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Thread: My homemade black powder

  1. #5001
    Boolit Master
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    "Those who sacrifice freedom for security, have neither."
    Benjamin Franklin. (A very wise man!)

  2. #5002
    Boolit Man mmb617's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vettepilot View Post
    I'm very happy so far with the Red Cedar pet bedding chips from Walmart that I've been using. Very fast and very clean burning powder.

    I had read it worked well from numerous sources, and am very glad I tried it. A big bag that will make several pounds (6 to 8?) of powder costs only 4 bucks! Try it.
    I keep seeing this pet bedding mentioned and I'm kind of getting tempted to try it, but then I think I'm quite happy with the results I'm getting using the cedar fence pickets and I'm one of those if it 'ain't broke don't fix it guys. But I'll never say never.

  3. #5003
    Boolit Master
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    Thank you Vettepilot.
    That narrows down the area I need to visit to find those trees.
    Now I just have to find the time to get up there.

    I came up with the idea of using the 1/4" screen to separate the finer material out of chipped up wood , because remember.
    I tried using a garden chipper to chip up some wood.
    It came out really finely chipped up.
    So screening was my only option.
    But the finely chipped stuff still worked in my barbeque smoker.
    Last edited by LAGS; 12-05-2021 at 07:43 PM.

  4. #5004
    Boolit Master
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    I hope I can find some of that Tree Of Heaven, one day. I have feelers out, for it. Lots of guys say it's the real deal. I'll stumble on to some, one day. The Alder Buckthorn I've about gave up on.

  5. #5005
    Boolit Master
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    A bit off topic here guys, but I thought some of you might be interested in this. I read a ton, and this is an excerpt from an article I was reading in Handloader magazine:

    --Triple 7--
    "Chemically, the major elements of Triple Seven are 10 percent charcoal, 10 percent sodium benzoate, 30 percent potassium nitrate, 30 percent potassium perchlorate, 10 percent dicyanamide and 10 percent dextrin. Other elements of Triple Seven are proprietary information. The autoignition temperature of Triple Seven is 770 degrees Fahrenheit. Of special note is that it has been incorrectly stated in a number of instances in other shooting publications, in print and on the internet (Wikipedia), that Triple Seven uses gluconic acid (glucose or sugar-based) as the principal fuel source for the propellant. This is incorrect. Charcoal, as noted in the chemical composition above, is the principal fuel source for Triple Seven."

    Interesting, and that 10% Dextrin sure doesn't seem to hurt Triple 7 any! Heh?

    Vettepilot
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 16387629453061584457983.jpg  
    Last edited by Vettepilot; 12-05-2021 at 11:58 PM.
    "Those who sacrifice freedom for security, have neither."
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  6. #5006
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    No wonder the stuff is rather corrosive, with the perchlorate in it. I'll stick to the real stuff.

  7. #5007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vettepilot View Post
    Hmmm... interesting. I hadn't thought of that. You know, I had a bag of Alder smoking chips that I made powder out of that didn't turn out so well. It was an old bag that had been handled and knocked around a lot, that I bought at a yard sale. It got more rough handling around here. One day I re-discovered it lying in my goodie closet, and went ahead and processed it. It had a lot of fines in it. Maybe that's why it didn't make the greatest powder?

    Of course, at that time, I didn't understand about the apparent confusion concerning the various Alders that exist, and have no idea which flavor this was. Apparently, as I stated above, you want the "berry producing" Alder for good results.

    Vettepilot
    from what I read Alder is entirely different than alder buckthorn (dogwood) ---Alder didnt rate all that well on the chart I saw (VP - might be you posted that chart? it was on here recent anyways)

  8. #5008
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    In my area of South Central Missouri, Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula Caroliniana) is what I find locally. It does have berries and seemed to work decent enough when I tried it. It gave little ash, but Black Willow gave better velocity.

    Sassafras gave little ash and was getting close to Black Willow in velocity, so I will try more Sassafras whenever I get around to making up another batch. I can easily find and identify Sassafras around my area the year round whether it has leaves or not. If in doubt, one only has to pull up the roots and check for the really pleasant Sassafras smell. If only the burned powder smelled as good.
    73 de n0ubx, Rick
    NRA Benefactor Life Member/VFW Life Member

  9. #5009
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    So, has anyone tried to replicate Pyrodex pellets but with black powder? I really want to try this but I'm no machinist. I figure we'll need a die with a hollow core and maybe some spacers to make multiple pellets with a single press.

    Having something that's easy to load in a known quantity and cutting out the corning process makes it seem worth trying.

  10. #5010
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    Pyrotechnic stars are what you see in fireworks displays. They are made from BP pellets of many sizes that have certain metals added to the BP to produce different colors. Strontium=red, Barium=green, Sodium=yellow, these are BP pellets. I have never made any BP pellets except for stars, but they have been made for ever.

  11. #5011
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    Quote Originally Posted by dondiego View Post
    Pyrotechnic stars are what you see in fireworks displays. They are made from BP pellets of many sizes that have certain metals added to the BP to produce different colors. Strontium=red, Barium=green, Sodium=yellow, these are BP pellets. I have never made any BP pellets except for stars, but they have been made for ever.
    I'm sure they have been, but I'm not sure if anyone has ever used one in a muzzleloader. We would need to make them just under the bore diameter and with a hole through the middle.

    Maybe adding some extra color of the cool factor would be neat too.

  12. #5012
    Boolit Master almar's Avatar
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    I pulled the trigger on a pedersoli 1874 sharps in 45-90 long range model. I did my homework on this and I really like how Pedersoli puts all they have in their product particularily how they make their barrels. I hope to find brass soon enough. There is literally nothing out there anywhere. In the meantime, ill be making some powder for it with my new ball mill and studying up on reloading for this beast. The Shiloh would have been nice, but its just too expensive for now. This one already cost me an arm and a leg. I hope this will bring another level of appreciation for black powder.
    Last edited by almar; 12-07-2021 at 10:03 PM.
    “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”
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  13. #5013
    Boolit Buddy
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    Awesome almar! Congrats; Pedersoli are awesome gunmakers.
    I use a Pedersoli Mortimer flinter target rifle, also have 12G barrel, Tryon percussion rifle, and a Charles Moore flint/smooth and percussion/rifled duelling pistol. Many of their products are chosen by other people at my club.

  14. #5014
    Boolit Master almar's Avatar
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    Thank you Chris! I've been eying it for some time, I always talked myself out of it but after this much time of thinking about it, I think it was meant to be.
    “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”
    ― Winston S. Churchill

  15. #5015
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    Quote Originally Posted by Super Sneaky Steve View Post
    So, has anyone tried to replicate Pyrodex pellets but with black powder? I really want to try this but I'm no machinist. I figure we'll need a die with a hollow core and maybe some spacers to make multiple pellets with a single press.

    Having something that's easy to load in a known quantity and cutting out the corning process makes it seem worth trying.
    I have no idea if your idea will work, but what you want to look up is, "Ramming black powder rockets" or "Ramming black powder rocket motors." That should get you started.

    Congrats Almar! Again, I'm jealous!

    Vettepilot
    "Those who sacrifice freedom for security, have neither."
    Benjamin Franklin. (A very wise man!)

  16. #5016
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    Quote Originally Posted by almar View Post
    I pulled the trigger on a pedersoli 1874 sharps in 45-90 long range model. I did my homework on this and I really like how Pedersoli puts all they have in their product particularily how they make their barrels. I hope to find brass soon enough. There is literally nothing out there anywhere. In the meantime, ill be making some powder for it with my new ball mill and studying up on reloading for this beast. The Shiloh would have been nice, but its just too expensive for now. This one already cost me an arm and a leg. I hope this will bring another level of appreciation for black powder.
    Ummmm.....Dixie Gun Works has Bertram Brass in .45 Basic (3 1/4') IN STOCK as I write this. By them and trim them.

  17. #5017
    Boolit Master
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    Almar;
    Congratulations on the new rifle! I've always read good reviews etc., on Pedersoli.

  18. #5018
    Boolit Master almar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ogre View Post
    Ummmm.....Dixie Gun Works has Bertram Brass in .45 Basic (3 1/4') IN STOCK as I write this. By them and trim them.
    There's an option, thanks ogre. Its an expensive option but beggars cant be choosers.
    “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”
    ― Winston S. Churchill

  19. #5019
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    Quote Originally Posted by almar View Post
    There's an option, thanks ogre. Its an expensive option but beggars cant be choosers.
    I feel your pain. Congratulations on your fine rifle.

  20. #5020
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vettepilot View Post
    I have no idea if your idea will work, but what you want to look up is, "Ramming black powder rockets" or "Ramming black powder rocket motors." That should get you started.

    Congrats Almar! Again, I'm jealous!

    Vettepilot
    I did not have much time when I posted this before. The guys that make rockets, both black powder and sugar rockets, make them with a hole up through the center, and tightly packed, or "rammed" powder. They use tooling to make them, either store bought or homemade. This idea might be adapted to your proposed purpose, whether you buy the tooling like they use, or get ideas therefrom to create your own tooling.

    Good luck and be careful!

    Vettepilot
    "Those who sacrifice freedom for security, have neither."
    Benjamin Franklin. (A very wise man!)

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check