Homemade black powder

[longbow]

I have made black powder successfully and still have all my digits and eyes.

It certainly wasn't as good as store bought black powder but I also didn't mill it or corn it. I just crushed and mixed in small quantities. I used to use it in home made cannons and no they didn't blow up either.

As mentioned, there are many things around us that are dangerous and so have to be handled with care. I am not recommending that people go out and make black powder especially if they do not have any idea what they are doing. Information is available though and it can be done safely ~ though likely not legally!

There are lots of things around most people's houses that are as dangerous or even more so than black powder or other propellants:

- natural gas ~ has been a source of fire and explosion but is piped directly into many homes
- propane ~ how many have a 20 or 40 lb. bottle of propane on their deck or patio? Even worse in their basement? How many have a propane torch with bottle in the basement? What if it leaks? How many have a trailer or camper with propane fridge and stove? I put out one propane fire that burned a trailer to the ground and I know a fellow that was blown out of his camper by a propane explosion. This is dangerous stuff!
- naptha ~ usually stored in basement or garage
- that 5 gal. can of gas in your garage for the boat or lawn mower
- how many have a beer or other alcoholic drink going while they reload?

Be smart, be careful, educate yourself and most of all, play safe!

Longbow

[muffinman]

Thats right Delmar, I have not made any so you can put me on your list. Since I have not made any I wasn't going to tell you how unsafe it was or call any who wanted to try it idiots. Wasn't trying to give you a hard time.Just wanted to see responses from people who have actually made it so I could learn to. It seems anymore a guy asks a question and gets all kinds of advice from people telling him what to or not to do when they havn't done it themselves.

[shotman]

well I made some today and I was going to te-- BOOM

[Mtman314]

Hmmm....does Foxfire 5 talk about IDIOTS with no commonsense??

Just wondering!!

No actually it talks about a gent who makes and uses is own powder for his smokepole and he has done so for years, along with chipping his own rifle flints. I know he says to use stale urine to give it a extra bit of punch.

I haven't had a powder shortage yet to worry about making it. I won't rule it out though.

[delmar]

Take a run over to the Homegunsmith forum. Register, log in, and find the Blackpowder sub-forum. Set the preferences to "from the beginning" and find the 20 plus page thread on home-made powder there.

http://www.homegunsmith.com/cgi-bin/...;f=101;t=20596

Thanks a lot Trev! That is an excellent thread with just the kind of info I was looking for! It is not exactly the lightest of reading but reading that thread top to bottom will help me to know if there is anything there I want to try. I didn't have to log in to see the thread, by the way. I am already a member of to many forums to keep up with all of them.

[delmar]

Thats right Delmar, I have not made any so you can put me on your list. Since I have not made any I wasn't going to tell you how unsafe it was or call any who wanted to try it idiots. Wasn't trying to give you a hard time.Just wanted to see responses from people who have actually made it so I could learn to. It seems anymore a guy asks a question and gets all kinds of advice from people telling him what to or not to do when they havn't done it themselves.

In that case welcome aboard brother. We'll talk through this thing, have a little fun, maybe even learn a thing or two

[delmar]

As mentioned, there are many things around us that are dangerous and so have to be handled with care. I am not recommending that people go out and make black powder especially if they do not have any idea what they are doing. Information is available though and it can be done safely ~ though likely not legally!

Thank you for that reminder Long Bow! I just put the word out on the Indiana gun owners forum, and if I am even considering doing something illegal, those guys will let me know. Probably even link to the section of Indiana law that explains what I can't do!

[Marvin S]

Used to make some when I was a about 12 to 15 years old, just went to the local drug store and bought the ingredients. I think it was MeKesson brand or something like that. It worked ok for home made stuff. Don't really think there is a black powder substitute as none of the phony crap will work in a flint gun. Still make my own flint's though.

[Old Ironsights]

(A) it's not hard to make "black bowder"
(B) it IS somewhat more difficult to make GOOD BP.
(C) it is theoretically "illegal" to make EITHER... just ask the BATFE...

That said, it used to be mandatory in several countries for anyone with a Farm to lay in Nitre Beds... and was actively promoted as a "Patriotic Thing" in the US...

[WildmanJack]

Back about a hundred and twenty years ago, I recon I was about 9 or 10 yrs. old. I got a Gilbert Chemistry set for Christmas. I mixed some sulfur, some salt peter, and some powdered charcoal together in a bowl. If I recall, the little book that came with the set had the ingredients listed. Well I mixed it all up and took it outside. Lit it offf and man did I catch h#ll.. The cloud of smoke blew straight into the house and my folks were not very pleased. I think my dad took the sulfur away and that ended my black powder makin days.. Never realized how dangerous that was tilll I grew up.. Just my 2 cents...
Jack

[shooter575]

Do a web search for the pyrotechnics sites. Lots of good info there. There is a group of semi professionals around that have the knowledge and all of their fingers.
BTW I have made it before. Back in the 60s. Me and a buddy had a couple batches that were real close to the old Dupont ff in power.Left very little ash. We used regular old saltpeter from the farm supply store. Sulfur from a hobby shop and homemade charcoal. The carbon is the trick. A ball mill would be the ticket nowdays,back then I had no clue what one was.

[Jim]

Jim,... When shooters go around spreading false hoods about something in our sport it hurts us all..... All it takes is some one who says..... that stuff is so dangerous I won't keep it in my house. Next thing you know we have a rumor. .... and ruin them like you do. .....

Spreading falsehoods? Show me the evidence. I said nothing false.

I never said anything using the word "dangerous". Furthermore, you need to be a bit more careful how you quote me. Read my post again CAREFULLY.

I said nothing that is factually unfounded, therefore there is nothing rumorous about it. I didn't ruin anyone.

[delmar]

Spreading falsehoods? Show me the evidence. I said nothing false.

I never said anything using the word "dangerous". Furthermore, you need to be a bit more careful how you quote me. Read my post again CAREFULLY.

I said nothing that is factually unfounded, therefore there is nothing rumorous about it. I didn't ruin anyone.

You are a cautious fellow and I appreciate that.

[lavenatti]

There is a wealth of information here on making black powder:

http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/

There is also a lot of information on the types of charcoal suitable for making a decent batch of BP. Seems the charcoal makes all the difference so be prepared to cook up your own charcoal if you plan on making your own black powder.

[psj12]

I remember reading the South had better black powder in the civil war because they used willow for the charcoal. Additionally Stump Remover is saltpeter.

[76 WARLOCK]

I made a lot of it 50 years ago when I was 17 never had a problem just use common sense.

[wallenba]

Do you think our ancestors went to WalMart and bought their powder in a plastic bottle????
It's been a couple centuries since the first black powder was made. Were they really that much smarter then?
No I haven't done it,,, yet,,, but I intend to try. I've been studying, what to use, and how, for over a year. There's no black magic involved.
I've made mistakes and had failures, but they were very well thought out and calculated. There was always a safety margin involved, and Yes I too still have all my fingers and eyes.

Ancient Chinese recipe; collect several hundred gallons of urine, let stand until it becomes ammoniated. Stir in pig manure and allow bacteria digesters to consume ammonia and excrete nitrates. Strain off solids, boil until all liquid is gone, collect potassium nitrates. Climb volcano, collect sulphur, burn hardwoods underground, collect carbons. Instruct peasants to mix ingredients in proper proportions, pay survivors for their efforts.

[Old Ironsights]

Sigh....

OK... remembering that the Statute of Limitations has long ago passed...

IMO there are 2 biggest "failings" of most attempts at homebrew:

Bad Charcoal & Poor Mixing.

The Charcoal issue is bessed addressed using the gassification method defined at Ulrich's site, www.musketeer.ch

Now, to Mixing.

Black is not actually a true "substance", but a homoginized mixture. The better/closer the mixture, the better the powder.

You can see this by simply comparing the burn characteristics of equivelent volumes of a simple "ziploc-shake" combining the dry components, combining with a non-sparking mortar & pestle, and a commercial flat/ball-mill.

In all cases, the safety factor is moderated by the volume of production.

Ball Mill mixing can be roughly duplicated at home using a "thumbler's tumbler", rubber lapidary tumbler or equivelent and some 54+cal lead musket balls.

Load the Balls, your components (no more than 1lb worth) and enough ethanol to the mix to make a slurry, seal and turn the thing on... by remote. Let it run for as long as you can get away with, adding alcohol every now and again to keep the slurry a wet (just beyond muddy-damp) mess.

Another way, not as good as the ball method, but easier to cobble together on the cheap, is to use a Good Will kitchen blender - WITHOUT THE LEAD BALLS -

Same principle applies. 1lb net components + alcohol & a LONG extention cord. (wrap the glass blender pitcher in a couple-4 layers of electrical tape... don't ask...)

Again, let it run on "mix" for as long as practical. Keep the slurry a wet mess and it shouldn't blow up.

After that, it's all a matter of drying the slurry to a "dryish mud-ball" consistency (playdoh?) and corning the stuff with an appropriately sized brass screen, then letting it finish drying in the sun somewhere out of more than a gentle (non dust-lifting) breeze...

[yotatrd4x4]

Wow it seems all of us who want to try to make our own blackpowder or primers and such must all be the spawn of satin and retards in the same. I am pretty sure my ancestors made their own powder and I would say who knows if you had a bunch of people who all were afraid to do something then where would inventions come from? I guess since a boat can sink you shouldnt ever try and build one cause it might sink. I dont see why everyone is so afraid of black powder? Hell when I was a kid my dad used to make homemade m80's with homemade black powder. Oh by the way I have all my teeth, fingers, and I gradumakated high school and now am Serving in the Air Force but I am from The Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina and US inbreds as most would say pride ourselves at being able to live off the land. I say if you have the knowledge and sense to do something safely then do it. The Army has a manual that shows how to repack a used primer using a vise and a punch and 3 match heads. It also shows how to make homemade, guns, mines, etc. Some of them are not so safe but 1 pound of black powder since most of you probably dont know if you were sitting in front of it in a open enviroment and it exploded, Oh yeah if its not compressed then all it does is make a big flash and smoke cloud. I think if you are not able to make homemade black powder you should not be reloading either what if your smokeless powder in your powder dispenser catches fire and then all your ammo blows up. Well maybe if you would be careful and take precautions as to not blow yourself up then it will be fine. anyway I am not trying to be rude or hurt anyones feelings because I know in todays society it is against the law to hurt someones feelings. I say make your own black powder, shoot it and have fun with it. Be safe and careful and for God's sake all who think its awful and wrong then dont reply to the thread and dont bash one's who do. Please just say yes I have made my own powder or No I havent. On that note I have never made my own black powder but soon as I get to Alaska I am gonna try it out.

[windrider919]

This is a copy of another thread in this forum but because everyone is focused on traditional BP you are missing modern chemistry. So:

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Actually, for BPCR I make non-corrosive BP substitute using either vitamin C (ascorbic acid powder) or powdered confectioners sugar and potasium nitrate. You don't really need sulfur if you use a hot primer. This substitute will not reliably fire in a flintlock because there it needs the sulfur as 'tinder' to initiate the reaction. Everything in my ball mill including myself is grounded while running to drain off any static charge that might set off an accident. It runs in its own little 'outhouse' by itself in the middle of a field. I only make 1 lb at a time. Then I store it in old BP cans, never more than 2 or 3 lbs in possession at a time. Never enough to disturb any LEOs, fur shur.

Note: Ascorbic acid 'white powder' is more powerful than regular BP and charges must be reduced 20% and worked up.
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