Do you make your own powder?

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Super Sneaky Steve

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I recently found some videos online of people making their own powder. It looks pretty easy.

My question is, why? Is it cheaper? Can you make it better? Or is it just something fun to do?

I really think it would be neat to do everything on my own, from making the powder and the bullet, but I don't want to get on any homeland security list if I buy the ingredients either.

I don't own any BP weapons yet, but it looks like fun.
 
I prefer the consistency of store bought. I could have a go at making my own, but for the price of it ready to go in a tub its cheap enough.

plus if you know anyone in mining demolitions etc get onto them to get you some, even cheaper that way too. got some PPP for the same price as FFF.

Black powder would last me longer if i didnt have a Walker haha
 
I know what you mean, my rifle spits out 80 grains of powder everytime I pull the trigger and my supply of rifle powder is getting lower with each range trip. I do want to make some more though, that would be great! And besides, I'm firing bullets I cast myself, why not go all the way and make my own powder? I think that would be awesome :)

~Levi
 
I made about a half pound of powder a year or so ago. I did it just to check the experience off my list, and because I had to buy all the ingredients, and a rock tumbler to use as a ball mill, it cost me much more than a few pounds of goex would have. I still have enough ingredients to make several more pounds and I have the equipment. Unfortunately, I just do not have time to make or shoot the powder out of any of my revolvers.
 
I dont think it will be ask consistent as store stuff, but you can i imagine get in trouble by the cops. But i dont think youll get on the list.
 
I've been making BP for about 4 years now, small batches at a time. You can order chemicals from various internet sites, including eBay.

So far no feds have come to visit me.

I get higher velocities with my homemade, but it is a bit dirtier than Goex.
 
Meh, I can't find Goex. It's not sold in south Texas. Have to order it and pay the hazmat ransom, so I just use subs like Pyrodex. If I wanted BP, the real stuff without the burn inhibitors or whatever it is in Pyrodex, making it would be one option. But, I don't shoot BP all THAT much and, besides, i'm lazy. I'd rather buy Pyrodex or 777. Pyrodex is about as cheap as Goex, too. 777 is a bit more expensive, but it's also more powerful. It's some good stuff. :D

Yeah, consistency has always made me wonder about homemade BP. If I ever do it, (already got a rock tumbler for cleaning brass) it's be just as an exercise for my own knowledge. I doubt I'll wanna set up production. Between handloading a bunch of calibers, casting and such, I've got enough gun hobbies and, right now, it's hunting season. :D
 
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I love Triple Seven, it's good powder. I have had good luck with APP, I know a few others haven't had as good luck as I have but oh well. I want to order a couple pounds of potassium nitrate, it's cheaper than black powder and I already have the stuff to make blackpowder with the exception of potassium nitrate. I would rather just make my own powder and granulate it myself instead of having to fork over my hard earned money to pay a hazmat fee, or go to a gun shop and buy substitutes. I am the kind of man who does things himself, I make my own knives, smith my own guns, cast my own bullets, make my own shot, and I do things my way without having to wait on the other guy or fork over my own cash. I made powder when I was younger and used it in rockets, firecrackers, and cannons, so I figure that with the knowledge I have now I could probably make better powder and use it in my firearms so I can shoot for cheap. Heck I already figured out how to make my own percussion caps out of spent 209 shotgun primers and paper caps, I can cast my own bullets, and I want to make my own powder so that I don't have to buy too many things. That's all I have to say about that.
 
APP just simply sux...water...out of the air...on the gulf coast. VERY short shelf life once opened. That's my hain gripe with it and the fact that it didn't shoot for squat in my hawken, never got to try it in my CVA Wolf cause it wouldn't fire, already went dead from the humidity after 6 months sitting.

You have to live on the gulf coast to understand the problem.
 
order more potasium nitrate. it goes fast. you almost should get 10lbs potasium nitrate 5lbs charcoal or make your own and 2lbs sulfar. the sulfar will last forever. you will find you will need more potasium than anything. this is not like making fireworks or model rockets anyone can do that. making consistant powder is tuff. you can go through about 10 batches before you get it correct. you might think you made good stuff. when ever you do take a small amount of goex put it on the ground and lite it. then do it to yours. you will see. i recomend clicking on black powder essentials then clicking on the link on making black powder
 
No, I am too scared to.

Have read of too many explosions with would be makers of black powder.

I remember a Gun Digest article from the 60's. The author had hook hands, he explained that he had lost his hands making explosives as a kid.

I still laugh till I cry when I watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV-mAoyagng

There are not many black powder makers, if you look on the web, plant explosions winnowed the number of facilities making black powder. The stuff is very dangerous to make.
 
Black powder..or 'gunpowder' as they called it in the old days was made in buildings constructed of heavy timbers with the exterior boards nailed on 'loosely'...also had big tubs of water set over the powder grinding mill so an explosion would dump the water onto the powder..and knock the boards off the building without doing any major structural damage.

While I would make my own if I had to..I don't have to so I don't.
 
The guy said he used potassium nitrate, sulfur, and magnesium. That's my recipe for flash powder! :eek: I used to use that in cherry bombs.

Over the years I have made tons of batches of powder with varying results. I am conservative with my powder usage, it takes me a long time to go though a pound of powder. I figure a pound should be enough for now, I just need some powder for my plinking. I know how to make decent powder, I've done it before with good results.

I think back in the day there were a lot of powder factory explosions due to them being a little careless. I am sure there were varying causes for the explosions. I think static electricity, sparks from steel tools, and things of that nature picked off a couple, but maybe the new guy was firing up the brier and chucked his match into the wrong place. It's hard to tell, but I'm very careful when it comes to dealing with explosives, I have dealt with everything from good ol' black powder to more sensitive explosives like flash powder, and even Armstrong's mix. Every pyrotechnic mixture should be treated with respect and proper measures should always be taken to avoid any kind of accident.

Be careful guys, explosives are tools just like firearms and should be treated with respect.

~Levi
 
Big difference between a person making a pound or less at a time and a mill making a ton or more at a time.
One person has a lot more control of the safety of the process than a company does with a lot of employees.
Employees are doing it for a check and are more apt to be complacent.
 
I've been making it for a year and a half. Its just another part of the hobby for me. A buddy gave me a 40 pound bag of Sulfur, I purchased the Potasium Nitrate, and cook my own wood for charcoal. I keep the batches to 200gram max and use a rubber ball mill way out back away from anything. Mine is not a potent as the Goex I bought, but still pretty effective. I have to use 5 grains more of my homemade, to achieve the same velocity as the Goex. Not too bad. Its fun and rewarding. Kevin.
 
I made some BP many years ago just to see if I could do it. I used potassium nitrate, sulfur and charcoal made from willow. I mixed it wet with a marble mortar and pestle, made cakes, corned it through a grounded brass cheese grater, then tumbled it with graphite in a rubber drum tumbler, and it was pretty successful. That being said, I would not recommend that anyone else do so as it is a dangerous procedure. I've had demolition training in the service, including improvised demolitions, and I'll never repeat the process, unless there was some complete ban on gunpowder. It's just too dangerous. The cost of a few pounds of BP is nothing compared to losing an eye or part of a hand to a momentary mishap. :(
 
You always want to be as safe as possible when making the stuff.

I tested a little of my homemade out today, it's not too good. It burns like the head of a matchstick and leaves bubbling red hot sulfur behind. I tested it in my Super Companion and the bullet made it all the way from the chamber to the forcing cone and stopped. The good news is I didn't use all my saltpeter. I need to find out how to do this right, I hate it when things don't work as planned. Do you guys have any suggestions to make it burn better?
 
Your not doing it right. As i suggested you all should look at bp essentials and check the original link. Busyhands your powder is not binding. A lot of people who think they know what they are doing are ignorant to learn the process. Rocket fuel is nothing like making shooting powder and that kit you looked at is junk. Without a ball mill you would have to spend hours and hours with a mortal n pestle. The only method i found that made shooting grade powder was the cia method. The most dangerous method of making powder. On a morter n pestle i can only recomend grinding the powder seperately then using 90% isopropyl alcohol to mix and regrind but be prepared to grind for hours. Even when you think its ready remember there is a 90% chance it is not.
 
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