Elephant 2f makes better shooters.

[AZ-Robert]

Ran out of Goex 3f while out at the range today and opened up the can of 2f I bought back when I thought it would be a good idea to try something else. Elephant was all they had, and I could tell by the way she said "all we have is Elephant" that there must be a catch.

Well, the flintlock that had no noticable ignition delay with Goex 3f developed one with the Elephant 2f! It was a distinct "whoosh.... bang" that demanded serious follow-through to get the ball where it was meant to go.

Every once in a while we get folks coming through asking about one brand vs another, or one grade vs another... I can't say for sure whether it was the Elephant or the swtich from 3f to 2f that made a difference, but I think I'll stick with Goex 3f.

 

[roundball]

Ran out of Goex 3f while out at the range today and opened up the can of 2f I bought back when I thought it would be a good idea to try something else. Elephant was all they had, and I could tell by the way she said "all we have is Elephant" that there must be a catch.

Well, the flintlock that had no noticable ignition delay with Goex 3f developed one with the Elephant 2f! It was a distinct "whoosh.... bang" that demanded serious follow-through to get the ball where it was meant to go.

Every once in a while we get folks coming through asking about one brand vs another, or one grade vs another... I can't say for sure whether it was the Elephant or the swtich from 3f to 2f that made a difference, but I think I'll stick with Goex 3f.

Imagine my debut to Flintlocks when I started by buying 5 lbs of Elephant 3F (24/99) !!!

Ignition was so poor, slow, delayed I could not use it...and the fouling was terrible...just junk!

Tried to salvage it by testing it in a caplock but it wouldn't work well enough there to use it either.

Tried to locate local reenactors to see if they wanted it, couldn't find any.

So I poured each can out onto bare ground in lines 10' feet long and set fire to all of it.

Switched to Goex and thought I'd died and gone to heaven...never looked back.

Still have a pound of Elephant 4F...keep thinking I'll try the 4F for light, 30grn plinking loads at the range...maybe the 4F will at least be good enough for that

 

[Rebel]

Yep, that's what happens when ya trys that there pachyderm poop. :grin: Stuff ain't good fer nuthin' but fertilizer.

 

[Ridge]

I've always heard these stories, but I have a 40 cal that just loves the stuff.

 

[roundball]

I've always heard these stories, but I have a 40 cal that just loves the stuff.

I don't think it's "all" Elephant...they had to have some good lots of powder in the early years to even stay in business...from all the posts I've read from others over the past few years, it seems Elephant's quality control from one lot to the next may have been getting sloppy in the years prior to going out of business...

 

[howdydoit]

I have a horn and one can of Old elephant and both my 50 and 32 like it pretty well. :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

I still have some Elephant powder.

Your right AZ-Robert. Very slow ignition, very dirty fouling. I think I have one of the crummy lots because I too have heard from some folks who don't have the problems I have but when all is said and done, and those folks who are using Elephant move over to GOEX I think they are in for a big suprise.
If they can't find GOEX but can find Schuetzen, I've heard that Schuetzen and GOEX are very similar in speed, power and fouling.

Now if they want a really big suprise, they should fork out the few extra bucks and buy some Swiss if they can find it.
Instant ignition, more power than GOEX or Schuetzen and virtually no fouling at all.

By the way, ARIZONA SHOOTERS: I heard at the range there is a source for BLACK POWDER here.
Not only do they have black powder, they carry SWISS powder.
The source is Thunderbird Cartridge Co Inc. phone (602) 237-3823. They ask that you call a few days ahead of time so they can get the powder out of storage.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've shot elephant powder for a lot of years. Mainly cause I was able to buy it for $4 a can.
I wasn't able to get it to shoot accurately in anything that shot a round ball. I just fouled too much and there was no accuracy at all.
my shot guns on the other hand loved the stuff and since I was sooting a pound a day it was just the ticket. Probably still have a 1/2 case of that stuff left. Uesed it for black powder cartrige shot guns too and it worked excellent.

 

[lockjaw]

...I bought 2 cans because they were out of goex...worst fouling poorest igniting awful manure ...since I'm a frugal yankee, am mixing in with goex to slowly get rid of it. :shake: :shake: :shake:

 

[bub524]

I have a couple of cans that I never tried yet. I suppose it wouldn't detonate if you used it for a target? :hmm: Might be interesting to try.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

"...since I was sooting a pound a day..."

Was that a Freudian slip? :rotf:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Some like it, some hate it, I am one of those in the latter.