My homemade black powder

[LAGS]

I agree with Vettepilot that screened powder is faster to make and you can kind of control the grainage easily.
Yes ,
The weight or density per volume is lower.
But the powder shoots great if shot by weight not Volume.
That higher volume of powder works good except in some revolvers.
The question is.
Do you want to make powder By volume so you can shoot more and more quickly between batches.
Or do you want to spend lots of time pressing and grinding batches to get powder that Kinda is like factory stuff but is still a little lower on weight to volume.
I do powder both ways.
And so far I shoot more of the screened stuff in my rifles , just because it is faster to make new batches.
Now as far as the use of Alcohol.
I never use it except in some batches where I feel I got the powder too wet and adding a little alcohol helps it dry out just a little faster.

[HamGunner]

So can you tell me if you use the alcohol and screen like I do or what process do you like to use THX in advance for all replies

I mostly will be using my BP for a revolver, so I want it to be as dense as I can make it in order to get as much energy out of the limited space in the cylinder. Screened powder is less dense and more fragile than pressed or (corned) powder. Corned is better for my use in such a case as revolvers like my 1851 Navy or in cartridges, which in both examples there is limited space for powder. In the example of muzzle loaders, where more volume can be used, then the screened powder with less density can be compensated by just using more volume until you get the desired weight and velocity for your pet load.

Corned powder is not only more dense, it is also much harder and therefore is less likely to be reduced back into smaller particles or back to the original form of meal than just screened powder. Screened powder must be carefully handled to prevent the granules returning back to the original form.

Both work well, but with the screened powder needing more volume to equal the same weight and power as the corned powder.

EDIT: Sorry, I was typing while Lags already had the answer posted. I am a slow typist.

[LAGS]

@Hamgunner.
I doubled my typing speed in one move.
I started using Two Fingers instead of just one.
Yes.
Corned powder would be better for your type of shooting.
The Durability of screened powder can be made a little better , depending on the Binder you use.
But the durability will never be as good as Corned.
But make screened powder.
Shoot it up quickly.
And the durability factor doesn't matter.
But for Stored Powder , I will go with Corned.

[Richard66]

I agree with Vettepilot that screened powder is faster to make and you can kind of control the grainage easily.
Yes ,
The weight or density per volume is lower.
But the powder shoots great if shot by weight not Volume.
That higher volume of powder works good except in some revolvers.
The question is.
Do you want to make powder By volume so you can shoot more and more quickly between batches.
Or do you want to spend lots of time pressing and grinding batches to get powder that Kinda is like factory stuff but is still a little lower on weight to volume.
I do powder both ways.
And so far I shoot more of the screened stuff in my rifles , just because it is faster to make new batches.
Now as far as the use of Alcohol.
I never use it except in some batches where I feel I got the powder too wet and adding a little alcohol helps it dry out just a little faster.

So for screened do you wet it with water or what

[LAGS]

It depends on the Binder I use.
With water based binders ,like Dextrin I use water.
But things like Red Gum , you have to use Alcohol

[Richard66]

It depends on the Binder I use.
With water based binders ,like Dextrin I use water.
But things like Red Gum , you have to use Alcohol

I am confused I only use the black powder and alcohol should I be doing different

[super6]

http://www.passfire.com/Articles/Fre..._id=115&page=1

Take a look at this.

[Vettepilot]

I am new to making powder .So I am trying to learn. My attempts so far were to ball mill then mix with alcohol into a ball and screen and my powder worked great but as you said I had to use more which I am OK with .Then I started reading about pressing into pucks so I did that and bought a ceramic coffee grinder and tried that to see if I could do a better job but with all the screening and regrinding and screening again I don't know if it is worth all the extra time . So can you tell me if you use the alcohol and screen like I do or what process do you like to use THX in advance for all replies

Actually, I do both methods. It depends on what you want. If you don't need the higher density that pressed powder provides, then why do the extra work? There's nothing "wrong" with screened powder...

When making screened powder, I use rice starch as a binder, and my grains are extremely hard and durable. Right or wrong, I use 50/50 water and alcohol in all my mixes.

Lags has it right; the liquid you should use depends upon which binder you are using. Water with dextrin or rice starch, alcohol for the various gums, etc....

Vettepilot

[Brimstone]

Super6, I built one. If you're making pre-Congreve, low density musket powders, this machine speeds the process by a huge margin. I do not trust the falling billiards balls, they catch a lot of velocity and impact each other with enough force to make me nervous. Take a look at impact tests of sheets of paper between similar size balls. It just screams impact ignition. Looking back I should have spent the money on a gang mill drive and extra Rebel drums.

Also doesn't work very well with hard pressed pucks, doesn't mean it doesn't work, just really slow and some chunks of puck will not break down at all.

I re-purposed the drive unit into a drive for my Rebel 17.

Just my penny.

[Richard66]

Actually, I do both methods. It depends on what you want. If you don't need the higher density that pressed powder provides, then why do the extra work? There's nothing "wrong" with screened powder...

When making screened powder, I use rice starch as a binder, and my grains are extremely hard and durable. Right or wrong, I use 50/50 water and alcohol in all my mixes.

Lags has it right; the liquid you should use depends upon which binder you are using. Water with dextrin or rice starch, alcohol for the various gums, etc....

Vettepilot

The 50/50 mix sounds good to save some alcohol but how much rice starch do you mix and is it mixed with the 50/50 mix or when milling the powder

[DoubleBuck]

Richard66;
Lots of guys have used binders on their screened powder, to harden the grains and keep it from turning to dust. Personally, I have only used 2% Dextrin, but until last week, it was the fastest (bullet speed) powder I have ever made. I have only corned my powder since.
For years I used 50% water and 50% of 96% Isopropyl alcohol. I thought it helped it to dry quicker. After taking heat for using alcohol in this manner, I did some tests and concluded that for my use, water is just as good for dampening, and I could not tell a substantial difference in the dry times. So, for the last 2 years? I have just stuck with water. Some have said alcohol makes the grains softer, and that may be the case, though I cannot say. And, as others have said about the gum binders, you have to use alcohol. If I was still screening powder, I would still use the 50/50 alcohol mix. For no particular reason. Just because.
If you have soft grained powder, and it becomes a nuisance, try a binder. They work, and can slow powder down to an extent, but also seem to help uniformity. Dextrin is cheap and you can make homemade from corn starch, by baking or slow heating it by skillet until it turns yellow-brown. Go easy, because more than 2% can start to really affect burn rates. I've never tried the gum style binders. But have read they work well. Good luck with your powder, and keep us posted on your results!
I was typing when you posted. Mix the binder (dextrin) when you finish milling, or when you add the water the first time.

[Richard66]

Richard66;
Lots of guys have used binders on their screened powder, to harden the grains and keep it from turning to dust. Personally, I have only used 2% Dextrin, but until last week, it was the fastest (bullet speed) powder I have ever made. I have only corned my powder since.
For years I used 50% water and 50% of 96% Isopropyl alcohol. I thought it helped it to dry quicker. After taking heat for using alcohol in this manner, I did some tests and concluded that for my use, water is just as good for dampening, and I could not tell a substantial difference in the dry times. So, for the last 2 years? I have just stuck with water. Some have said alcohol makes the grains softer, and that may be the case, though I cannot say. And, as others have said about the gum binders, you have to use alcohol. If I was still screening powder, I would still use the 50/50 alcohol mix. For no particular reason. Just because.
If you have soft grained powder, and it becomes a nuisance, try a binder. They work, and can slow powder down to an extent, but also seem to help uniformity. Dextrin is cheap and you can make homemade from corn starch, by baking or slow heating it by skillet until it turns yellow-brown. Go easy, because more than 2% can start to really affect burn rates. I've never tried the gum style binders. But have read they work well. Good luck with your powder, and keep us posted on your results!
I was typing when you posted. Mix the binder (dextrin) when you finish milling, or when you add the water the first time.

THX for the help I will try adding Dextrin now one more thing do you use 2% by weight I think that is correct but want to be sure Also I am not really having a problem with my powder but just want to try and make the best I can if I am making it I want it to be the best I can make

[indian joe]

I mostly will be using my BP for a revolver, so I want it to be as dense as I can make it in order to get as much energy out of the limited space in the cylinder. Screened powder is less dense and more fragile than pressed or (corned) powder. Corned is better for my use in such a case as revolvers like my 1851 Navy or in cartridges, which in both examples there is limited space for powder. In the example of muzzle loaders, where more volume can be used, then the screened powder with less density can be compensated by just using more volume until you get the desired weight and velocity for your pet load.

Corned powder is not only more dense, it is also much harder and therefore is less likely to be reduced back into smaller particles or back to the original form of meal than just screened powder. Screened powder must be carefully handled to prevent the granules returning back to the original form.

Both work well, but with the screened powder needing more volume to equal the same weight and power as the corned powder.

EDIT: Sorry, I was typing while Lags already had the answer posted. I am a slow typist.

We use screened in our cap guns - fill the chamber flush to the top, squish it down with the load lever, ball and lube and good to go. my .36 pocket model takes 24 grains weighed, loading that way, plenty for that lil gun!
Just opened a can of screened made mid 2018 (with 2% corn Dextrin) still has good grain structure and shoots as good as the day it was made. Dry powder in airtight container and dont bash it around.
Like Lags - do screened and pucks - but dont use alcohol at all - been there - didnt like it - soft grains - powder had a bit more kick initially but deteriorated over a few months - could smell metho fumes coming out of it - never use it again...............
Gotta do thorough thorough mixing of water into the meal for pucks

[LAGS]

To mix the water better into the powder to make pucks.
I dampen it with a spray bottle of water.
Mix it till it all seems damp and not Air Fly but not Mud.
Then I press the very lightly dampened powder Thru a screen.
And maybe screen it twice.
Then take that screened stuff and press it into pucks.

[DoubleBuck]

THX for the help I will try adding Dextrin now one more thing do you use 2% by weight I think that is correct but want to be sure Also I am not really having a problem with my powder but just want to try and make the best I can if I am making it I want it to be the best I can make

Yes, by weight.
Richard that was the quick answer, but I edited this post to tell you... Almost any time you will see an ingredient listed as a percent, it will be by weight. Very seldom, but once in a while, you will see a post of ingredients by 'Part'. Say, '75 parts Nitrate, 15 parts Charcoal and 10 parts Sulfur', but that is very seldom and it still comes down to weight. All the ingredients can be expressed in percentages of weight of the total. Including the water, if you choose. It weighs 1 gram per CC or 1 gram per ML and 28.4 grams per Ounce.
This can and has been confusing to some, when converting a given weight of powder, to a set volume measure. 100 weighed grains of most commercial powder will measure very close to a common 100 grain volumetric measure. While 100 grains by weight, of most of our homemade, will fall a bit short of that full 100 grain volume. Where that shortfall takes place is debatable. The primary reason is lighter density pucks, and possibly a difference in polishing, or grain sizes, or even graphite coating, as some have experimented. It may be to a lesser extent due to more dense wood/charcoal, or charcoal cooked at lower temperatures, retaining a higher amount of volatiles.
Your screened powder may only weigh from 65-80% for a given volumetric measure.
I hope I didn't get carried away with the explanation, but yours is not the first time the question has been posed. It can be confusing when your ingredients add up to 100% (i.e.; 75-15-10), but then someone tells you to add 2% of a binder. That just means 2% of the total powder weight.

[mmb617]

I started making corned powder and that's all I've ever made. Maybe I have more time on my hands than some of you but I just don't think it takes that long once you get a system in place. I haven't actually timed the steps but I can make some guesses that are probably close. The way I see it there are three steps to actually making the powder, done on different days.

First I weigh out the ingredients and load up the tumblers which are on timers so once they start I'm done with that step. I'd say it takes less than 15 minutes to load both tumblers.

The next day I press the pucks and place them in the dehydrator. I usually have 25-26 pucks and press 5 at a time. I'd say an hour and a half is a generous estimate of the time required here. I then run the dehydrator for 72 hours.

Breaking, grinding and screening the pucks after drying goes pretty fast. I did watch the time doing this and right about an hour is enough to do a batch.

That's a total of under 3 hours to end up with just over a pound of usable powder. This is a hobby after all so I don't consider that to be an excessive time investment. But then I'm not counting the time spent making charcoal so that's a consideration as well.

I don't know about the rest of you but I don't consider it work I do in order to shoot but rather as another enjoyable part of the whole shooting hobby.

[Richard66]

The more I read more questions INDIAN JOE said corn dextrin I have Equate dextrin that only says dextrin as the only ingredient does this work ok or is corn dextrin different

[LAGS]

I think Corn Dextrin is just made from Corn Starch.
That is what I toast up and use in my screened powder , with water

[Richard66]

I think Corn Dextrin is just made from Corn Starch.
That is what I toast up and use in my screened powder , with water

OK here we go again how to you toast up aka what's that mean do you just heat it to make sure its dry

[super6]

Super6, I built one. If you're making pre-Congreve, low density musket powders, this machine speeds the process by a huge margin. I do not trust the falling billiards balls, they catch a lot of velocity and impact each other with enough force to make me nervous. Take a look at impact tests of sheets of paper between similar size balls. It just screams impact ignition. Looking back I should have spent the money on a gang mill drive and extra Rebel drums.

Also doesn't work very well with hard pressed pucks, doesn't mean it doesn't work, just really slow and some chunks of puck will not break down at all.

I re-purposed the drive unit into a drive for my Rebel 17.

Just my penny.

I first built mine to specs and was disappointed Than changed to a 20" drum, 1/2 inch pucks @ 1.7 and 20 minutes later all was corned. As far as impact ignition, Never happened, As with all things bp remote.