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Thread: My homemade black powder

  1. #4061
    Boolit Master
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    Yep; for the tin to alloy with lead. Tin is about 24 bucks a pound now. :~(

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

  2. #4062
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    Yes.
    Tin has got more expensive.
    But remember, you are only using 2% of it to the weight of your lead.
    So one pound of tin can go a long way.
    I know.
    I bought 10lbs at 16.00a pound.
    And have 8 lb left over 8 years of casting for my center-fire cartridges.

  3. #4063
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    I'm slowly working on drying out some tree of heaven I found to compare it to the other charcoals I've tried.

    The pith on this tree of heaven wood is very large and very spongey compared to other woods.

    What's everyone's take on whether or not to cut that stuff out? I can't decide. I have cut it out on my Paulownia and sassafras, but unsure if it is necessary cleaner burning powder

  4. #4064
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    I don't remove it. I am using pieces 3 inch dia. and less.
    swamp
    There is no problem so great, that it cannot be solved by the proper application of high explosives.

  5. #4065
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    Quote Originally Posted by swamp View Post
    I don't remove it. I am using pieces 3 inch dia. and less.
    swamp
    Are you using tree of heaven? I also like to use those same diameters. I noticed the pieces that are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick have a pith that is extremely large in comparison to the wood, so I was kind of wondering if that large amount might make a difference. I think I've got enough thicker stuff than I can avoid using those pieces though.

  6. #4066
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    Yes, it is Tree of Heaven. I have a couple of 6 gal pails of peeled and cut to paint can length. Next step is to split into close size pieces and char. This is my 2nd batch of Tree of Heaven. I have 1/4 to 1/2 pail of course ground Willow on hand.
    swamp
    There is no problem so great, that it cannot be solved by the proper application of high explosives.

  7. #4067
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    Over the last month or so, I've shot a few different powders, testing ball speed, on my rifle. I came up with some pretty interesting results.
    I started with some charcoal I've been wanting to test, for a couple of years. I have a stand of Black Locust in my yard, which a tornado wiped out, a couple of years ago. It spreads by root and by seed and can be a nuisance. But, it grows astoundingly fast. One sprout grew more than 12 feet over last Spring and Summer. I used some of the sprouts, up to about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
    I was given a block of Balsa wood, by a friend, when I mentioned to him that it was supposed to make killer powder. I tried it second.
    Then, HighUintas sent me a box of Paulownia wood, to try.
    And, finally, I tried some of my Sassafras wood, which I have been using for quite some time.
    Each of these groups were with 60 grains weighed powder, and all were patched round ball, .58 caliber, 279 grain Hornady Swaged balls. I have molds, but used these, to ensure consistency. These are my results:
    Black Locust, 20 shots: 1190 fps average; deviation 31 fps.
    Balsa, 20 shots: 1345 fps average; deviation 40 fps.
    Sassafras, 41 shots (two days): 1359 fps average; deviation 33 fps.
    Paulownia, 41 shots 1320 fps average; deviation 45 fps
    Paulownia, 11 shots different day, 1289 fps average; deviation 38 fps

    So, from the different days, with different powder, it seems that atmospheric conditions may play a pretty big role on how speed is affected. A difference of over 30 fps, with the same powder, in this case.
    I have four more powders I want to test, which are Black Willow, Pee Hole Willow, if you get my drift; and Weeping Willow. The last one is a secret, for now. haha. I think it is going to blow them all away. But, we'll see.
    It's been a good month for shooting!

  8. #4068
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    Well done DoubleBuck!
    I have added a gas burner ring to my Weber kettle to cook my soup pot of willow that is waiting to go. I have in stock two shopping bags of paulownia and two of willow all sawn to length for the pot.
    My homemade tumbler is bothering me; too many leaks. I made 150mm x 150mm drums from plastic sewer pipe and a i5omm inspection cover, because I cannot get a 150-100mm stepdown like the examples we see on the web. The inspection cover has given so much grief trying to seal it.
    And the darn $20 tumble dryer has a spider I made, to hold the 150mm drum inside it. Doesnt' hold it tight, so my lashings come undone and its all very frustrating.
    My sand-filled resin pistons for corning has failed - at 30% resin vol to 100% sand (assuming 30% pore space) the corners have not come out sharp enough. Lots of drawing board time.

    However, my powder is working!

  9. #4069
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisPer View Post
    Well done DoubleBuck!
    I have added a gas burner ring to my Weber kettle to cook my soup pot of willow that is waiting to go. I have in stock two shopping bags of paulownia and two of willow all sawn to length for the pot.
    My homemade tumbler is bothering me; too many leaks. I made 150mm x 150mm drums from plastic sewer pipe and a i5omm inspection cover, because I cannot get a 150-100mm stepdown like the examples we see on the web. The inspection cover has given so much grief trying to seal it.
    And the darn $20 tumble dryer has a spider I made, to hold the 150mm drum inside it. Doesnt' hold it tight, so my lashings come undone and its all very frustrating.
    My sand-filled resin pistons for corning has failed - at 30% resin vol to 100% sand (assuming 30% pore space) the corners have not come out sharp enough. Lots of drawing board time.

    However, my powder is working!
    I had no trouble finding the 150 x 100 stepdown but they are bare both ends - I glued in a threaded collar so I could use a 100mm screw on cap - then I had troubles with powder clumping in the 100mm recess so I turned a piece of willow to fill in the stepdown neck and block it flush with the inside of the drum - also keeps the rotating mass of powder and tumble media away from the screw cap - nuther thing to watch is that you have your tumble drum rotating into the thread not away from it. My drum body is 150mm (6") x 200mm (8") just takes a kilo of meal at a fill. Plus have made another 6 x 10".

  10. #4070
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    ChrisPer;
    That is the important thing, that your powder is working. The other frustrations will work out, because you know what you're looking for. Good luck with them, you'll get it figured out. Thanks!

  11. #4071
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    I have a question for anyone who can answer it.
    The pic on the left is the target at 77 yards, measured. Ten shots, 60 grains powder, .58 cal. PRB. The pic on right is the same rifle, powder, PRB, at 99 yards, measured. Ten shots. Two missed the entire target. 22 yards should not make that much difference. Yet it does, and pretty much every time. Any suggestions?

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  12. #4072
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    Quote Originally Posted by DoubleBuck View Post
    I have a question for anyone who can answer it.
    The pic on the left is the target at 77 yards, measured. Ten shots, 60 grains powder, .58 cal. PRB. The pic on right is the same rifle, powder, PRB, at 99 yards, measured. Ten shots. Two missed the entire target. 22 yards should not make that much difference. Yet it does, and pretty much every time. Any suggestions?

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    needs more powder !

    60 grains is a pretty soft load for a 58

    I would try 85 or 90 grains
    but ....needs a slow twist to support that (1:66 or slower )

  13. #4073
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    Quote Originally Posted by DoubleBuck View Post
    I have a question for anyone who can answer it.
    The pic on the left is the target at 77 yards, measured. Ten shots, 60 grains powder, .58 cal. PRB. The pic on right is the same rifle, powder, PRB, at 99 yards, measured. Ten shots. Two missed the entire target. 22 yards should not make that much difference. Yet it does, and pretty much every time. Any suggestions?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Agree with more powder!
    I have this trouble too. Just got a Tryon .54 for Class 2 Traditional Rifle, which we shoot PRB at 50m and 100m. Relatively few people get tight groups at 100m with PRB even under competition conditions.
    The successful ones do use a hotter charge, as well as being the disciplined consistent shooters who control all their variables and practice to keep their edge.
    I believe that the variance you show from 77yards to 99 yards illustrates our problem beautifully. It is a compounding of all the possible instabilities, so variance gets completely of hand. Possibly hyperbolic. Rifling imparts spin, spin reduces the effect of ball and axial variance, velocity sets the rpm of spin and how long the spin prevents the ball acting as wild as a musket ball. More powder, more spin. slightly further stable distance.
    Add to this possible variance in the balls and patches that spin is overcoming. Improving the ball consistency helps too, if there is any that can be controlled.
    Last edited by ChrisPer; 07-06-2021 at 11:31 PM.

  14. #4074
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    I had no trouble finding the 150 x 100 stepdown but they are bare both ends - I glued in a threaded collar so I could use a 100mm screw on cap - then I had troubles with powder clumping in the 100mm recess so I turned a piece of willow to fill in the stepdown neck and block it flush with the inside of the drum - also keeps the rotating mass of powder and tumble media away from the screw cap - nuther thing to watch is that you have your tumble drum rotating into the thread not away from it. My drum body is 150mm (6") x 200mm (8") just takes a kilo of meal at a fill. Plus have made another 6 x 10".
    Very interesting!
    I rewired my tumble dryer and the 'warm cold hot' switch does 'clockwise off anti-clockwise'. I set it going the wrong way and the lid came unscrewed and the fan blew the entire charge all through my workshop. Every near-flat surface a potential kaboom. Left it alone awhile, then brushed and vacuumed with great circumspection.

    I am going to try an unglued 150mm end cap on the 150mm drum, and tape it with cloth-back tape. Set up a lever base for pulling it off.

    I had clumping in my first few runs, and drying the charge really well before weighing and milling eliminated most of it. Your turned block between the cap and the 150 dia drum interior is excellent thinking.
    Last edited by ChrisPer; 07-08-2021 at 10:29 PM.

  15. #4075
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    [QUOTE=ChrisPer;5221111]Agree with more powder!
    I have this trouble too. Just got a Tryon .54 for Class 2 Traditional Rifle, which we shoot PRB at 50m and 100m. Relatively few people get tight groups at 100m with PRB even under competition conditions.
    The successful ones do use a hotter charge, as well as being the disciplined consistent shooters who control all their variables and practice to keep their edge.

    When I was shooting competition seriously I ran a 50cal flinter on 75 grains FFFg for 100yards
    also had a 54cal cap gun that got 120 grains of FFg (that was a bit of a hero load but it shot real good) that one needed a backer patch on the powder else it would burn patches - a card wad proly woulda been better - cut the load back to 100grains it still shot pretty good.
    Both those guns would stay around 2.5 inches for ten shots @ 100yards (off a rest of course) - cant see open sights good enough to do that these days
    I load careful and consistent at every step ..................

  16. #4076
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    Wow THAT is a tight group!
    My eyes are not so good either; I am using reading glasses with a 1/2" piece of black electrical tape pierced with a 2mm aperture, on my glasses. The 2mm aperture turns the eye almost into a pinhole camera - focus at any distance. NOW I can see the sights well.
    I used to cut a square hole with a sharp knife, then I realised that at last, here is a use for the smallest hole maker in the rotary leather punch. Who knew it could be useful?

  17. #4077
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisPer View Post
    Wow THAT is a tight group!
    My eyes are not so good either; I am using reading glasses with a 1/2" piece of black electrical tape pierced with a 2mm aperture, on my glasses. The 2mm aperture turns the eye almost into a pinhole camera - focus at any distance. NOW I can see the sights well.
    I used to cut a square hole with a sharp knife, then I realised that at last, here is a use for the smallest hole maker in the rotary leather punch. Who knew it could be useful?
    thank you - have been going to investigate that idea .......................

  18. #4078
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    needs more powder !

    60 grains is a pretty soft load for a 58

    I would try 85 or 90 grains
    but ....needs a slow twist to support that (1:66 or slower )
    Thanks, Joe! Those pictures came from two days ago. I posted them yesterday, right before I weighed up some more loads and decided to try going a little heavier with it. I only went 65 grains, but on 20 shots, it did tighten up somewhat. I'll load a couple more and keep increasing the powder and see where it leads. I didn't think just more powder would do it, but it definitely helped. My rifle's factory specs call for "60 grain maximum" I have shot 70 in it a couple of times, but didn't want to get too carried away. I may close my eyes and hold my nose, and try to see what '85 or 90 grains' is gonna feel like on my 68 year old shoulder. haha. This could be interesting....

  19. #4079
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    ChrisPer; that is a good idea! I bought an extra rear sight for my rifle and am thinking of making a peep sight out of it. I know it's not traditional, but neither am I. I have a six hundred yard target, and several guys have shot at it. But, the best consistent shots on it have been made with my M1 Garands. They are hard to beat, with iron sights. They will both shoot right with my 30:06, with a 4X12 Nikon BDC scope. Of course, neither the rifle, nor the scope, nor I, for that matter, are competition grade, and one of my M1's is. If ammunition ever get's back to a reasonable normal price, I'm going to pull out the artillery again, and scratch this itch...
    Man, it sounds like you're having troubles, with your tumbler! Maybe you need to get off your tight wad, and go to Harbor Freight! Spend that 50 bucks! haha Seriously, I hope you get it figured out. Powder messes take a minute to clean up.
    Last edited by DoubleBuck; 07-07-2021 at 12:57 PM.

  20. #4080
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    Fantastic DoubleBuck!
    My tumbler is my own fault, inventing an idea and whining not just changing it to make it better when it doesn't work right. I might actually do something.

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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