Diamondback powder

[richbug]

Anybody used it? I searched the net and came up with a little info, made on old elephant equipment etc... Not much info out there from folks who have used it. I was going to order some Shutzen from Grafs but this was much more reasonable.

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
I have used it. I shot it just about all this year and part of last year. I used 3f in a 50 CVA Mountain Rifle.A friend also used the same in his Lyman GPR 50. All I can say is it works for me. Shot good groups and did well in some matches.We both clean between shots,so fouling was no problem. I will be using more of it next year too. About $10lb. not bad. I use anything Goex,Swis and even pyrodex .All with good results. One real surprise was with pyrodex. If I cleaned between shots ,the groups became almost one hole at 50 yds. I do usually get about 2" 50 yd groups with all the bp types.
n.h.schmidt

[richbug]

Since I am pretty much out of black, I went ahead and ordered a case of 3f to try. You get 25 pounds for the same money as 15 of most others.

$10 per pound delivered is pretty appealing, even if you can't mix sizes in a case. 3f should serve all my needs reasonably well.

[59sharps]

Since I am pretty much out of black, I went ahead and ordered a case of 3f to try. You get 25 pounds for the same money as 15 of most others.

$10 per pound delivered is pretty appealing, even if you can't mix sizes in a case. 3f should serve all my needs reasonably well.

I picked up 2 lbs of ea. 2ffg & 3ffg. but do not see me getting to it to test until spring time. So if you do let us know. I did hear some prem. good thing about it from some that is testing it for a distriutor. But still testing.

[richbug]

I picked up 2 lbs of ea. 2ffg & 3ffg. but do not see me getting to it to test until spring time. So if you do let us know. I did hear some prem. good thing about it from some that is testing it for a distriutor. But still testing.

Will do, it is supposed to be here tomorrow according to FedEx. Wicked fast delivery if you ask me.

I have my new 45 sighted in with the last of my GOEX 2 F, it shot a couple 7/8" 5 shot groups at 50 yards.

Flintlock deer season is right after Christmas, and I have tags left.

[richbug]

I finally got around to shooting some of this. Very consistent grain size, no fines at all. Miserable as a flash powder in my flintlocks, it sounds like a fuse burning( I was using 200+ year old flint, not that that should matter).

With GOEX 4f for prime, it seems fine as a main charge(these guns work well with GOEX 2f for prime). Accuracy is hard to test today as I was shooting offhand in prep for deer season.

One funny thing I noticed, immediately after firing, my pans aver covered in a reddish residue, never seen that before. It looks like melted sulfur???

[Willbird]

I finally got around to shooting some of this. Very consistent grain size, no fines at all. Miserable as a flash powder in my flintlocks, it sounds like a fuse burning( I was using 200+ year old flint, not that that should matter).

With GOEX 4f for prime, it seems fine as a main charge(these guns work well with GOEX 2f for prime). Accuracy is hard to test today as I was shooting offhand in prep for deer season.

One funny thing I noticed, immediately after firing, my pans aver covered in a reddish residue, never seen that before. It looks like melted sulfur???

I have seen red "berries" inside the barrel of a 58 caliber rifled musket I had, right after firing...looked almost like blood. That was with goex....and dedicated BP shooters here assured it is a normal event, if you shoot enough eventually you will see it.

[Diamondback]

Just want to respectfully let everyone know you can now find more info on Diamondback Powder at www.diamondbackchemical.com

[6pt-sika]

This thread was the first I had heard of this stuff !

[richbug]

Post season report... I had no issues with the powder. I even ended up using it as prime and it was acceptable, especially in the snow as it didn't seem to draw damp as fast as some.

Unfortunately I only has one reasonable shot present itself(full run @ 30 yards). Normally this would have been a cake shot, but an 18" beech tree jumped in front of the ball. For reference, a 58 caliber ball with 120 grains of powder under it will not penetrate an 18" beech.

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

I took a look at their website and was wondering. What is the difference between "sporting grade" and "fireworks grade"? Any pyrotechnics guys here with the answer?

Regards,
Everett

[richbug]

I took a look at their website and was wondering. What is the difference between "sporting grade" and "fireworks grade"? Any pyrotechnics guys here with the answer?

Regards,
Everett

Sporting is graphited, thus the "G" in FFFG...

[1874Sharps]

I believe the pyrotechnic grade has sodium nitrate instead of potassium nitrate, at least in part, in its composition. Sodium nitrate is cheaper, but tends to suck up more moisture from the air (it is more hygroscopic), so it is not as well suited to use in firearms.

[Willbird]

Also there is a sporting use exemption for BP that is used in firearms, the fireworks grade MAY require a federal explosives license to buy/posses. The feds have really clamped down on this, to the extant that types of smokeless that are used only in large bore Dangerous and Destructive Device class of guns now require the license to buy/posses...before it was really no big deal and no attention was paid to it.

[buckweet]

Just want to respectfully let everyone know you can now find more info on Diamondback Powder at www.diamondbackchemical.com








ok, i'll take 5 pounds of fffg

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

This morning I was able to try Diamonback black powder in my Parker Hale Volunteer. I'm tickled pink! Couldn't be more pleased with it.

I fired one 14-shot group at 100 yards (because that's how many tubes I have for pre-measured charges of powder). The group was about three inches higher than Goex produces (I'll check it with the chronograph later).

The powder produces good accuracy too; the group, fired hand-held with elbows on the shooting bench, measured five inches (the next time I shoot this open-sighted gun I may bring my Knobloch glasses, so I can see the sights better). These were full-power hunting loads too, 90 gr of FFFg with a 450 gr flat-nosed bullet.

Fouling was about the same as Goex, and it cleaned up just as easily too.

I'll be buying more.

--------------------
Take care, Tom
NRA Life Member

[thunderthud]

Richbug,
A 30 yd. full running shot in the woods a cake shot? or even in an open field? Yikes!

[Fly]

I believe the pyrotechnic grade has sodium nitrate instead of potassium nitrate, at least in part, in its composition. Sodium nitrate is cheaper, but tends to suck up more moisture from the air (it is more hygroscopic), so it is not as well suited to use in firearms.

I love some of the stuff I read here?:grin:No Pyro grade is not made with
sodium nitrate.
Fly:roll:

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I got some of the diamondback, we are still working thru some elephant old stock we liked the elephant , it worked very well for us if your looking for it try
http://www.addictedtoblackpowder.com/2.html Jon was good to work with

[Maven]

I've been using DB FFg for the last several months and am very pleased with how well it performs in both my rilfles and smoothbore. Bought an entire case of it from Jon in late April.

[Baja_Traveler]

I got some of the diamondback, we are still working thru some elephant old stock we liked the elephant , it worked very well for us if your looking for it try
http://www.addictedtoblackpowder.com/2.html Jon was good to work with

+1 for Jon - great to work with, and has the best price out there. I buy all my Swiss from him, $2 a pound cheaper than anyone else.

[John Boy]

Gents, your missing out shooting a better powder than Diamondback. The same price range powder that is the Go To powder that is shooting up a storm is the 2010 lots of KIK.
Grades Fg - 1.5Fg and FFg are available for sale now and FFFg will be available in the Fall.

Diamondback is Elephant that has been reformulated with only additional wheel turns and now the bark removed from the Imbauba palm tree which is the wood used for their charcoal. To not flash off the creosote in the retort when making charcoal, the temperature has to be controlled between 300-320 C. The S/A Pernambuco Powder Factory judges the temperature in the xxxxx (oven) by watching the color of the smoke because they do not use a retort!

As for all KIK powders, the best of the best wood to make charcoal is Alder Buckthorn which is what KIK uses

About a half dozen BPCR shooters have taken KIK to the range and the results are outstanding, groups (100 to 600yds) and foul control. This Fall I'll be shooting reloads @ 1000yds for my long range test of the powder and Diamondback reloads for velocity, accuracy and foul control

Here's some observations I've made with the 2010 KIK powder so far:
* http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/forum/index.php?topic=107.0
* http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/forum/index.php?topic=108.0
* http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/forum/index.php?topic=106.0

In addition for comparison:
Diamondback Grain Ratios

FFg 01-2127
20 mesh - 44.89% hold
30 mesh – 55.11% hold
40 mesh – Trace
Total =100%

FFFg 01-3309
20 mesh - 65.57% hold
30 mesh - 23.77% hold
40 mesh – 06.56% hold
50 mesh – 04.10% hold
60 mesh – Trace
Total = 100%

Density:
1.134g/cc Diamondback FFg (01-2127
1.124g/cc Diamondback FFFg (01-3309)
1.094g/cc KIK Fg 2010
1.05g/cc KIK 1.5Fg 2010
1.06g/cc KIK ffG 2010