Blackpowder production for fun and.. uhm.. fun?

[Raguleader]

So, after doing a bit of reading around here about blackpowder production and loading and what not, I gotta say, it sounds like fun. Thing is, I don't have a blackpowder gun (or for that matter, any other kind of gun that I load with anything but tap water ).

What are some practical uses for home-brewed black powder? Assuming that any I make would be in sufficiently small quantities NOT to blow up my landlord's garage (I want to get that security deposit back!).

Don't know if I need a disclaimer or not, but I'm just gonna go on the record as saying that unlike some of my friends, I don't intend to blow anything up with this, except the occasional offensive patch of grass out in a field somewhere. Speaking of those friends, it strikes me as odd that among my circle of friends in Texas, the one most prone to wanting to blow things up is the token Canadian. Granted, his family has Scottish roots, so maybe this is just what happens in a country with Claymore Control.

 

[Owen]

You may not want to do it in your landlord's garage. It's my understanding that gettting blown up is a failry regular thing. Not terribly bad, just some missing eyebrows and such. However, blowing up in a sturdy structure is an issue. Most Powder shacks have walls that are just leaning against the roof.

Practical uses... have you considered making fireworks? Bottle Rockets are propelled by black powder. Just don't stray into making very large fireworks. ATF may consider those Pipebombs.

 

[Raguleader]

I suppose I could always just start associating with the local civil war reenactors and just make the powder for their uses... not sure where they get their stuff from (or if, indeed, they even use black powder in their reenactments)

 

[Chawbaccer]

I would have no problem using powder that I mixed up, but I wouldn't touch what somebody else mixed for me.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Please reconsider...

It's not rocket science and many non-combatant patriots made blackpowder to alleviate the shortage in the early days of the Revolution. That said, it's not something you should do in a house and certainly not something that should be done unless you're in a rural setting. Explosions in empty fields (with no pipes beneath) don't really hurt anything (OK, the slime-green gopher lizard hat flies and is an endangered species). If you don't have the space, please don't try it. Buy the safety equipment and read the instructions - three times. Post pics if you survive.

 

[gmatov]

http://www.fortliberty.org/military-library/how-to-make-black-powder-and-other-explosives.shtml

Try here for basics. Just be aware that he is a little uninformed, also.

As perHigh grade powder doesn't even need a flame to ignite - it can be set off by percussion, such as the firing pin of a pistol.)

Well, Duh, a percussion pistol, with a cap, ignites a powder charge, and some yokel says, "Oh, it can be set off by "percussion, such as snapping a hammer".

But, then, the Archangel Fadala says the same thing, so it must be true.

Best not do it, you will probably blow your end of the town off the map with the tiniest amount you can make. Evil stuff, that BLACK powder. Not like that wholesome "grey" powder that has been used in the last 77 wars.

Cheers,

George

 

[4v50 Gary]

Blackpowder can be ignited by impact and the Jacobs exploding bullet, designed to destroy artillery cassions and limbers, was impact detonated. However, you don't need to make an explosive bullet to test it. A friend place some powder on his anvil and struck it with steel hammer. Ferrous against ferrous type of thing. It went poof!

 

[Manyirons]

Making ones own powder. Wow! Perhaps for the survivalist and civilization collapse, but in meantime?

Cause it might work, but HOW WELL? I buy Swiss powder for a reason, correct wood charcoal composition and HOT, CLEAN BURNING, STRONG powder. Unlike Goex which burns dirty and weak.

Maine Powder House'll sell you all you can use in the next five years at a pound a week, and i wanna spend time sweating over something that may go POOF! just why?

For the economy of it? Rather take a second job and flippie de burgers and BUY professionally made black! And this from someone with so many starving guns to feed!

 

[Owen]

Dude,

He doesn't even shoot blackpowder guns. He just wants to do it because.

Because is always a good reason.

 

[Manyirons]

Dude,

He doesn't even shoot blackpowder guns. He just wants to do it because.

Because is always a good reason.

Cause i want to is fine, but why tell SHOOTERS on a black powder site? Pleanty of pyro sites i think!

 

[Duncaninfrance]

What are some practical uses for home-brewed black powder? Assuming that any I make would be in sufficiently small quantities NOT to blow up my landlord's garage (I want to get that security deposit back!). .

First I should perfect Juggling Soot and Nailing Jello to the ceiling !
Duncan

 

[georgeduz]

i will make some in small amounts ,just because i can.i found a cheap place to buy it.many gun shops dont carry it anymore.

 

[vanfunk]

I made quite a bit of black powder as a young teenager. It was of varying quality, and at its best was never the equal of even the grungiest commercial stuff. It was explosive to say the least, and I devised various detonation methods to ignite the charges safely from a distance. I made some pretty big black powder charges before graduating to more stable, more powerful compounds. I did the kind of experimentation that gets kids in big trouble nowadays; in the post-Columbine world I'd imagine that even attempting to buy the three principal components together would cause a drugstore owner or pharmacist to place a call to the local Po-Po.

Yes, it is fun. YES, it is dangerous. If I were to make it again, I would never give it to anybody else, nor would I accept and use black powder manufactured by a private party. The liability and potential for things to go boom in a bad way is just too immense.

Just my $.02 on the subject.

vanfunk