Black Mag' 3 Powder

[jtmattison]

Anyone used this stuff?
www.magkor.com

I use GOEX.

Huntin

 

[graybeard]

Haven't used it yet, but ordered some. Cabella's says it's back-ordered. Got sick and tired of hour-long cleaning sessions no matter what technique I tried. Cabella's says I should get my order next week. If no one else has reported on it, I'll file one. It's ferociously expensive even before the shipping charges are added.

 

Yeh, I bought a pound when it hit the market the 1st time years ago.
Sure hope it's improved!
Remember Black Canyon? Worse stuff was never made.
From the ballistics chart this new outfit puts out it looks like a little goes a long way.

 

Your results are intersting, Maxiball- while I haven't tried it in the Muzzleloader, I do use it in my Model 71 Mauser that's re-chambered to .450 Alaskan. I bought 10 pounds of it some years ago, and have just gotten around to trying it in the ctg. guns.
: With 76gr.(true weight) of Black MAg 3 and a 500gr. cast bullet, I get 1,500fps. from the 22" barrel. This is MUCH higher velocity than I would expect form a like charge of BP- 1,200fps being closer to what should have come from the screens. BTW - it produces much higher velocity and lower pressure than Pyrodex. How it compares to 777, I don't know as I havne't done that test yet.
: Fouling wise, there is very little and accuracy is splendid - amazing, actually, considering the conditon of the bore. After 50 fire-lapping shots with 400 grit on bullet noses, the bore is starting to shine.
: Blk/MG/3 looks like beach sand.
: The written test I saw showed much higher velocities than any other 'smokeless" black powder replacement with lower presures as well- a perfect result- IF it gives as good accuracy as well. I have never received good accuracy with Pyrodex in the ctg. guns due to large SD's. This stuff appears to be perfct for the BP ctg. gun.
: I tried one shot of it in my .45 Flinter and had a devel of a time getting it to go off. In a muzzleloader, I'd expect it would require a caplock at least or perhaps a 15gr. primer charge of BP first in a flinter. A primer charge in the cap-gun might also be a good idea. As this slows loading time, I wouldn't consider it for the ML gun, but it certainly works well in the BP ctg. gun.

 

[graybeard]

Finally got a chance to use the Black Mag 3. I'm on my first flintlock, a 50-caliber T/C Hawken. I doubt I had fired 50 rounds in any flintlock before today. I shot about 40 this afternoon. The rifle seemed to fire about as fast as it did when I used Goex or Elephant. I was shooting 50 grains as a target load and with 50 grains of the Black Mag it held its 50-yard zero. Loading the last rounds were as easy as the first. I did have some misfires but I think that was my fault, lack of expertise in priming and flints. When she fired, there didn't seem to be any more lag than with the real stuff. It puts out plenty of smoke, but it's much cleaner. I primed with Goex 4f. When I got home I flushed the barrel with warm water, ran a brush down it a few times, then went to dry patches. the first couple were gray, then clean. I tried more wet and then dry patches, but all were clean. Some WD40 followed by drying patches and then a little Rem Oil and she was put away, after cleaning the lock, of course. It took me only a few minutes, not the hour or so it took two weeks ago when I fired the rifle once with 2f Elephant. It costs me over $30 to get a pound from Cabella's, but I think I'll keep using it. Graybeard

 

Whew. $30 a pound is pretty dear stuff I'd say.
It's an ascorbic based powder with an orgainic booster according to a good source.
Mighty pricey for what it is.