Can I make substitute powder work with a flintlock?

[stevekl]

Let's say I have absolutely no access to real BP. This isn't neccessarily true, but let's just say.

Could I shoot a flintlock under such circumstances?

If not, is there anything I can do to pyrodex (or another substitute powder), either by adding some sort of chemical, or grinding it down, to make it work in a flintlock?

 

[MikeC]

Well this is not the answer your looking for but do what I do. Always have no less than 5 pounds of powder on hand and you should be set for a long time. Even if you set one pound aside for duplex loads that will last very long since you only need 10 grains per duplex load.

Will be stocking up at Dixon's come the end of the month.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Putting a small charge of bp down first and then following with a full charge of pyrodex, 777, or whatever will work. But you still need bp to get things started as well as bp for the pan. Just buy more than one can of it.

 

[roundball]

Let's say I have absolutely no access to real BP. This isn't neccessarily true, but let's just say.

Could I shoot a flintlock under such circumstances?

If not, is there anything I can do to pyrodex (or another substitute powder), either by adding some sort of chemical, or grinding it down, to make it work in a flintlock?

The ignition temp of the subs is just too high for normal ignition from a little heat pulse off a pan flash.
Now, once you get some real black, you can dump 10-20grns BP downbore followed by the balance amount of a sub for a load you want to use, creating a layered or duplex load, they work very well, and will keep you from wasting the sub powder...I used up a few pounds of Pyrodex RS like that at the range after switching to Flintlocks.
But I'm afraid ya gotta get some real black for that flinter to get ignition...

 

[paulvallandigham]

NO. :thumbsup:

 

[MSW]

just out of curiousity, i tried it several years ago, using what i guess you'd call a duplex load. you cannot make the pan ignite with anything other than black powder in my experience. my duplex loads were not nearly as reliable, and accuracy was pretty poor (which might have been the nut behind the butplate, but it got better when i went back to a straight black powder load).

really not worth fooling with, IMO. i'll side with Paul on this one- it really doesn't work.

considering the current economic and political climate, this might be a good time to consider laying up a good supply of real black powder.

 

[Birddog6]

considering the current economic and political climate, this might be a good time to consider laying up a good supply of real black powder.

:wink: Anytime is a good time for accumulating some powder. Don't think it is gonna get cheaper or easier to get......

 

NO. :thumbsup:

Wow! Your brevity is incredible :grin:

Steve, if you can, save up and buy in bulk from one of the mail suppliers. i buy from ToTW. There are those that also sell in 5 lb. increments. Presently, there's no need for anyone to go without BP. They will bring it to your door. :v

 

[roundball]

NO. :thumbsup:

Wow! Your brevity is incredible :grin:

Steve, if you can, save up and buy in bulk from one of the mail suppliers. i buy from ToTW. There are those that also sell in 5 lb. increments. Presently, there's no need for anyone to go without BP. They will bring it to your door. :v

And the only better price than a case price of 25 one pound cans of Goex delivered to your door is if you live within reasonable driving distance of a Goex distributor where you can buy a bulk plastic bag of it inside a cardboard box right over the counter for just a few dollars per pound.

Buying a case of 25lb cans delivered is an initial outlay for sure, but if you plan to shoot often and a lot, its worth it to get the case price...there might even be somebody close to you that you could split a case with...and they'll mix whatever granulations in the case that you want...for example, when I order a case of Goex I specify 24 cans of 3F + 1 can of 4F.

 

RB is right.
i got tired of the 1 lb. here, 1 lb. there, buying method. i'll be shooting for many more years (im 46) and a case of BP will last me three, or four, years. It makes sense to buy in bulk. :thumbsup:

 

[oldarmy]

also you will get better consistency with larger volume purchases.
There is some variation from lot to lot.
when you buy 25lbs at a time. Make sure it's from the same lot number.
I need to go over to Maine powder supply this summer and get some more. before gas hits $5 or $6 a gallon.
Had been buying the imported stuff. I guess I am going to go with Goex this time around.

 

[Ken Rummer]

My son used 777 in his flintlock. No duplex loads needed. I was suprised but it fired every time. Touchhole was standard, not modified.

 

[Tumblernotch]

A friend gave me a lb of Pyrodex last year and just for the heck of it loaded a blank charge into my flintlock. I primed with ffffg as usual. I didn't put a ball in as I figured I'd just have to pull it out. So, I pulls the trigger and BANG. Went off the first time. Proved to myself that it will go off at least once without BP's help. The priming was enough at least this time. Then I put the Pyrodex in a cabinet and haven't touched it since. I'll save it for my percussion musket in an emergency.

 

[stevekl]

Well I guess my next question is, where's the best place to order black powder from?

 

[roundball]

http://goexpowder.com/distributors.html

I've been ordering my cases through JJPyrotechnics in Moscow PA, but there are several distributors

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you log onto the Goex website, they have a map of the country with names, phone numbers, and some email addresses for all their distributors. Call the one nearest you and see what they will do to sell you powder and get it to you. YOu can ask them if there is a retailer near you that still carries Black Powder, as they will know. Homeland Security regulations required expensive storage requirements to keep and store black powder, treating it as an explosive, and that is why so many retailers have had to stop carrying it. The law also requires the storage location be a certain distance from occupies homes. Since most gunshop want to be on a well traveled street for visibility, they are located in " strip Malls", with only a fence behind the buildings separating them from residential areas. The law requires more distance, so most of the stores can't meet the standard even if they will go to the expensive of having a safe to put the powder in.

Under the Member Resources, at the top of the index to this forum, you will find " Links". That takes you to a list of suppliers. Graf&Sons, and Powder, Inc., And the Powder House(?) in Maine come to mind as three sources that will sell powder in quantities as low as 5 lb lots, and still discount the price. The Government imposes a Hazardous Materials Fee on all shipments, of $20.00, so it saves you money to buy in quantity, even if you have to find some other BP shooters to join in with you in ordering powder. Cases contain 25 lbs, and you can mix the granule sizes in the order. ( ex. order 10 cans of 2Fg, 14 cans 3Fg, and 1 can 4Fg( priming powder) You can have two cases shipped to you in most states legally. The supplier will know if he can ship more than one case at a time to you in your state. By ordering in high volume, you can reduce your costs to about $12.00 per pound, a substantial savings over buying retail,and spread that Haz Mat fee over all those cans of powder.

The powder will cost a lot less than you pay for substitute powders! The Subs begin to go stale after you open the can, and have a fairly short shelf life after they are opened to air. Black Powder lasts forever, as long as its stored in a cool, dry location. Even when it gets wet, it can be dried and used. If subs get wet, they are done.

 

[Zoar]

GOEX website is a great resource for local distributor and yes I did the same. I ordered 25 pounds 2 months ago. I think I've gone through 4 pounds so far and I haven't had much time to shoot. :thumbsup:

Current high and rising cost of gasoline/diesel will cause BP to go up more. Everything is going to go up. We have a petro-based society and that was just plain stupid. Be prepared for rising costs of BP for sure. ...But, they won't take away your BP regardless of how much fear mongering goes on out there. It's a political year so many people are using that fear thing about some candidate taking away your guns if you vote for them... Not going to happen. ONLY if Martial Law is declared, then yes we all have no access to guns or ammo or BP... but you have to really ponder to come up with the type of Admin that would declare Martial Law. Not the one that many people would knee jerk answer.

My next purchase of BP will be bulk. Having owned businesses where I could see the cost of packaging I know there is huge savings if you don't buy in those little one pound cans.

I second the emotion about staying with BP in your flintlcok and not playing around with duplex loads. I mean---Why? BP is so much fun and keeping black powder in the black powder experience is a big part of what makes it different than modern guns/ammo. :thumbsup: :grin:

 

[paulvallandigham]

The reason for buying powder in those one pound cans is so they can be divided up between the buyers on arrival. Buying a 25 lb. keg would be cheaper- no doubt- but unless people have their own containers, dividing it gets a bit tricky. For those of you who can shoot every week, going through powder is no big problem, and a keg might only last a year or so. For those of us who have to pay for that expensive gas to get to and from a range miles away from home, it will take quite a bit more time to use.

 

[caionneach]

I like these fellows:
http://www.powderinc.com/catalog/index.html

Goex, Swiss, Cowboy grind, canon, whatever. You can order over the web and they will ship to your door.

--Kenneth

 

[faw3]

IN CASE OF.... I got 777 to work a few times but had to use scrape off a "strike anywhere match" for a primer. I WOULD NOT DO AGAIN !!!! go make home made powder if ya have to even better buy a can of 4f and shoot the fakes afyer a little 4 in first and as your primer. The way things are looking this may be something we should be looking into, don't trust this govt for sh... or the next. Fred :hatsoff: