Home made vs GOEX vs Swiss

[waksupi]

Interesting test and comments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-V7Z1PfrbQ

[jim 44-40]

Interesting test and comments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-V7Z1PfrbQ

Interesting indeed,

[GoexBlackhorn]

Good for you Willard. Hats off & tipped at ya'....
------------------------------

I am not a rude or aggressive Bub
That was yesterday Me.

[dondiego]

Good presentation!

[HamGunner]

He found that he was not actually using "Willow" and certainly not Black Willow. He found that he was actually using what he said is locally called Desert Willow, though it is really "Chilopsis Lineari" or a plant in the Catalpa family.

It was fast, just really dirty.
I think in one of the videos he mentioned that he was likely over cooking his charcoal and has fixed that by only cooking to 600 degrees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7uteTZ8rZY

And he tried using Sodium Nitrate: Interesting for sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tdF2sj5-s

[HWooldridge]

If sodium nitrate is that sensitive to water absorption, it makes me wonder how it was used effectively in blasting applications without some type of waterproofing. Firearms were obviously exposed to bad weather but think about trying to use blasting powder for mining or military reasons. Assuming the storage barrels were moderately dry, the stuff would have turned into black pea soup and rendered unusable if water attacked that fast. I suspect the manufacturers added a component to the process which helped the hygroscopic properties.

Back in the 50’s before I was born, my dad loaded an old percussion, single barrel shotgun with some type of “blasting powder” and the gun blew up in his hands on the first shot. He told me much later that he thought the barrel was corroded and would have turned loose with regular black powder but no way to know at this point.

[freakonaleash]

As easy as black powder is to get I'm not likely to ever spend all that time making my own.

[LAGS]

You are correct that making your own powder does take a little time.
But so does reloading your own ammo.
But the making your own BP keeps alive the history of the place shooting started.
Plus the cost is way cheaper , the same as reloading modern ammo is.
Just the part of banking away knowledge is well worth it and makes you appreciate the history of what our forefathers went thru to survive.

[HamGunner]

I understand that many either do not have the time or do not want to spend all their time in such an endeavor as making their own products. Locally, Black Powder is not so readily available and has not been for some time now. It is mostly due to the Goex plant being shut down over a year ago I suppose. It should be back in production before long as Estes bought the plant and is working on getting it going again. Black Powder may be much easier to find in my area in a year or so, but for now, I do not see it as "easy to get" nor at a reasonable price for me.

Most of the large vendors online are "out of stock" and those that do have some do not have all the brands nor granulations. Small gun shops here and there might still have some old stock Black Powder, but for the most part, new stock REAL Black Powder does not seem to be readily available. I just searched online, it is becoming high dollar with prices being at a minimum $25/lb. on up to $35/lb. before shipping and hazmat fees. I can make it for close to $5/lb.

In any event, even if Black Powder was available in every gun shop in the U S A, I would still be making my own. Not because it is high priced, necessarily, and it certainly has gotten just about cost prohibitive, but I make it just because I can make it. The same with stamping out my gas checks, molding my own ball, conical, and bullets. I make my own wads, blend up my own bullet lube as well as the chemicals for both my home made percussion caps and center fire primers. I do it because I can and I enjoy doing it.

This is something that I like to do, no matter the time involved, although I am retired and that helps a whole bunch. It is a matter of time available and enjoyment of the task I suppose, but I have always enjoyed the challenge and the ability of being as self-sufficient as possible. Others, I know, are not as interested in such time consuming and tedious chores. It certainly does take a good bit of time to make one's own. But it is doable and the end product can be as good as or even better than store bought.

[dtknowles]

I am new to making my own black powder. Black Powder has not been available over the counter locally for a very long time. I switched to subs all that time but now I am making my own and learning the nuances. It is cheap and easy to make black powder but harder to make good black powder. I don't consider any of my black powder good yet, but it is good enough for plinking. No doubt it would hunt but not going to win competitions. Mostly I am just having fun.
Tim

[freakonaleash]

You can have real black powder shipped right to your door.

[steveu]

Great presentation, lots of good information for those that want to make there own.

[indian joe]

As easy as black powder is to get I'm not likely to ever spend all that time making my own.

only easy to get some places!

[indian joe]

I am new to making my own black powder. Black Powder has not been available over the counter locally for a very long time. I switched to subs all that time but now I am making my own and learning the nuances. It is cheap and easy to make black powder but harder to make good black powder. I don't consider any of my black powder good yet, but it is good enough for plinking. No doubt it would hunt but not going to win competitions. Mostly I am just having fun.
Tim

keep at it -- you can make powder that will get you results as good as anything you can buy (including swiss)

[FrankJD]

There's black powder and then there's BLACK POWDER.

Have yet to see the home made stuff work anywhere nearly as well as Swiss or any other reputable commercial flavor.

Until the Gubbermint shuts down black powder mail order, and I think they will eventually, as long as there's idiots in the US administration wheelhouse, it's the only way to go for BP purchases for most folks. Buy as much as you can afford right now and stock up, mates. Thankfully, BP is good forever, unlike that white powder crap.

[dondiego]

[QUOTE=FrankJD;5505111]There's black powder and then there's BLACK POWDER.

Have yet to see the home made stuff work anywhere nearly as well as Swiss or any other reputable commercial flavor.


You'd be wrong about that!

[FrankJD]

[QUOTE=dondiego;5505209]

There's black powder and then there's BLACK POWDER.

Have yet to see the home made stuff work anywhere nearly as well as Swiss or any other reputable commercial flavor.


You'd be wrong about that!

Happy and glad to be wrong. Show me.

[dondiego]

[QUOTE=FrankJD;5505212]

Happy and glad to be wrong. Show me.

Start by reading this thread.

[FrankJD]

[QUOTE=dondiego;5505231]

Start by reading this thread.

Not good enuf for me, sorry. If you can make the equivalent of Swiss, any granulation, show me.

[Doughty]

"show me." I thought you where from Jersey, not Missouri. Anyway, you could read the whole Sticky at the top of this forum, "My Homemade Powder" or you could skip to the last few pages. Get shown as much as you want.