can i grind fffg to make ffffg?

[Brokennock]

Why?

Why do it?

Why are we having this discussion yet again?

As someone else said,
Why not just use the 3f as is?

 

[PathfinderNC]

I do, and with very good results.

 

[docmel]

Concentrate on the trigger and sight picture control aspects unique to a flintlock instead of the dif between 3/4F. Good question though

 

[Yewbender]

My .62 Fowler primed with 2F

 

[LSLibelo]

The only times I've noticed any difference in pan performance in grain size was when the flash hole or liner has not been opened to at least 1"/16".

 

[rafterob]

The ability to use 3f to prime, does matter some on your lock. I have a small Siler lock and it just doesn't like 3f as well as 4f. I have ground down powder in the past with no issues. Small amount using the back of a spoon on a wood block. I have had my Flintlock for 5 years now, bought a pound of 4f when I got the rifle. I would bet I still have 7/8 of that container left.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Primed my Bess with 2f, no problemo!

 

[Fitzhugh Williams]

2f will work just fine for priming, so the only reason I use 4f is that it will feed through the nossle of my priming horn. If I am using a priming horn, or other such container. And a can of 4f will last me for years, so not a big deal.

 

[Doc]

Will 2f and 3f work for a prime absolutely they will. If you live in a very humid area such as the South East that’s what you may need. Then there’s some of us that are competitive shooters, we’re always looking for the edge. 4f is a minimum. Many of us use a kitchen utensil, a marble mortar and pestle usually about $20. Can easily and safely grind 4f to 5 or 6. Years back 7f used to be available but seems to have dried up. A problem did arise with 7f, in a wind the 7f would literally blow away. Using 6or 7 the pan and liner stays very clean. No need to brush.
Doc,

 

[waksupi]

I must shoot too much. I detect a difference in ignition time using courser grain powder in the pan.

 

[Redlemur60]

Certainly sir.
View attachment 137541

 

[Johnnyntrain]

probably not a good idea but why spend the extra 50 bucks on ffffg when you can make it yourself from fffg

You can use a PASTIC empty powder container, throw a Musket ball in with some 2 or 3f shake it a bit ,works OK.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The screen method works well. We used to have the screen sizes many decades ago.

 

[Redlemur60]

Cowboy used to use tea screens
IDEAL handloaders manuel circa 30's

 

[deerstalkert]

i made a pound of this yesterday

with this

grain size is dependent on pressure.

 

[Redlemur60]

yes safer than pounding with rocks

 

[Darto]

I have ground fffG down to ffffG all my life. Easy peasy. Use a tiny tall narrow morter and pestle. I use a ceramic one made for grinding medicine tablets into powder. Only grind very small amounts at a time and poor into flask after each grind, until flask is full. Easy and quick. A real tiny mortar and pestle. Mine is uder one inch in diamter and less than two inches tall. Hard to find one tiny enough, but there are a few.

ffffG also alows using Pyrodex in flintlocks. Drop 5 to 10 grains ffffG real black power and add enough Pyrodex on top for the full charge. Will fire the gun. Hodgdon recomends this for Pyrodex.

For 70 grain powder load, only use 5 grains ffffG. For 120 grains powder and larger loads, you can use 10 grains ffffG.

 

[Darto]

For a 30 grain pistol load I would only use 1 or 2 grains ffffG beneath the Pyrodex.

 

[J. Paul]

If you had a correct screen, you most likely could screen your pound of what you have and get some 4f size. I did it and got about 100 grains out of the orginal 7000

 

[kyron4]

Using 2F to prime for my first shots with a flinter. Never shot one before so I don't know if 4F would be different. 2f is working fine for me. Plan to get some 4F to try when powder valley gets restocked.