[sonier]

im geting half second to full second hangfires, out of this old powder. im suspecting its due to moisture. when i mixed new powder with it, the hangfire time went down to quarter second times.

[sonier]

oh this is a 50 cal hawken TC carbine

[Oyeboten]

Just use a dab of 'for-sure' Powder under the 'iffy'...should be fine.

[sonier]

Im slightly new to a degree to BP, like i dont know what the "iffy" is but i do know what a nipple is lol. i carry a .44 1851 BP on the farm and trail rides on horseback. ive done this for 3 years. but it isnt that hard to understand how to load and shoot one.

[Oyeboten]

If the 'old' Powder is suspected of having got moist...maybe, just spread it out on a Cookie Sheet or the likes, somewhere safe, and, let it dry out thoroughly.


I have two cans of Dupont from possibly the 1880s, which I'd forgot I had...ran acrosss them the other day when cleaning out old fileing Cabinets.


Anyway, one of these days I'll try a few rounds with it, see what it does, just out of curiousity.


Long as BP has remained in a closed container, free of contaminants, and dry...should be good-to-go no matter how old.

[Acorn Mush]

im geting half second to full second hangfires, out of this old powder. im suspecting its due to moisture. when i mixed new powder with it, the hangfire time went down to quarter second times.

We are presumimg you are using real black powder. Could you by chance be using a black powder substitute? The subs loose potency in time. I believe it is due to absorbing moisture from the air.

[daveinvegas]

Long as BP has remained in a closed container, free of contaminants, and dry...should be good-to-go no matter how old.

It's my understanding that black powder actually gets better with age (as long as it is stored cool and dry).

[sonier]

im not sure if its real BP or not. im bout 95% sure this powder is over 20 years old.
im gona lay it out on cookie sheet today i think this might fix it.

[Jim K]

Please don't do what one fellow did and stick the cookie sheet in the oven. I am not sure what happened but the powder ignited. It did not really explode, but it blew the oven door open and filled his kitchen with smoke. Fortunately no other damage or injury.

Jim

[Chawbaccer]

Not sure of what it is? Must not be in original container. I think this is one of those occasions where it is better off to just dump the powder and start over with new.

[BHP FAN]

old powder makes excellent fertilizer...

[sonier]

pfff i wont waste good old powder. worse case scenario it loads into my homemade mortar cannon :)

[alemonkey]

Please don't do what one fellow did and stick the cookie sheet in the oven. I am not sure what happened but the powder ignited. It did not really explode, but it blew the oven door open and filled his kitchen with smoke. Fortunately no other damage or injury.


When I was in college I used to dump black powder in the ash tray on our coffee table and light it, just to tick off my room mates. It's amazing how a capful of BP will fill an entire house with smoke.

[Hellgate]

Your old powder may be Pyrodex which in my '51 cc colt gave me split second hangfired unless really rammed firmly. Try the good, new powder first to be sure there is no problem with ignition in general.

[Hawkeye748]

When I was in college I used to dump black powder in the ash tray on our coffee table and light it, just to tick off my room mates. It's amazing how a capful of BP will fill an entire house with smoke.

I used to have an antique chair with an ash tray built into it. I kept a small dab of BP in the ash tray.:evil::D Right in front of the chair, was my no-smoking sign as I am a non-smoker. Needless to say, it took only once for my smoking friends to remember not to smoke in my home!:what::cuss:

IN my view, BP smells much better than cigarette smoke!:)