My homemade black powder

[Sandro_ventania]

I agree with LAGS. I've tried it both ways, but have stuck to drying the pucks completely, then breaking them down.
When the puck dries, it still maintains most of it's density. When you break it up with moisture, the moisture takes some space up, in each granule of powder. When it dries, that space the moisture occupied is void, leaving room for fines to take its place. This is just my theory of how it works. I could be completely wrong.
Good luck with the venture, Sandro! The more you experiment, the more you will develop your own best procedure.
Everyone here I think will agree that fines are one of the biggest pains of making powder.

This concern with density is more for those who are going to reload cartridges, right? For those who are only going to use it in a muzzleloader, just a hard, well-selected grain in the desired size is enough, right?!

[HWooldridge]

You need compressed grains for cartridge and contained chambers, like cap and ball revolvers. You don’t need to compress for muzzleloaders that functionally do not have a fixed chamber.

[Graysmoke]

I saw a post that someone was going to a grain grinder, if so get a good one. I opted for the lesser priced one and find the castings a lot to be desired. I had to tighten the plates to a close tolerance to grain like I wanted which leads to odd plate alignment wearing the stationary plate heavy on one side and subsequent metal in the powder. I checked my theory by setting a magnet on a small tin funnel and got powder sticking to it. Not a lot but enough to be there, no adjustment can be made to align the plates more space lets bigger grains not be ground to my size. Imagine if using this for food graining for wheat flour.

[HWooldridge]

I made a batch of Cottonelle BP. Milled for 16 hours then pucked and dried before grinding. FYI, I use four screens to size my powder; 20, 30, 40 and 60 mesh. In my world, this yields 1, 2, 3 and 4 Fg grades (whatever stays on the screen is the size).

I started with 326 grams of raw components and ended with 286 grams of powder. Am assuming the lost 40 grams was pre-existing moisture and spillage. Final yield was:

10g of 1F
140g of 2F
39g of 3F
39g of 4F
58g of dust

I mostly shoot 2F so this works fine for me - reckon I need to buy a flintlock so I can shoot up the 4F…teehee.

Now, with all that said, I lit the 1F in my open top angle-iron tray as a speed check. Suffice to say it’s the fastest batch I’ve ever made - and, just like others have mentioned, there just isn’t any residue left over, I mean zero. I normally don’t do ash tests but I burnt a piece of the TP coal beforehand and it left nothing behind, just completely consumed.

It’s too late to set up the chronograph but I’ll aim to conduct some velocity tests tomorrow.

[HamGunner]

I made a batch of Cottonelle BP

From what you are finding so far, if the velocity is not faster and more uniform than most Black, I would be very surprised. And with it being very clean burning so far, this stuff just might be a winner.

I do not have any problems with my Sassafras powder binding up my revolvers, even after 8-10 cylinders full, but cleaner burning powder certainly might help my groups a good bit. Now my .32 Squirrel rifle gets dirtied up in a hurry and requires a good cleaning in between shots if I expect to shoot a decent squirrels head size group at 25 yards. Maybe there is hope for the Squirrel rifle with this Cottonelle powder.

Waiting for any reports on shooting results has me pacing the floor. Hopefully, your results and DoubleBuck's will be my signal to go to Sam's Club and fill my cart with Cottonelle.

[HighUintas]

DB, the suspense is killing me!

[DoubleBuck]

Guys, I weighed out 4 loads of 60 grain 2ff this morning. Wish I had made more, because it worked good.
Had enough for one more but was going to be left with a half load plus, so I put it all in one load of 107 grains.
I weighed up 10 loads of 60 grain 3fff and finished up with 10 loads of 75 grain.
I'll start at the beginning, with the one load of 107 grains Muzzle velocity exactly 1700, and nailed the 50 yard bullseye dead center. That felt like a great start and the rest didn't disappoint.
The 60 grain 2ff was next and four shots measured 1277; 1318; 1267, and 1290 Spread 41. Average 1288
Next up 60 grain 3fff 10 shots. 1262; 1240; 1304; 1278; 1332; 1332 duplicate; 1331 dang it; 1328; 1320; 1284. Spread 80. Average 1301. I wish the spreads had been tighter, but I'm positive they would have been, in a better quality rifle. The loads were weighed dead on.
Next was the 75 grain 3fff 10 shots. 1366; 1340; 1327; 1350; 1329; 1335; 1344; 1366; 1320; and 1357. Spread 46 Average 1343.4
This was the first powder that my .58 Chiappa 1861 Springfield has liked the 2ff more than the 3fff, from the looks. I really wish I had made more of it. I think the 75 grains of 2ff would have rocked.
I was shooting a .015 patched round ball of 278 grains. Some of the oddball numbers I still think are partially my patches carrying past the chronograph. They had good numbers and very good accuracy, to what I have had.
I shot the 3fff 60 grains swabbing between shots, to keep heads up with my past tests. The 75 grain, I ran 10 without a swab and they all went down fine. The fouling was very soft, but not as greasy as some have been. But, it must not have burned on, for the ease of loading. I think in 10 shots, I would have felt them getting tighter.
The one shot of 107 grain barely had dark on the swab. I was highly impressed with it.
The question has been answered to my satisfaction; and I think this Cottonelle Super Strong Charcoal is good enough that I ain't done with it! It nearly requires time and lower temps to make it. I really wish I had quit when the paper was dark brown and breaking down, on the one roll I checked and cooked longer. It was nearly done and I think it would have milled out great. I will be trying that next time, to answer that question. The stuff cooks beautiful and is all but air float straight out of the retort.
It may not be my highest velocities, but it may very well have been, had I made more than a handful of 2ff out of it. My 40 inch barrel seemed to love it. I think a heavy mini bullet would talk to you, with this powder. 1700 feet per second with 107 grains is an efficiency of 16 feet per second per grain. That is pretty good, from my estimation. I had zero ignition problems and this powder ignites by blowing hot air on it. ha
I did have one weird thing happen. About half way through the test, one ball almost would not go down the barrel. I guess it someway was vapor locked or something. I would push it down six inches and it would spring back up four inches. I had to push it and wait for the pressure to leak off and it would go another inch or two. I thought I never would get it seated. The chronograph said something was wrong, too. It was way out of line, with the rest. Never had that happen before.
Sorry it took so long to post these numbers. I shot till 10 minutes before sundown and had to hurry, to do that. Cleaning my stuff and doing the daily chores had to come first, but I think it was a very successful test.
For my own information, and anyone who cares to know, the temperature was 53°F to 51° at the end; with humidity 41% ending about 45%. My altitude is about 1240 +-.
I'll be looking forward to seeing others make and test out this charcoal. Get ya some of it and as HamGunner says, "Don't squeeze the Charcoal!"
HighUintas the wait is finally over!

[DoubleBuck]

I've been comparing my post #7575's numbers to today's numbers. The 60 grain 3fff on that day averaged 1283 FPS, with the Charmin charcoal. Today's 3fff average was 18 FPS faster, at 1301 FPS, with the Cottonelle.
The 3fff 75 grain averaged 1419 FPS that day versus the average today of 1343 FPS. A noticeable difference of 76 FPS. Not sure what that's all about. That day, the spreads were 62 and 56 on the 60 and 75 grains, respectively. Today's (yesterday's, now) were 80 and 46 with the 60 and 75 grains respectively.
The 2ff had a velocity average of 1288 FPS, today, which is 55 FPS below the 3fff average today, and 131 FPS slower than the 3fff from that day.
The 60 grain 2ff shows a charge efficiency of 21.47 FPS per Grain, versus the 3fff of today's test at 21.68 FPS per Grain; and the Charmin 3fff 60 grain at 21.38 FPS per Grain. A slight favoring to the 2ff in my particular case.
Today's 75 grain averaged 17.912 FPS per grain efficiency, compared to the Charmin 75 grain's 18.92 FPS per Grain. A slight tip in favor of the higher grain loads of Charmin.
Is there a difference in the two? If you count hairs, yes. Charmin made slightly better 75 grain loads and Cottonelle made slightly better 60 grain loads. I don't think without a chronograph, you could tell the difference. I don't think the difference in velocity spreads had much at all to do with the different charcoals. That was probably all on me. AND, they are both CLEAN.
That's it for this day, I'm off to sleep four hours and dream about the Holy Black and how to make it better.
Good luck, happy New Year and carry on!

[LAGS]

DB.
I have the same problem you had with the load pushing back up when you are loading.
It is on my .75 cal Blunderbuss that is a smooth bore.
When I push the patched ball down.
It then pushes back up about 6"
Then when I seat it the second time it pushes back up 2"
Some of the lubed fiber Over powder wads for loading buckshot do the same.
I have to be really careful so I dont have a open space over my load.
That when fired will cause a bulge in the barrel on lots of rifles.

[HWooldridge]

Got my velocity testing done today on the Cottonelle charcoal, using my Uberti Walker and round balls.

The control was my cedar charcoal powder, which I was previously pretty happy with…LOL

Cedar (75-15-10):
1056 fps, 1030 fps, 992 fps, 1076 fps, 1026 fps, 1047 fps

Cottonelle 2F (77-15-10):
1126 fps, 1122 fps, 1105 fps, 1098 fps, 1092 fps, 1092 fps

I was running low on balls so I then fired three shots of the same batch of TP charcoal in my 3F screen size. Results were: 1153 fps, 1175 fps, 1259 fps

I had only enough Goex 3F for one shot but that yielded 1173 fps.

So…my humble opinion is this stuff is a resounding success. A person could spend far more time and have much worse results using other methods than coaling a couple of rolls…

[indian joe]

[QUOTE=LAGS;5666382]DB.
I have the same problem you had with the load pushing back up when you are loading.
It is on my .75 cal Blunderbuss that is a smooth bore.
When I push the patched ball down.
It then pushes back up about 6"
Then when I seat it the second time it pushes back up 2"

Guys !! this should NOT be happening and if / when it does it is dead set dangerous --- 200psi = potential diesel ignition in the bore - doubtful Lags would generate that in a 75 cal blunderbuss but in a smaller bore its possible (6inch pushback?) I saw a blokes hand after a 38 slug gun fired part way through the loading process, slug twisted its way past the jag and about tore the meaty part of his hand to shreds - not a pretty sight at all. Still havent figured out how this happened but two choices
1) smouldering remnants down bore
2) diesel ignition from a tight fitting greased boolit and plugged nipple

so heres the lecture ....NEVER load a muzzleloader with a plugged nipple / spent cap on the nipple / hammer down ---the nipple should vent enough air through the powder charge that the load goes down and stays down - if it dont then slow the heck down with the ramrod.

this offered with the best intent - being offended is a choice .......................................

[LAGS]

My Blunderbuss is a flinter.
I am sure that the fresh powder is blocking the flash hole.
If I push the patched ball down to the bottom of the bore and hold it for a few seconds.
The ball stays down.
But if I just ram the ball down and release the pressure on the ramrod , the ball seems to walk back up.
It kinda feels like a bicycle pump sometimes.

[2TM101]

I made a batch of Cottonelle BP. Milled for 16 hours then pucked and dried before grinding. FYI, I use four screens to size my powder; 20, 30, 40 and 60 mesh. In my world, this yields 1, 2, 3 and 4 Fg grades (whatever stays on the screen is the size). 10g of 1F, 140g of 2F, 39g of 3F, 39g of 4F, 58g of dust

I use 10,20,30,50,100, which is what Skylighter gives as the correct sizes. I have a 10 screen because I get a lot of canon powder (size 2FA). You have 3F powder falling through to your 4F screen and are writing off a lot of good 4F as being dust. In my case what goes through that 100 screen looks like the same stuff I mixed up to begin with, it is truly dust.

https://www.skylighter.com/blogs/fir...des-sizes-mesh

[2TM101]

And a joke suggestion from a you tube channel changes everything. I am now using the absolute cheapest Amazon TP at 67 cents a roll.

Cut wood, strip off the bark and hold onto it for a year while it dries? Only the absolute purist will do that now.

[HWooldridge]

I use 10,20,30,50,100, which is what Skylighter gives as the correct sizes. I have a 10 screen because I get a lot of canon powder (size 2FA). You have 3F powder falling through to your 4F screen and are writing off a lot of good 4F as being dust. In my case what goes through that 100 screen looks like the same stuff I mixed up to begin with, it is truly dust.

https://www.skylighter.com/blogs/fir...des-sizes-mesh

Yes, for my purposes, the dust is what falls thru the 60 mesh - but I don’t throw it away. Just gets pucked again and reground.

I originally thought it was a joke, too - but I ain’t laughing now…it works as well as anything I’ve tested, although I will admit that I have never used Swiss BP.

[DoubleBuck]

IndianJoe;
I'm with you and from the first push on the rod (I use a wooden dowel), I had your story in mind from a couple of years ago. When it sprung back probably six inches after being pushed about 10 inches or so, my first thought was, "Wow, I've never seen that happen. Well, the next hard push, it dropped bout two inches, and then I thought it had to be locked some way. The hammer was half cock and the cap off. I was using 3fff and the only thing I can think now, is that maybe the powder had plugged the nipple. My patches were sealing well, and the barrel was warm. From the second push, I would wait as long as it took, to be able to bring it on down to the powder, and checked couple times, to make sure.
Your warning is headed, and I agree.

[DoubleBuck]

HW;
Congratulations! Those numbers look really nice, to me! I'm going to run some of 3fff in the new .44 and see if it will melt some lead. I thought when I was shooting yesterday, I wish I had time to shoot the pistol, but it's coming up, for sure. I'm really glad to see someone else having great results with the TP charcoal. I think it has enormous potential.

[HamGunner]

Good reports on the TP charcoal. Looks like we might have another move forward in BP development.

Thanks everyone, for the time an effort.

Have a great New Year everyone.

[Sandro_ventania]

I think that with tp it was easy to produce brown powder, as a light toast on the tp should be enough for the ball mill to pulverize it.

[dtknowles]

What would be in TP that toasting would improve. Why charcoal, is charcoal the best fuel for a KNO3 propellant for shooting?
Tim