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Thread: My homemade black powder

  1. #21
    Boolit Master



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    Wink Factories remove one ingredient that we have lots of........

    Quote Originally Posted by jmh54738 View Post
    Anyone trying to make their own black powder will have a hard time convincing me that they can make a satisfactory product by just mixing the moist ingredients together and granulating by pushing it through a coffee strainer. Real black powder is made by milling the moist ingredients in edge runner incorporating mills. A 50 pound batch is placed in the mill, the two circular runner wheels weigh from 3 to 4 tons each, and are from 4 to 7 feet in diameter. At 8 rpm, it requires 3 1/2 hours of incorporating to produce cannon grade powder. Small arms (dogwood) powder requires 5 1/2 hours of incorporation. The "soft cake" must next be converted to "hard cake" by being pressed between copper plates under hydraulic pressure. Then there is "granulation", "grading", "glazing", and "Drying". In the past many factories blew up, and they still do. John
    Great abbreviated description of the process. It's no wonder they blow up factories going to all THAT trouble.
    But, they forget to put one thing in that we have more of than they do, and it is reflected above.
    That key ingredient is................


    (wait for it)...............................


    Dumb Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I think you can KNOW too much, and cause yourself more grief- just ask the factories that involuntarily expanded operations and relocated to the other side of their property.

    Seems like if you keep it small, you'll probably be less likely to find the "Illudium Q-36 space modultor" formula before finding the mix for good BP.
    I'm going to give it a shot this summer, I hope.
    USMC 1980-1985

  2. #22
    Boolit Bub
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    I read that during the Civil War there were caves around these parts that provided not only a good hiding place but a key ingredient. Bat poop. So if a bunch of half starved rebels did it that way it ought to be taught in school or something. I'd love to know how just to say that I really know how.

  3. #23
    Boolit Buddy
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    Definitely not an indoor project, that's for sure.

    Matt

  4. #24
    Boolit Bub
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    I've wanted to try it for quite a while. Just a small amount though. Since we cast our own bullets might as well see about making the powder too. To have a successful hunt with the main components hand made by myself would be quite a fulfilling moment for me.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master




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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Smith View Post
    I read that during the Civil War there were caves around these parts that provided not only a good hiding place but a key ingredient. Bat poop. So if a bunch of half starved rebels did it that way it ought to be taught in school or something. I'd love to know how just to say that I really know how.
    people poop too

  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy
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    Ignoring the last 800 years of mechanical processing will net you "meal" powder that was made around the year 1200. Bamboo was strong enough to contain the pressures generated. Sure, start with the bat guano, or become a night soil collector, as was done during the revolution, and with a few processes you will have the Potassium Nitrate at little cost. The other ingredents are easy. Enjoy yourself, seeking knowledge and obtaining experience are a worthy goal.
    There are old blasters, and there are bold blasters, but there are no old, bold blasters.
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    Last edited by jmh54738; 01-21-2011 at 08:57 PM. Reason: removed "corned" replaced with "meal"

  7. #27
    Boolit Master

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    Mike, what kind of charcoal did you use?

    I made a couple of half-pound batches of BP 2 years ago. I still have a little of it, but I think it's disintegrated back into dust.

    I cooked my own charcoal out of white cedar (couldn't find any willow) and i milled everything dry in a rubber-drummed rock tumbler with a hundred or so .46" hard lead balls. Kneaded in a little rubbing alcohol, and pressed the resulting dough thru a kitchen sieve to granulate it. It was kind of disappointing the first time I tried it (because it was still a little damp) but a month later when it was bone dry it worked great.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master wills's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Smith View Post
    I read that during the Civil War there were caves around these parts that provided not only a good hiding place but a key ingredient. Bat poop. So if a bunch of half starved rebels did it that way it ought to be taught in school or something. I'd love to know how just to say that I really know how.
    http://books.google.com/books?id=oSO...0barns&f=false
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  9. #29
    Boolit Master

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    not hard to make but Its not as hot as you buy and you cant keep it long . you can get the stuff at drug store but you need a morter/pistel too

  10. #30
    Boolit Buddy
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    Why can't you keep it for long?

    Matt

  11. #31
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt3357 View Post
    Why can't you keep it for long?

    Matt
    You can if you corn it (press into a cake using a hydraulic press, then crush it.) Or probably if you add a binder to it, like dextrin. The stuff I made still works, it's just dusty. I could dampen it with alcohol and sieve it again and it would be good as new.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master




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    Quote Originally Posted by shotman View Post
    not hard to make but Its not as hot as you buy and you cant keep it long . you can get the stuff at drug store but you need a morter/pistel too
    Actually, a Thumber's Tumbler with a lb of .36 or better lead balls works quite well...

    You can also use an electric blender & the alcohol slurry method (with a long extension cord).

    No mortar & pestle needed.
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  13. #33
    Boolit Master nanuk's Avatar
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    there are some very good tutorials and testing on line...

    just google home made fireworks...

    some of these guys make powder that is more powerful than any commercial available... at least what is available up here.

  14. #34
    Boolit Master nanuk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jmh54738 View Post
    Anyone trying to make their own black powder will have a hard time convincing me that they can make a satisfactory product by just mixing the moist ingredients together and granulating by pushing it through a coffee strainer. Real black powder is made by milling the moist ingredients in edge runner incorporating mills. A 50 pound batch is placed in the mill, the two circular runner wheels weigh from 3 to 4 tons each, and are from 4 to 7 feet in diameter. At 8 rpm, it requires 3 1/2 hours of incorporating to produce cannon grade powder. Small arms (dogwood) powder requires 5 1/2 hours of incorporation. The "soft cake" must next be converted to "hard cake" by being pressed between copper plates under hydraulic pressure. Then there is "granulation", "grading", "glazing", and "Drying". In the past many factories blew up, and they still do. John


    You simply do NOT need all that equipment

  15. #35
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    anyone wanting to make saltpeter(potassium nitrate) take a look at the improvised munitions handbook thay even have a smokeless powder how to

    now for making it with bat pop or human waste its nasty ive done and im not going down that road any time soon

    you need the boil it down i dont recommend it

    the bat poop is not what the rebels found it was a natural saltpeter cave all thay had to do was purify it and thay had saltpeter
    Last edited by camerl2009; 01-24-2011 at 08:11 PM.

  16. #36
    Boolit Bub woodyubet's Avatar
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    This is a very interesting subject......Thanks for posting it guys.
    23 rd. Vice President of Old Farts International

  17. #37
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Where did those dumb a$$ forefathers of ours get Powder. Wally World hadn't been thought up yet. Some where back then they made their own and fed the family with it.
    If it was done then with the primative tools available, surely it can still be done today.
    What if, when the gun was invented, there was no gun powder.
    Yeah Yeah, I know, the powder came first, but somebody way back then, both invented it, and produced it.
    Was everybody back then, that much smarter than we are?????

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by mold maker View Post
    Where did those dumb a$$ forefathers of ours get Powder. Wally World hadn't been thought up yet. Some where back then they made their own and fed the family with it.
    If it was done then with the primative tools available, surely it can still be done today.
    What if, when the gun was invented, there was no gun powder.
    Yeah Yeah, I know, the powder came first, but somebody way back then, both invented it, and produced it.
    Was everybody back then, that much smarter than we are?????
    people need to think every one is in a flase sense of security when
    the stores run out and dont get restocked alot of people will die. no one and do anything for them selfs on a computer all day to have every thing thay need right there some time i wish thay would just get rid of all this **** and go back to the
    old days. wow i talk too much

    some people ask me why i shoot flintlock well its antique here no madder when it was made no one can take it from me it not registered it dont need to be.

    i can keep it working no matter what i can make powder,flints,bullets
    its the best thing i can think of for when the SHTF

  19. #39
    Boolit Master

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    why you cant keep it ?? make some and try best I can tell you. Experience is best teacher.
    as for ball mill the M/P is much cheaper Hell 2 rocks will work for most on here it will save you a buck
    from some of the posts I have seen the combine wealth of most on here couldnt be more than $2000

  20. #40
    Boolit Master




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    I just don't like grinding BP by hand. I really hate burned knuckles/eyebrows.

    OTOH, used rock tumblers are cheap and they produce a better/more consistent blending... plus you can do about a pound at a time while keeping the blending process away from your face.
    A Democrat that owns Guns is like a Vegan that owns Cats...
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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