My homemade Golden powder!

[Sandro_ventania]

Didn't someone mention a magic temp. of 150°F?

Well it wasn't "wet", but was thick, sticky and spreadable. Some of it solidified immediately.
I wasn't going by color as it had the charcoal in it, looked like chocolate brownie mix.
It wasn't hard as a rock, the thin spread part was easy to break. I'll try shootin some, if it's not great maybe I'll
cook it some more, or just start a new batch. Still have half a ton of vitamin C.

I'll get the hang of this yet!

If I said so, then it was 150° Celsius. (I'm used to the metric system here). Make small batches, I make test batches of only 100 grains. Also do small test batches and make just Golden powder, ascorbic acid and nitrate... that way you get the hang of it, you'll feel the texture is different and when you add other components, like iron oxide, you'll know when it's ready. .

[a.squibload]

I bet that was it, I was skimming instead of reading. The world should come to a consensus and just pick one standard,
you know, the right one, Fahrenheit!

That last batch has been in the garage since then, I'm guessing approximately zero moisture left, but the main reason
is I can't find the mortar & pestle. Last time I saw it I was storing it away somewhere, far away from the kitchen where
I kept kicking and tripping over it. Any psychics out there please let me know where I put it, I've looked everywhere.

[barrabruce]

I can't find the mortar & pestle. Last time I saw it I was storing it away somewhere, far away from the kitchen where
I kept kicking and tripping over it. Any psychics out there please let me know where I put it, I've looked everywhere.


There are only several places it will be.

Sure bet is the last place you looked when you found it.

Some were safe.

The Mystical land where the things that fall off the work bench and scurry away too.(I have a hankering that it’s hob goblems or other mythical creatures).

[Sandro_ventania]

The workbench is a strange place...things grow legs and move around!

[2TM101]

.38 Special, 125 Gr MBC round nose lead, got following results today on a ProChrono chronograph. 25 rounds used for each test

473AA is from "Shady Grady" on Gunbroker, powder discontinued sometime in the 1980's
Crimson Powder is made according to the 64/32/2/2 formula - which I have since learned is what model rocketeers use for parachute ejection charges. That's where it is actually from

5 Grains of 473AA = 860 FPS, spread 55.
1CC of Crimson Powder = 330 FPS, spread 139.
4 Grains of 473AA + 1CC of Crimson = 760 FPS, Spread 59
1.7 Grains of 473AA + 1CC of Crimson = 677, Spread 85

My Lee Perfect Powder Measure at its lowest setting throws 4 grains of 473AA which is why I started with that amount. I was getting the impression the Crimson Powder was doing nothing but making a little smoke. Crimson Powder by itself was not only giving BB gun velocity but was also throwing sparks & unburned powder. Not good.

The surprisingly useful result was that last one. I have these tiny scoops I got off amazon and with 473AA they hold 1.7 grains. I then filled the case up the rest of the way with Crimson. Not only did the velocity decrease much less than expected. but accuracy also improved. I can load over 4000 rounds from a pound of powder like this. For CAS, this is a power factor of 85, way more than required, and it feels like I'm firing a .22.

My theory is the small amount of Smokeless is generating enough pressure for the Crimson powder to actually burn effectively. which it apparently will not do in its own.

[Sandro_ventania]

I had difficulty understanding the proportions. How many grains does your crimson powder have in 1cc? Jake from the black powder channel says that putting the smokeless on top of the BP gives more speed. I also think that compression helps, so I would put the amount so that when placing the projectile, the powder is compressed. I'm still studying and trying to find improvements to this powder based on potassium nitrate and ascorbic acid... I'll share any notable news.

[2TM101]

I had difficulty understanding the proportions. How many grains does your crimson powder have in 1cc? Jake from the black powder channel says that putting the smokeless on top of the BP gives more speed. I also think that compression helps, so I would put the amount so that when placing the projectile, the powder is compressed. I'm still studying and trying to find improvements to this powder based on potassium nitrate and ascorbic acid... I'll share any notable news.

In my case I do not need more power, that is not the purpose of this load. This is for Cowboy Action Shooting and general target practice. With this weight of bullet it only needs 480 FPS. This is way more than that. It shoots accurately, clean and cheap. About a dime a round.

I don't know how much Crimson goes in the case, its whatever fits, with a very slight compression. Not much as there is smokeless in it, be it only 1.7 grains. My 473AA will last forever at this rate.

[Nobade]

Interesting results, I haven't tried duplex loading this powder yet but need to give it a try.

As a side note, I mixed up a batch of golden powder sometime last winter and have had it sitting out in a dish on the bench since then. It has gotten much darker, and I tried flashing some yesterday and it is super fast. I'll try it in guns and see what happens, maybe my idea of letting it age has some merit.

[2TM101]

Interesting results, I haven't tried duplex loading this powder yet but need to give it a try.

As a side note, I mixed up a batch of golden powder sometime last winter and have had it sitting out in a dish on the bench since then. It has gotten much darker, and I tried flashing some yesterday and it is super fast. I'll try it in guns and see what happens, maybe my idea of letting it age has some merit.

The Crimson powder I am using for this has been sitting around for months. When I opened the bottle it still showed clumps in it, but once I broke those clumps up they did not reform, it is now finally staying powder.

My determination is that this is what Crimson powder is actually useful for. It does not work well in Cartridges by itself, however it extends your smokeless powder supply a LOT. It contains no sulfur so regular smokeless powder lubed bullets are fine. It leaves a residue on the gun - but it is immediately water soluble and cleans off in seconds, taking the smokeless powder residue with it. It makes some smoke, and it has an acrid Vitamin C smell, so no indoor range, but thats the only restriction.

I intentionally wanted to load to a lower power level for Cowboy shooting. The results work. At the end of the test I was firing one handed at a silhouette target 100 yards away and hitting it 5 out of 6 times, so the accuracy is there. My objective was low cost. I can make a .38 special round for less than a dime, and 6 cents of that is the primer, which I still have to buy.

[Cyknife]

.38 Special

5 Grains of 473AA = 860 FPS, spread 55.
1CC of Crimson Powder = 330 FPS, spread 139.
4 Grains of 473AA + 1CC of Crimson = 760 FPS, Spread 59
1.7 Grains of 473AA + 1CC of Crimson = 677, Spread 85

I wonder what 1.7 g of 473 (only) would yield velocity wise. And then with golden @ 1cc?