Black Powder Old and New

[MSK]

Forgive me if this has been raised before, but I've often wondered if there is any difference in texture, performance, smell, etc. between the typical black powder of say, 200 years ago and modern black powder. Put another way, are we experiencing the very same thing with our gunpowder that our forebears did with theirs?

Smollett

 

[coloradoclyde]

No! things like glazing and graphiting came in later...mid-ish 19th century IIRC

The source of ingredients varied from manufacture to manufacturer affecting performance...
They even had powder testers.....
Here is one example.

 

[Khufu]

one of the biggest variables was charcoal, I am told willow is the best, but each had its own type and process for charcoal and quality varried greatly the powder we have today is much better

 

[ohio ramrod]

Early gun powder manufactures did not have the consistancy we get today from our manufactures. I remember reading where one of the fur trapping brigades had received such poor quality powder they had to convert their guns to "detonators" (early term for percussion caps). I often wonder how they did this out in the mountains since they would have to had the parts available. :hmm:

 

[azmntman]

No! things like glazing and graphiting came in later...mid-ish 19th century IIRC

The source of ingredients varied from manufacture to manufacturer affecting performance...
They even had powder testers.....
Here is one example.

Powder tester? Looks like a flinter pizza cutter to me? :rotf: Seriously, how does it work? :idunno:

 

[Zonie]

A measured amount of the test powder is put into a cup. The arm with a surface that seals the cup and is attached to the toothed wheel is lowered down on top of the powder.

Then, the pan is primed, frizzen lowered, **** raised to full **** and then fired.

The test powder will blow the arm upward, turning the toothed wheel.

A spring engaging the teeth on the wheel will try to prevent it from turning and will succeed after a certain number of teeth have passed it.

Counting the number of teeth the arm/wheel turned past the spring gives an indication of how powerful the black test powder was.

 

[azmntman]

Interesting,

How many grains (approximately) to slice a large? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: sorry :redface:

I bet getting an accurate charge that way was a PIA. Start all over after each batch of powder!!