75-100 year old powder?

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I have an old can of black powder. It was an old can when I was a kid in the 70s. I'm guessing it's 75-100 years old. I'm thinking about trying it in my Hawkens rifle. I figured I start out at around 50 grains and see how it goes. What do you think? I think it's FFg.

[M-Tecs]

Black powder doesn't deteriorate. The can has collector value.

[jednorris]

Is the powder worth more than the gun ?.

[M-Tecs]

http://www.jpyro2.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Kos-806-806.pdf

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?152434-Black-powder-how-old-is-too-old

[jaguarxk120]

What brand is the powder?

[indian joe]

Is the powder worth more than the gun ?.

meaning what exactly?????

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

It is "Dupont Superfine FFg Gunpowder Wilmington (I think - label is worn) Delaware" The can looks like a flask, about 6" tall and is red. Cool looking can.

[besk]

Wilmington, Delaware - home of DuPont. DuPont was a very well known black powder producer. In fact that is how they got into
the chemical business.

[Winger Ed.]

There was a article years ago about a fella that found a flintlock pistol buried somewhere.
It was still loaded. He got the ball out, and the powder.
Then cleaned it up & reloaded with the same powder and it fired just fine.

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

In case anyone is curious. This isn't it, but it looks just like this one.

[Knarley]

Well, there ya go...

[Chill Wills]

It would be far more interesting to me to load it in a cartridge rifle and develop a load for it to see how good that brand of old powder was. DuPont made any number of grades. I think this was a mid grade sporting powder. Anyone know for sure?

[JBinMN]

Powder in it, or not. Powder good or not...
The container is very Cool!
:)

[Kev18]

I have seen that same can go for 125$ at gun shows. I wish I would of bought one. I reload for lever actions and Im a big fan of all the old 19th century looking stuff.

By the way, the can wasnt pristine for that price. The label was peeling with a few dings.

[Battis]

I've been looking at a powder can like that in an antique shop that's selling for around $125, and it's tempting. It doesn't have any powder in it, but if it did, and I bought the can, I'd dump the powder into another container and display the can empty. I'd probably try the powder in my Hawkins for the heck of it, but the powder isn't collectable - the can is. To me, the powder doesn't add value to the can. Others might disagree.
Whether you use the powder or not, treat that can well.

[John Boy]

If it was me - I'd save the DuPont can of Sporting powder with the existing powder in it and buy a new can of Goex FFg

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

UPDATE: It shot fine! Shot 3 rounds of 60 grains at 50 yards and it shot fine. My group sucked (probably 8"), but this rifle has always been picky. This was my dad's powder. God only knows where he got it; maybe from his daddy. They're both gone now. Anyhow, I thought it would be pretty cool to take a deer with it this fall. Obviously, I have some load development to do first. I'm thinking maxi-balls. Wish me luck!

[JBinMN]

G'Luck!
:)

[country gent]

Keep us posted on load development and as much info as possible compression would be interesting to see how it compares to modern powders. Also the velocities achieved with given loads and incremental changes

[Chill Wills]

In as much as he is shooting a muzzle loader, I don't know how much cartridge and compression info he can pass on. ?????

[Lead pot]

It is "Dupont Superfine FFg Gunpowder Wilmington (I think - label is worn) Delaware" The can looks like a flask, about 6" tall and is red. Cool looking can.

It it's a can with animals on all 4 corners I think one had a rider on a horse, not sure any more, it was used around 1920? to 1930