Shot real Black powder for first time, I'm unimpressed

[44 Dave]

Remember black powder has a shelf life of "for ever", not so with substitutes.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Last year I bought a lb of 2 and 3 Fg Goex and .. it didn't really make me feel real black was anything special. ....

Hmmm...,
Well when I order, I get the Graf & Son's powder as it's now made by GOEX,
and EVERY TIME I grab that plastic to pay for the shipment, I feel very special. Here's Why :



LD

 

[APG]

I've been using the Graf & Sons powder made by Goex too. Hope they keep on offering it in the future. Works great for my needs.

 

[TTv2]

Black Powder residue is less corrosive than the residue from the BP substitutes which are good bullet propellants but less explosive and harder to ignite than true BP.

Since I am used to the routine of thoroughly cleaning military rifles fired with corrosive primed ammo within 7 or 8 hours of firing, my cleaning discipline is the same with my BP guns. Most of my rifle shooting was with BP subs and first act on arriving home was to thoroughly clean without delay. I am not sure I would be slack on cleaning them after shooting with true BP but my impression is that the residue from BP substitutes is almost as corrosive as corrosive primer residue.

While I will use BP substitutes in muzzleloading rifles and in rifle and pistol BP cartridges, I have learned I get best results in cap'n'ball revolver with real BP.

Depends on what subs you're talking about. Pyrodex is garbage, it corrodes faster than anything else and is practically impossible to clean. Triple 7 is very easy to clean and has more energy and those qualities are nice and worth the extra cost of T7, imo.

I did clean my revolver after shooting the Goex and other than using a bucket of soapy water instead of just water, it wasn't bad. Much easier than cleaning Pyrodex.

 

[Fingers McGee]

I use Goex in my .54 Tryon Rifle, T7 in my cartridge guns, and OldEynsford in my percussion pistols. After a couple bad experiences, you couldn't pay me to use. Pyrodex. T7 is easy to clean and won't rust your guns if you can't clean them right away.

 

[Lyle]

I use Goex in my .54 Tryon Rifle, T7 in my cartridge guns, and OldEynsford in my percussion pistols. After a couple bad experiences, you couldn't pay me to use. Pyrodex. T7 is easy to clean and won't rust your guns if you can't clean them right away.

What bad experience did you have with Pyrodex?

 

[J-Bar]

I don't presume to speak for anyone else, but when I shot Pyrodex in my percussion revolvers I got a "Pop-delay-BANG" that was distracting, The balls hit the target, no problem there. Real black powder (I prefer Schuetzen to Goex) has a lower ignition temperature and goes BANG without a noticeable hesitation between cap and powder charge ignition.

If you are not getting a perceptible ignition delay, or if it does not bother you, then it is not an issue. I don't care what you shoot, I'm just glad you are shooting. Keep it up.

Aside: I found a 1977 edition of the Black Powder Gun Digest in a used book store and bought it.



It's my nightstand book, I thumb through it until I get sleepy.

It precedes cowboy action shooting, so there is nothing in there about that particular sport, just hunting and plinking and enjoying black powder guns. One article discusses the new BP substitute, Pyrodex, describing how clean it shoots and how non-corrosive it is. I like Pyrodex in cartridges and shot shells, and do not have problems with corrosion, probably because I enjoy cleaning my guns thoroughly after shooting. The biggest buck I ever killed was taken with a TC Hawken using Pyrodex. If anyone dislikes Pyrodex, or any other powder, fine. Shoot what you want. I use real BP in percussion revolvers and Pyrodex in cowboy action shooting rifle cartridges and shot shells without a problem, and am not inclined to change anything. That's one great thing about having choices, you only have to please yourself.

Shoot what you like, what you enjoy, what works best for you.

 

[david58]

Never shot Pyrodex. Goex has been the go-to for me, plenty happy with competition results and meat in the freezer. No need to change a thing.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

...Aside: I found a 1977 edition of the Black Powder Gun Digest in a used book store and bought it....

I noticed the original Seven Dollars and Ninety-Five Cents price and thought that it seemed high for 1977 but looking up the conversion to today's dollars it appears that would be $35.62 so not expensive at all really.
Nice score on a piece of history.

 

[Fingers McGee]

What bad experience did you have with Pyrodex?

I was shooting in a 3 day Missouri off hand aggregate match back in the early 90s. I didn't clean my rifle at the end of day one after shooting 25 or so rounds. When I ran a patch down the barrel on the morning of the second day, it came out a rusty mess. Took me a while to clean the barrel or the second day's shooting. Learned two lessons that weekend: 1. At the end of a match or a days shooting, run at least one patch down the barrel. 2. NEVER use Pyrodex

 

[gtrgy888]

Maybe, maybe not. Olde E used to cost just an additional $1 at Grafs. I think the difference is a bit more now, maybe $2. All too often I’ve read going to an energetic powder reduces the quantity needed to achieve the same thing, often accuracy included. Plus the more energetic powders seem to produce a considerable amount less fouling, coupled with a slightly lighter charge means less swabbing. To me that would make a very good reason, at least to try and see.

I ran a pipe cleaner in the chambers and down the barrel after shooting a cylinder full of Old E, and the damn thing came back almost clean. It was impressive.

 

[jdavis123]

I ran a pipe cleaner in the chambers and down the barrel after shooting a cylinder full of Old E, and the damn thing came back almost clean. It was impressive.

I agree! I use Old Eynsford almost exclusively in my guns. Good ignition, more energy, and easier cleaning.....what’s not to love?

 

[dave951]

Old E is my competition powder followed closely by Swiss. Both are very consistent with moderate fouling that is easily controlled. In 40+ years of shooting muzzleloaders and "capnball", the guns I've seen that have suffered the worst damage were those shot with Pyrodex by their owners. Cleanup is a major problem with that stuff and it needs to be done again the next day and the next to avoid rust issues and that's aside from the hard abrasive fouling. But hey, if you like it, go ahead. Some folks also drive Yugos too.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Not sure where you're getting your Pyrodex, I have yet have problems like you describe.

 

[Hanshi]

I started shooting black powder some 55 years ago and have no desire to change. I tried Pyrodex ONE TIME in a .45 Colt and performance was beyond dismal; I dumped it all out in the woods. I've shot much, much more black than smokeless even though I've reloaded many thousands of rifle/pistol rounds with smokeless powders. I now shoot flintlocks (rifles & pistol) almost exclusively and have for years; flint is ALL I hunt with. I use mostly Goex made powders but have tried several other brands including Swiss. They all have their uses. BP cleans up reasonably quickly and can even wait a day if it's not humid. Since I no longer own a c&b revolver patched round ball is my only ammo for all bp guns.

 

[Jimster]

Right on, Hanshi!

 

[gobsauce]

Id like to try real black, but I cannot find it anywhere locally. Only place that sells black powder items is Cabela's.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

That's the whole problem, finding the stuff at a reasonable price without getting beat up with hazmat shipping fees. I shoot real black in my flinters and what's available in my cap guns. If it goes bang when I pull the trigger I'm happy.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I usually order my Black Powder from the Maine Powder House. If I order 25#, the shipping and haz mat fees are free.

 

[rodwha]

Back when the first shortage hit I couldn’t find 3F Triple 7 at BassPro. For months I wasted my time and gas stopping in to find it still unavailable. I went to Grafs and Sons and found that if I paid for 3 lbs I nearly broke even but without the wasted trips. Now I mostly buy Olde Eynsford as it’s cheaper than T7 with similar results.

 

[TTv2]

Back when the first shortage hit I couldn’t find 3F Triple 7 at BassPro. For months I wasted my time and gas stopping in to find it still unavailable. I went to Grafs and Sons and found that if I paid for 3 lbs I nearly broke even but without the wasted trips. Now I mostly buy Olde Eynsford as it’s cheaper than T7 with similar results.

This is the reason I stop going to stores altogether and just buy online. If I make a hazmat order, I'll buy hundreds worth of powder, primers, caps to make the $20 less painful and I'll try to buy from places that don't hit me with sales tax.

It evens itself out and I don't waste my time going into stores to tell me they don't have what I'm looking for and when they do it's $10 or $100 more than what I can get it for online.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

What bad experience did you have with Pyrodex?

On a quiet evening after shooting Pyrodex you can hear your guns rust.

 

[Cetme Free]

On a quiet evening after shooting Pyrodex you can hear your guns rust.

Now that's funny !
When I quit using pyrodex in my rifle and revolver, I kept what I had left to use in a brass canon and it's cost effective there !

 

[alsaqr]

IME: Black powder, especially Goex, is cruddy to the extreme; i thoroughly detest the stuff. .Recently found four pounds in an ammo can, used it to bust stumps.

 

[vintovka]

This is the reason I stop going to stores altogether and just buy online. If I make a hazmat order, I'll buy hundreds worth of powder, primers, caps to make the $20 less painful and I'll try to buy from places that don't hit me with sales tax.

About 90% of states now charge tax as of 1 April 2021. Rest may follow soon. May change lots of folks buying habits.