Are you guys buying black powder on-line?

[milrifle]

I keep seeing all these references to many different brands of black powder. Where I live, I'm doing good to find Goex. That is the ONLY brand I've EVER seen and the ONLY place I know of to buy it is 75 miles away at Bass Pro in Savannah. No big deal, as we go to Savannah regularly, but Goex is the only brand they carry. Are you guys buying on-line or does your local gun store carry real honest to God black powder in various brands and grain size? If so, lucky you. None of my local stores even carry real black, only substitutes. I've never tried those, but might, due to nothing other than availability.

I've yet to buy anything on-line that cost me a hazmat fee, but the prices and selection are better, so maybe I should start. I just seldom buy in quantities that make it worthwhile. Again, maybe I should start.

[photomicftn]

In Florida, it used to be that you could only buy black powder locally from a dealer, but I think that changed after FOPA 1986 (need to check that). I have bought some Swiss 1 1/2G from Buffalo Arms (www.buffaloarms.com) with a Hazmat fee and Signature Only delivery, for 5-50lbs. That was about 3 years ago, but I notice it is again available on their website. Prices have sure gone up since I last bought GOEX over 20 years ago !!

Check first to make sure your state and local laws permit this.

I keep seeing all these references to many different brands of black powder. Where I live, I'm doing good to find Goex. That is the ONLY brand I've EVER seen and the ONLY place I know of to buy it is 75 miles away at Bass Pro in Savannah. No big deal, as we go to Savannah regularly, but Goex is the only brand they carry. Are you guys buying on-line or does your local gun store carry real honest to God black powder in various brands and grain size? If so, lucky you. None of my local stores even carry real black, only substitutes. I've never tried those, but might, due to nothing other than availability.

I've yet to buy anything on-line that cost me a hazmat fee, but the prices and selection are better, so maybe I should start. I just seldom buy in quantities that make it worthwhile. Again, maybe I should start.

[RogerDat]

The trick (or curse) of hazmat fees is to purchase enough in one order to spread that fee out. $28 fee doubles the price of 1# of powder, adds $2.80 a pound to 10 lbs. Is insignificant at 50 lbs. (max for smokeless). But that is one large chunk of coin to spend in one shot AND is pretty darn difficult to FIND multiple desired items offered in one online store. I end up ordering primers to "dilute" the hazmat fee sometimes.

I also wonder if BP has different rules. It is explosive as opposed to smokeless which is considered highly flammable.

[kokomokid]

Powder Inc prices it with hasmat and shipping to your door.

[Don McDowell]

I get powder from Powder Inc., Grafs, and Bear River Powder. I don't worry about that 27$ hazmat fee, that same amount of money won't even get me enough gas to get to any place that sells blackpowder, so in the grand scheme of things hazmat and shipping is a non issue.

[bob208]

I have only ever used goex . but then I live 20 mi. from a distributor and he sells it in 25lb kegs. when we shooting a lot of matches I would say I am making a powder run and everybody would give me their empty cans. I would get it home and weigh it out and give it out at the next shoot.


I was cutting down a keg the other day and saw a price sticker on one of the cans that said $4.25.

[montana_charlie]

I've yet to buy anything on-line that cost me a hazmat fee, but the prices and selection are better, so maybe I should start. I just seldom buy in quantities that make it worthwhile.

Compare the price of five pounds of Goex from Powder Inc. with that same amount at your local store.

The price listed for the Powder Inc. items DO reflect the Hazmat fee, so you can get an accurate judgement.
And ... you are also paying that fee when you buy from the local store. He doesn't get it shipped in for free, you know.

[country gent]

I normally order powder from Buffalo arms company as no one here carries Old ensford or swiss. Very few shops even carry goex but alot have pyrodex and other subs as its easier to stock and store with fire codes and such. Order all you can at one time. If a memeber of a shooting club put together a group buy to help get quanity up and spread out hazmat fees. Alot will allow you to mix diffrent brands granulations for price breaks and under the same hazmat fee. Also when shooting these buffalo rifles and muzzle loaders a 60+ grn charge of powder eats up a pound of powder pretty quick.

[RogerDat]

Yes the store rolls the hazmat into the price but generally they are ordering in sufficient quantity to spread that $28 fee out amongst a larger volume of product. 50 lbs of powder makes that $28 is a really small percentage. About 56 cents a lb.

I guess I just figure if I want it and it has a hazmat fee, there you go. Just part of the cost of materials if I want the product.

[rfd]

i get my swiss 1-1/2 online from mainepowderhouse. and 25# ships free with no hazmat fee.

[stubbicatt]

Yep. I bought 1 pound of Old Eynsford 1.5F for $36 the other day. I reckon if it works as it should, I'll buy a quantity online. I had to turn my head and cough when I bought that pound of powder, but if it doesn't work as I like, then it will be less painful than buying a case of powder that I cannot use.

Sigh.

[Maven]

Check Jon's selection and prices: http://addictedtoblackpowder.com/index.html

[rfd]

Check Jon's selection and prices: http://addictedtoblackpowder.com/index.html

clearly the best price i've seen for 25# of swiss 1-1/2 ....

SWISS POWDERS

1FG - 1-1/2FG - 2FG - 3FG - 4FG (sporting 1 pound cans) $22.00 per pound

(25 - 1 # cans shipped) $555.00 case fed ex

[nhecht25]

I'm pretty new here but thought I would chime in on this since I can't stand the price of powder these days. About 2 years ago I started making my own BP and while it's nowhere as consistent as what you can buy, it works pretty darn good for hunting and it's a lot of fun. Anyone else tried making their own BP?

[milrifle]

Yes, I have made it. You have to be careful who you say it in front of, lest the safety freaks paint you as a nut case, but I have done it and feel very safe doing it. Like you said, my home made didn't seem to have as much "Umpf" as store bought, but it is sure neat to say you did it yourself. It would probably be better if I bought laboratory grade ingredients, but I was using garden sulfur and stump remover. I made my own charcoal from whatever the 'white wood' is that Lowes sells. Maybe spruce? I understand that willow makes the best, but I've not tried it.

I was using it in a cap and ball revolver and it's been 3-4 years since I shot it. I've recently gotten a Snider Enfield and started loading BP cartridges. I've not tried it in them yet, but I will before it's over with.

P.S. The "Safety Freak" comment was not aimed at anyone on this site, but rather in response to several comments I've read on the internet making it sound as if only fools make their own black powder.

[rfd]

never made bp but it sure sounds interesting to make up some, at least to see how it'd work for my flintlocks.

but for bpcr, it's swiss 1-1/2 ... Period!

[nhecht25]

Here are a couple videos of me shooting my homemade black powder out of a muzzleloader. The first video is of sulfur free black powder and the second video is of black powder made with sulfur. These were lab grade chemicals and the charcoal I made myself from cedar. Same charge in both but the powder with sulfur seemed more powerful.

http://youtu.be/S-aJqTRm0as

http://youtu.be/mYbaj3InAMc