fun. I've made a few pounds of screened black powder that works well in my front stuffers, it's when you start to make corned (compressed) bp the process gets a little more complicated and you need more equipment. At five pounds a year you are right on the bubble. The hardest part is getting the density of the home grown comparable to commercial powder.

What Eddie says ..not that hard to do ..screened works just fine in muzzle loaders .. only need to go to corned if you wanna load cartridges and even then if ya only plinking with say a 44/40 or a 45 colt screened is ok ...... cost is highly variable .. buy your KNO3 as bagged fertiliser, make your own charcoal, material cost is down around a buck a pound........anybody uses 20 pound a year (plenty do I bet) the equipment pays back in short order.

[Boz330]

I have been making mine since 11 and have taken 3 deer and small game with it in front stuffers and cartridge rifle. Density is the big problem with cartridge rifles. I started with a 40-65 and with my corned powder I could get enough in the case to get close to commercial powder velocity wise. My homemade actually giving more velocity per grain than Swiss. It actually did pretty good out to 300yd but not good enough for me to use it in competition. I could get 54gr in a 40-65 case and 65gr of 2F Swiss for 1200fps and 1275fps respectively.
If you like DIY projects, which I do, it is very satisfying and put meat in the freezer as well. I just compress my powder in a 2" PVC pipe with a vice so not much expense.

Bob

[Markopolo]

It’s a lot like reloading in general. Most reloaders but not all, are into the quest to see if they can, make a good round, make their own Boolit, kill something with something they made and so on.. so, if your a reloader, and a bullet caster, then you can make and find joy in making black powder, as I do.... it’s just another quest in learning. Well worth the effort and minimal expense.

[Themoose]

Thanks all for your input... sounds like I may want to venture into it... I fletch my own arrows, cast and reload for centerfire and blackpowder cartridge... I started to read the sticky, but only thru about 12 pages so far... does anyone know a resource that would guide me through the equipment and process for making corned powder? I'm sure it is in the sticky, but may take me a good while to glean out the information.. I would want to use in in 45-70's and my muzzle stuffers too...... I even have a small willow that is dying in my back yard only about 8"diameter, but could try my hand at making charcoal..

Thanks again,

TheMoose

Thanks again

[Boz330]

Thanks all for your input... sounds like I may want to venture into it... I fletch my own arrows, cast and reload for centerfire and blackpowder cartridge... I started to read the sticky, but only thru about 12 pages so far... does anyone know a resource that would guide me through the equipment and process for making corned powder? I'm sure it is in the sticky, but may take me a good while to glean out the information.. I would want to use in in 45-70's and my muzzle stuffers too...... I even have a small willow that is dying in my back yard only about 8"diameter, but could try my hand at making charcoal..

Thanks again,

TheMoose

Thanks again

It is in that sticky. There is a lot of redundancy in there but you will figure out what to skip over. Anything by Fly deserves a look.

Bob

[Winger Ed.]

If you use much, its cost effective, and there is the satisfaction of 'beating the system'.

If you only use a pound every once in a while, it probably wouldn't be worth the trouble.

..……. Then again, if you ever wanted to make your own fireworks, you'll need a pretty fair amount...

[RED BEAR]

I have never done it but if it floats your boat give it a go why not. You will never know what you can do if you don't try.

[Lostinidaho]

Themoose

Are you going for wet method or the dry. To me it is interesting

[Themoose]

I'm not sure which method is best...and I am still trying to get thru the sticky.. so I don't know the advantages or disadvantages of each. I'm probably not going to have time to get into it very deep in the summer, but thinking it would be a good winter project.

[Markopolo]

I do the wet method... and have great results... I would speculate that both methods can produce wonderful acceptable powder... each method has a learning curve, and the powder I make now is way way better then my first attempt, thats for sure...

Marko

[Froogal]

I'm not sure which method is best...and I am still trying to get thru the sticky.. so I don't know the advantages or disadvantages of each. I'm probably not going to have time to get into it very deep in the summer, but thinking it would be a good winter project.

I also feel it would be a good winter project, but making the charcoal has to be an outdoor sport and it is cold outdoors in the winter.

[Markopolo]

No reason not to make the charcoal now... it’s easy. I keep mine in a coffee can, one of the large Yuban plastic 2lb types with airtight lid. Be sure to grind or mill it down to airfloat. You can do the rest during the winter.

Marko

[RogerDat]

I have given it a thought and got some willow, a can for charcoal making and a grinder together then figured out I might want to do what I advise people new to casting to do. Buy your lead to remove a significant hurdle. Batch of WW ingots from S&S plus some solder or tin and you have a direct path to making good bullets. I think same holds true for BP. This place sells kits and has good instructions. Will allow one to focus on making the BP not making the ingredients and knowing one is starting with ingredients that are known to work. Like buying good lead.

For first time without needing a ball mill. Gets you started, tells you the mesh sizes you need and step by step.
https://www.skylighter.com/blogs/how-to-make-fireworks/red-gum-black-powder

Using this kit
https://www.skylighter.com/collections/black-powder-kits/products/red-gum-black-powder-chemicals-kit
At $67 for ingredients to make 10 lbs. you are paying $6.70 a pound. Can then expand into making own charcoal and buy the other ingredients if you decide to make more.

There is also a slightly cheaper kit that is for using a ball mill (rock tumbler)
https://www.skylighter.com/products/black-powder-chemicals-kit-makes-10-lbs-black-powder

Along with direction for making powder using the ball mill
https://www.skylighter.com/blogs/how-to-make-fireworks/make-black-powder-quick-and-easy

If I ever get around to making BP I will most likely go the route of the red gum kit. I don't use enough to warrant a bunch of equipment and would be doing it mostly for fun and the excitement of making my own and having it work. I have sort of started watching the Salvation Army and thrift store/ garage sales for those coffee grinders they suggest using to pulverize ingredients.

Any way good luck, remember get the willow or cotton wood de-barked early because later it is a beast to try and strip down to wood for making charcoal. Fresh bark peels best from willow.

[Poseidonsfist]

I started making bp about 35 hrs ago at 10. Dad made it for his friends that had a bp group. I still do it now because no one near me has it. Too many storage laws. So really even a pound is worth it. After a few batches, mine is as good as my dads was. And I liked his better than the store ****. It’s very consistent.

[MrWolf]

RogerDat - I looked at those kits after you had posted. I also noticed on another thread that Fly had mentioned staying away from places that sold the charcoal supplies for fireworks as they are not really comparable in making BP. Do you know if the kits make acceptable BP? I am still trying to figure a bunch out before I get started down that road. Thanks.
Ron

[Froogal]

No reason not to make the charcoal now... it’s easy. I keep mine in a coffee can, one of the large Yuban plastic 2lb types with airtight lid. Be sure to grind or mill it down to airfloat. You can do the rest during the winter.

Marko

I'm busy with the garden and such this time of year, and with all the rain we've been getting, it is too muddy for me to harvest any willow. Maybe later this summer it might work out.

[Dieselhorses]

Federal law prohibits storing anything over 50 lbs.. JMO but if anyone ventures into this, SAFETY is most important, paying attention to detail, PATIENCE and PERSERVENCE. Since I started making it, I've had really good results both in BP rifles and centerfire. I still haven't got to the "pucks" yet, but I screen wet BP and let it dry and it does fine. Line 'em up, knock 'em back then fill 'em up again!

[Markopolo]

I am totally agreeing with Diesel Horse man... screen wet, be safe, line em up, knock em down, rinse, repeat.

[flynth]

I haven''t seen anyone mentioning that self made black powder often ends up a lot less dense than the commercial one. For some uses(muzzleloaders) this doesn't matter, but for revolvers and cartridge use a lightweight powder is a pain to use.

So assuming you don't have access to a hydraulic press I would only make my own black powder if you plan to use it in muzzleloaders. My Pedersoli side by side especially likes home made very coarse powder.

[Boz330]

I haven''t seen anyone mentioning that self made black powder often ends up a lot less dense than the commercial one. For some uses(muzzleloaders) this doesn't matter, but for revolvers and cartridge use a lightweight powder is a pain to use.

So assuming you don't have access to a hydraulic press I would only make my own black powder if you plan to use it in muzzleloaders. My Pedersoli side by side especially likes home made very coarse powder.


I do mine in a bench vice and and while not as dense as store bought it works good enough. Out of a 40-65 I get 1200fps and 2F Swiss gives me 1275fps. The couple deer that I have taken couldn't tell the difference.

Bob

[flynth]

I do mine in a bench vice and and while not as dense as store bought it works good enough. Out of a 40-65 I get 1200fps and 2F Swiss gives me 1275fps. The couple deer that I have taken couldn't tell the difference.

Bob

Wow, this is pretty cool. I wonder how much force this vice has. Probably in the region of two tons. What is the size of the part that squeezes the powder? I never tried a vice. I just assumed anything other than an at least 20 ton hydraulic press wouldn't have enough force so my homemade powder was not squeezed at all. After seeing your post I have to reconsider.

[indian joe]

Wow, this is pretty cool. I wonder how much force this vice has. Probably in the region of two tons. What is the size of the part that squeezes the powder? I never tried a vice. I just assumed anything other than an at least 20 ton hydraulic press wouldn't have enough force so my homemade powder was not squeezed at all. After seeing your post I have to reconsider.

45/75 winchester original loads quoted as 350 grain x 1383 FPS -- homebrew load FFg willow powder = 335 grain x 1480FPS -- factory blackpowder ballistics easily achievable yes!
10 shot string carefully loaded gave ES just under 10FPS

[Boz330]

Wow, this is pretty cool. I wonder how much force this vice has. Probably in the region of two tons. What is the size of the part that squeezes the powder? I never tried a vice. I just assumed anything other than an at least 20 ton hydraulic press wouldn't have enough force so my homemade powder was not squeezed at all. After seeing your post I have to reconsider.

It is a 5" Bench vice. The puck maker is 2 inch PVC with tight fitting aluminum pistons. It isn't fast but suites my needs. Even though my powder isn't as dense I get more velocity per grain of weight than Swiss.

Bob

Bob

[nun2kute]

I started making bp about 35 hrs ago at 10. Dad made it for his friends that had a bp group. I still do it now because no one near me has it. Too many storage laws. So really even a pound is worth it. After a few batches, mine is as good as my dads was. And I liked his better than the store ****. It’s very consistent.

[smilie=l:[smilie=l: 35Hrs ago you was just 10 yrs old ??? [smilie=l: [smilie=s:

[swamp]

I use a HF 6 ton press and a Fly die to press mine and it works well. I had been thinking about it for awhile when the thread started. After reading for awhile I decided to give it a try. I have used Willow, Alder, and Tree of heaven. All three work well and burn pretty clean for me. I am satisfied with it. I enjoy the process of making it as much as I do shooting it.
swamp