Finally got some Goex!!!

[Ferret]

Shot REAL black powder for the first time in a hangun! Went out this afternoon and bought a couple of tins of Goex FFFg after tracking down someone in the area that stocks it.
As soon as I got home, I grabbed the Remmie, loaded it up and took it out to the field.
WOW!! The report, smoke, smell, etc are completely different to Pyrodex, 777, etc. etc. with 23 grain load I got a big rolling BOOM and a big cloud of grey/white smoke. After emptying the 6 chambers the barrel was still dribbling smoke from the muzzle and the air was thick with a sulphur smell.

again...

WOW!!! ​

 

[dwave]

NOTHING like the real thing! BP is by far the best to shoot with, and with my 51 I get the best accuracy using it.

 

[Gewehr98]

Yup.

As long as I'm drawing breath, and real BP is available, I'll continue to use it vs. the substitutes. Best accuracy, lowest velocity variations, easy cleanup, and I love the smell. (Especially if I use butter-flavored Crisco as a bullet lube!)

 

[Ferret]

Accuracy

I took some time today to work up a load for the Pietta Colt 1860.
Seems that the revolver that I 'antiqued' likes 35 grain, wad, 457 ball and crisco load.
20yards duelist

 

[sjohns]

nice group Ferret

 

[dwave]

Pretty good. If possible stick with BP, it gives the best accuracy (at least in my guns) and the best shooting experience (lots of smoke and gotta love the smell).

 

[zahc]

BP+Natural based lubes and cleaners give FAR, far easier cleanup for me than pyrodex+solvents. And I can shoot an apparently infinite number of times without needing to clean the bore. I'm never going back. Well, maybe with an inline.

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Nothin' like the Holy Black Ferret. Welcome to the Darkside...HeHe!
By the way good shootin' nice group.

 

[Ferret]

I am lovin this Goex..... wont be long before the first can is empty...
I have never got grouping like this in the Model '60's. I am impressed enough to want/need to play around with loads in my other revs.
I wanna see how the Goex acts in my Remmies next.
Bugger.... this is yet another excuse to get a Dragoon or Walker!

 

[edggy]

Ferret, How did the Goex compare to the new Triple 7. Besides the smoke and
the smell. The only reason I ask is that this new powder is suppose to be
a big time improvement over the original. Does accuracy really suffer that much. And Goex is no longer readily available anymore. Iam new and soon will
be buying my first can of powder.

 

[dwave]

Edggy, I can probably help with the answer. Goex in my weapons was more accurate than 777. 777 is more powerful though, but it is very sensitive to compression. If you get too much compression you will be all over the paper. In my pietta 51 here is how I would rate accuracy:

Goex -> Pyrodex -> American Pioneer -> 777

BUT if you want power:

777 -> Goex -> Pyrodex -> American Pioneer (it is pretty weak really).

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Dwave I agree whole heartedly with your findings. The 777 does work good with the proper amount less 15% by volume to BP. And It is potient.
How did you find cleaning up after the 777? The fouling seems hard compared to BP for me. And I can't use my lube pills with 777 powder.
With my lube pills I can shoot all day and not have to clean or tare down and lube. Colt or Rem keep on a shootin'.
Anyway I was just curious as to what you found.

 

[dwave]

When I use Crisco over the chambers it helps with keeping the 777 fouling soft, but not as good as when I shoot goex or pyrodex. 777 seems to shoot very dry and the fouling can get pretty hard if you don't use any lubes at all. When I shoot my home made wads, it works alot better. My wads are just a little bigger than the bore (not much) and it sweeps the barrel out pretty well. I lube my wads with melted crisco. It makes them pretty greasy but it works alright.

On the 777 bottle it says that you can just use water for the clean up, but I still use hot soapy water, it helps. I think so far the easiest to clean for me is the American Pioneer Powder.

 

[Cap n Ball]

Goex is easy to get here in Missouri. Must be at least six or seven places to get it in quantity. I usually have maybe six or seven pounds of it in my magazine. Ferret, I hope you are using either a spring loaded charger with a spout measure or paper cartridges. Never pour directly from the can into the chamber. I assume your experienced enough to know that but theres newbies here who read and may not know better. Nice shooting BTW.

 

[dwave]

Cap n Ball, you are not suppost to pour from the spring loaded flask either. You are suppost to pour it into a seperate container or measurer before loading it into the chamber. If the powder does ignite the spring loaded door will not seal the other powder from the flames.

 

[Ferret]

I hadnt realised that about the spring flasks! Between loads I have started to gently blow into each chamber. If there is any kind of spark still there you will see it glow. This isnt fool proof by any means, but, I trust it enough.
Since I have found that the spout on my CVA powder flask isnt throwing what it states, I have started to use LEE dipper measures from my reloading bench. Since I re-load for a lot of different cals, I have a nice selection. The good thing about these dippers is that they work on volume and you can get them in a nice set from MidwayUSA. I work out how much of each powder these will scoop and mark it on the outside in black pen.

As to 777 - Goex comparison, I have found that 777 is a lot hotter. It seems to work best in my Remington '58 clones, better than Pyrodex, havent tried Goex in them yet. In my Colt clones the Goex is definately showing itself to work best, groups shrank instantly. I took the time to work up optimal loads for each of these revolvers with Pyrodex P, Select, and 777, so I know what shoots the best groups with each. I have just started working the loads with Goex FFFg. I ran quickly through 3 loads, 15gr, 25gr and 35gr. The 35gr produced the group you can see above. The other two, 15gr gave 4" group, 3" high, 25gr gave 3" group, 6" high. The Goex load is still high, (I am aiming at the 6oclock on the black) but, I can work around this.

Cleanup?
777 is wonderful, I turn the kitchen sink hot tap on and wait until it gets scolding hot. I then run each piece under the water stream and wipe it down. After a couple of patches down the barrel and chambers, sparkling clean.
Goex. Well, as soon as i finish shooting, I remove the barrel of the colts, and the cylinder and then spray everything inside and out with Windex with vinegar. Leave it about an hour and then the same cleaning as with the 777 works well, the Windex has already softened the fouling enough to wash straight off.

Once a week I do a complete strip down and hot soapy water bath followed by bake in the oven at 200deg and then Crisco or Borebutter lube over every part! I am starting to change over the lube to use Ballistol, I want to see how it compares.

 

[dwave]

Yep, here is what my pistol manual says about it:

Never load the powder charge directly from the powder flask into the chamber. Leftover embers may ignite the charge and the powder in the flask causing serious injury or death.

 

[Cap n Ball]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I use the flask into a measurer then into the chamber.

 

[Bluehawk]

As far as I'm concerned NOTHING will ever come close to real black powder no matter how they try to "improve" it....it just can't be improved on!!!!!

 

[Smokin_Gun]

I must a jus' been lucky for the last 26 years. LoL! I haven't been able to blow up a BP Rev or Rifle yet, whether loading from a Colt/Rem flask or a Zouave Flask. I tend to think that owner's manuels have statements of xtra safety for Liability reasons. Just in case the Pard blows his Rev and or hand up.
Bluehawk, and as far as I am concerned you are absolutly 100% right.
Thar's nuthin' like the Darkside and Flames, Smoke, & six holes of the Holy Black. He He!

 

[RugerGuy]

After reading this thread it makes me want to go back to BP. The places I checked Goex was pretty expensive compared to what I paid for Pyrodex in after season sales. I never noticed if one was more accurate than the other in my T/C New Englander. You guys have got me thinking.

 

[dwave]

Hey Smokin_Gun, just because I put it up on here doesn't mean that I listen to what they say! I have been loading from the flask for some time now, but if anyone asks me I tell them that it is their choice and their hand & body. In no way will I recommend or say it is safe loading from the flask because of lawsuits these days.

 

[1911 guy]

Goex is good stuff!

In fact, it's all I've ever used. FFg for my .50 and FFFg for my .36. As far as loading from the flask, the BP shop I go to, The Log Cabin, in Lodi, Ohio, has an exploded flask hanging on their wall as a reminder to customers. Not much metal left below the spout, so I figure to shooter probably got a souvenier or three in his/her hand. Ouch!

 

[4v50 Gary]

You can buy powder via mail order. Maine Powder House or Track of the Wolf will ship direct but in lots of 25 lbs (25 1 lb cans and you can mix your f, ff, fff, ffff). Get together with your club and do a group buy.