My homemade black powder

[HWooldridge]

I made a batch of no sulfur powder, according to the formula on Bretscher’s page. Did not use the wet method, just pre-milled the nitrate and tumbled with the charcoal, using some chunks of solid copper for 10 hours. A teaspoon of the dust laid into a short line was very fast - one big, instant flash. However, it was still plenty smoky - hard to see it would be that much better on the battlefield than conventional blends.

I pucked the powder and am currently drying them. I’m definitely loading this batch into some cartridges.

Edit: The density of this batch is very close to Goex. I screened my batch into 2F and 3F combined then compared to 3F Goex. The factory powder weighed 38 grs on a nominal 40 gr volume setting, my powder weighed an average of 36.5 grs using the same measure. However, since mine was about equal amounts of 2 and 3F, I’m thinking the larger grains may have thrown a bit lighter. Regardless, it’s pretty close to the same.

[Brimstone]

If my memory is correct, Swiss doesn't graphite their powder, correct?

They do tumble their grains damp to get the "glaze". Has anyone had any successful attempts at glazing their powder by tumbling the grains damp and not using graphite?

They absolutely graphite coat and quite heavily at that. Helps slow ignition so the powder doesn't mangle long conical bullets. It is noticeably slower to ignite in flintlocks than Goex and considerably slower than my non-graphite powder.
Yes they tumble the powder while damp. I tumble mine while damp too and it significantly cuts glazing time.
I do not graphite coat, my powder doesn't have the graphitic shine of Swiss but the grains have a broken glass glitter in the sun. It sparkles as some of the surfaces take a nice polish. Something to do with nitrate.

Swiss 1.5FG. My lighting wasn't ideal so the true grey tones don't stand out as much.

My 1FG powder, favoring near the large end of 1FG really, about .050 -.080 inches (10 mesh ish) in grade. No graphite. Only lightly glazed. Maybe 2 hours rather than the usual 8-12.

Sieved and dusted but otherwise as corned from the rollers. Note the dull surfaces.

[Brimstone]

I made a batch of no sulfur powder, according to the formula on Bretscher’s page. Did not use the wet method, just pre-milled the nitrate and tumbled with the charcoal, using some chunks of solid copper for 10 hours. A teaspoon of the dust laid into a short line was very fast - one big, instant flash. However, it was still plenty smoky - hard to see it would be that much better on the battlefield than conventional blends.

I pucked the powder and am currently drying them. I’m definitely loading this batch into some cartridges.

Did you happen to notice any blue or purple tone to the burn? Wondering if the copper might have embedded itself in enough concentration to contribute a color change.

A funny afterthought, a pot of copper nuggets sounds like tweaker bait. Visualizing a tweaker leprechaun at the end of a smokey rainbow.

[HWooldridge]

Did you happen to notice any blue or purple tone to the burn? Wondering if the copper might have embedded itself in enough concentration to contribute a color change.

A funny afterthought, a pot of copper nuggets sounds like tweaker bait. Visualizing a tweaker leprechaun at the end of a smokey rainbow.

What you been smoking, Brim? Sounds like some “Purple Haze” action…LOL

I wasn’t looking for particular color but I’m going to grind the pucks today and do another small burn test. Will post results.

[HamGunner]

[QUOTE=Brimstone;5492264] I tumble mine while damp too and it significantly cuts glazing time.
I do not graphite coat, my powder doesn't have the graphitic shine of Swiss but the grains have a broken glass glitter in the sun. It sparkles as some of the surfaces take a nice polish. Something to do with nitrate.

My 1FG powder, favoring near the large end of 1FG really, about .050 -.080 inches (10 mesh ish) in grade. No graphite. Only lightly glazed. Maybe 2 hours rather than the usual 8-12.

That looks really nice.

I will try giving my next batch of the freshly screened still slightly damp powder a decent amount of polishing and hope to get it as good as yours. I have been grinding my pucks as soon as I can while still a bit damp and I like the results, so I will go ahead and polish right away as well. Waiting until they are dry did not seem to give me much of a change in their appearance or character of flow.

[HWooldridge]

I’m musing out loud here - wonder if less sulfur (as in 0-3%) would reduce the corrosive effects of the powder residue, or is the nitrate alone bad enough to damage a barrel that didn’t get cleaned immediately? I have not checked velocity on the non-sulfur powder but it sure goes bang in an authoritative way - out of a 44-40. For anyone who is only shooting cartridges, we might be able to eliminate that ingredient completely.

[LAGS]

I would think that if Sulfurless BP was as good or in any way better , the commercial manufactures would have jumped on it.
There are tons of stuff on YouTube that people are making BP different.
And things like PN with sugar, or Gun Cotton
But if you notice , they don't show or talk about using it in a ML.
I think those videos are mostly for fireworks or rocket fuel.

[HWooldridge]

I would think that if Sulfurless BP was as good or in any way better , the commercial manufactures would have jumped on it.
There are tons of stuff on YouTube that people are making BP different.
And things like PN with sugar, or Gun Cotton
But if you notice , they don't show or talk about using it in a ML.
I think those videos are mostly for fireworks or rocket fuel.

It seems a flint or caplock front loader would definitely need some sulfur, but not sure about cartridge loading. Wish I had a chrony to check this batch, oh well - maybe later this year.

[DoubleBuck]

HighUintas;
I made a pound and a half of Sassafras which I cut just as leaves were popping out, in the Spring. I think April. Lots of small sticks from pencil size to half inch. Got it finished on Wednesday evening. Went to visit family in Oklahoma for Thanksgiving and it's been raining ever since. When it dries up and gives me a nice day, I'll shoot some of the powder and test it out and give the results, if they are worth noting.
I'm waiting to see pictures of your new home made Muzzle Loader!!!! That is a very neat project, I hope comes out great for you!

[Brimstone]

Gonna be some fast moving root beer candies.

[DoubleBuck]

Gonna be some fast moving root beer candies.

Hahaha; yep, it will!

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Today I tested my brass milled corned powder vs my old screened powder with SGRS. Corned powder was quite a bit cleaner and shot 200fps faster, both loads were 70gr by weight, but the screened powder was a lot more accurate. The screened gave me a 1/2" group and the corned was closer to 4". That could be the extra speed so next time out I'll dial it back to see if I can get that accuracy back.

[indian joe]

Today I tested my brass milled corned powder vs my old screened powder with SGRS. Corned powder was quite a bit cleaner and shot 200fps faster, both loads were 70gr by weight, but the screened powder was a lot more accurate. The screened gave me a 1/2" group and the corned was closer to 4". That could be the extra speed so next time out I'll dial it back to see if I can get that accuracy back.

front loader or cartridge ???

If this is a muzzleloader with 48 twist and round ball you got it goin too fast

also old screened vs new corned ---kinda apples to oranges here - be interesting to see the difference in weighed charges from the same mill batch screened vs corned

Any time you get "quite a bit cleaner" is a win!!!

[Super Sneaky Steve]

front loader or cartridge ???

If this is a muzzleloader with 48 twist and round ball you got it goin too fast

also old screened vs new corned ---kinda apples to oranges here - be interesting to see the difference in weighed charges from the same mill batch screened vs corned

Any time you get "quite a bit cleaner" is a win!!!

I was using a 1:20 45cal inline with a Lee 459-500-3R bullet. At around 975fps it's very accurate. As speed goes up the groups start to open but I'm still generating 1062ft/lbs at that speed. The corned powder was getting me up into the high 1100 to 1200fps range. Quite a thumper on the old shoulder.

I've got the Lee 457-450 on order. As much as I love the 500gr bullet I feel like I would need a flat point to hunt with.

I was really shocked how clean the brass milled powder did. After four shots I scrubbed the barrel in 1/2 gallon of water and the water was only a little brown. You could still see the bottom of the milk jug. With the screened powder that jug would have been very black.

I did notice a brown fouling that I haven't seen before. It kinda looks like when you shoot smokeless. That brown streak around the rifling.

I'll have to do an apples to apples comparison later where I use brass milled screened vs my lead milled screened.

[DoubleBuck]

Great report, Steve! I bet that thing did thump the old shoulder! As you get it dialed in, I would be interested in your results and findings.

[LAGS]

Well so far your test showed that the corned powder density makes a difference in the velocity.
But like you said.
If the FPS is too fast for your load , just back it down a bit.

[indian joe]

I was using a 1:20 45cal inline with a Lee 459-500-3R bullet. At around 975fps it's very accurate. As speed goes up the groups start to open but I'm still generating 1062ft/lbs at that speed. The corned powder was getting me up into the high 1100 to 1200fps range. Quite a thumper on the old shoulder.

Ha! I have been messing with that LEE 500 3R for years
first boolit I found for the sharps that hauled enough lube to do the job . B C is amazing - the early versions of it weighed correct - sized correct and shot ok - it was an old mold when I got it and a bit dodgy so I ordered two of the newer double cavity when they came out - they were under weight (about 465 grain,) undersize (.453 out of the mold) and wouldnt shoot worth a hoot. I sent a letter back to the LEE people and they offered me new replacement - I declined with thanks - the return postage woulda cost me as much as I paid so I salvaged the handles - a couple years later I went again in the hope that they got the message and fixed the problem - weight was back where it should be , size was right again (.459 outa the mold) , but the cherry shape they use had changed some - that boolit is just a tad too streamlined for me - its a whisker longer I think and the bottom driving band narrower - I have three 45's all 20 twist. Shoots fine to 200 yards and on a dead calm day will stay stable out to 500 but a bit of wind (dont take much either) and it goes skewey around 400 and sideways into the board at 500 yards . Maybe a 16 twist barrel would shoot it ? I think they came real close to making a good long range boolit out of this but overdid it . I am using the LEE 459-405 HB as my main boolit for shorter range - its got nice big lube grooves - can shoot a string without wiping. I modified that one some - took a little shave off the nose to get a proper flat for the magazine guns and then made a new base plug so its a flat base (weighs 407 - 410grains) - being a nose pour mold its easy to play with so I have a second one with a taller base plug - that removes one driving band and grease groove and gets me a 335 grain boolit . My guns (Italian barrels) dont do well with "proper size" (.457 -.458") boolits


I've got the Lee 457-450 on order. As much as I love the 500gr bullet I feel like I would need a flat point to hunt with.

I was really shocked how clean the brass milled powder did. After four shots I scrubbed the barrel in 1/2 gallon of water and the water was only a little brown. You could still see the bottom of the milk jug. With the screened powder that jug would have been very black.

I did notice a brown fouling that I haven't seen before. It kinda looks like when you shoot smokeless. That brown streak around the rifling.

I get brown fouling around the lock of my muzzleloaders - I reckon its the lower temperature charcoal - also much less smoke than with commercial powder .


I'll have to do an apples to apples comparison later where I use brass milled screened vs my lead milled screened.

I was more interested in the 200FPS difference between screened and corned - I havent seen that with equal weighed charges - was expecting it but the couple of tests I did came out real close - that was in brass cases though and serious (real serious!) compression of the screened stuff to get equal weight in

I've never shot an inline - not my gig at all - never seen one except in cabellas one time. But if they take a shotgun primer and blackpowder - that would fit.

[DoubleBuck]

Hey Guys;
My wife found this stand of trees, and she thinks they are Tree Of Heaven. I had to cut the pictures by two thirds to upload them here, so I hope you can see them.
If anyone can tell that they for sure are or are not TOH, I would appreciate a kick back.
I cut some of the bark and to me, they didn't stink all that bad, but the sap is also headed down. And, they may just not be as pungent to me, as some others.
The stand is about 5 acres big and is very thickly covered with them. I know that two years ago, the whole field was brush hogged and the trees are 15 feet tall or more, and they definitely spread from the roots. I don't know about seeds, but didn't see any and the whole lot is bare of leaves.
The wood is very light, but surprisingly both pliable and stout before it breaks. When it does snap, it usually breaks completely, not half way.
Live branches have a big soft center. A couple of long dead ones looked hollow in the middle. They closely resemble Sumac.
I cut these branches and thought I would at least make a test from them. Even though I swore I was done testing, people have touted TOH for years; and many on here have reported great results.
If these are TOH, and anyone wants some, I can get all you will ever need.

[HWooldridge]

Hey Guys;
My wife found this stand of trees, and she thinks they are Tree Of Heaven. I had to cut the pictures by two thirds to upload them here, so I hope you can see them.
If anyone can tell that they for sure are or are not TOH, I would appreciate a kick back.
I cut some of the bark and to me, they didn't stink all that bad, but the sap is also headed down. And, they may just not be as pungent to me, as some others.
The stand is about 5 acres big and is very thickly covered with them. I know that two years ago, the whole field was brush hogged and the trees are 15 feet tall or more, and they definitely spread from the roots. I don't know about seeds, but didn't see any and the whole lot is bare of leaves.
The wood is very light, but surprisingly both pliable and stout before it breaks. When it does snap, it usually breaks completely, not half way.
Live branches have a big soft center. A couple of long dead ones looked hollow in the middle. They closely resemble Sumac.
I cut these branches and thought I would at least make a test from them. Even though I swore I was done testing, people have touted TOH for years; and many on here have reported great results.
If these are TOH, and anyone wants some, I can get all you will ever need.

I'm not sure I've ever seen it in the wild but they have a somewhat unique leaf structure. Could you see and leftover leaves on the ground?

[dondiego]

You mentioned sumac. Has anyone tested sumac for charcoal? I have access to it in my yard.