Elephant

[NORD]

Hi everyone,

When I first got into muzzleloading I purchased a case of 2F Elephant black powder not knowing any better for $7 per can...back then I thought I was set for awhile in black powder. Well as I progressed into muzzleloading I found Elephant powder is juck compaired to Swiss. I also found the fowling is heavy compaired to Swiss and it 'gums' up my 50 caliber quickly to the point it won't fire. :cursing:

What should I do with all this Elephant black powder? Is their a secret to shooting Elephant in a muzzleloader so it won't 'gum' up as quickly? I really don't want to sell it...I want to use it with out it making such a mess in my muzzleloader.

Any ideas would be great!

Thank you!

 

[Rebel]

Bout the only thing Elephant dung is good for is to put on your lawn. You might be able to use it to blow stumps if you can get it to ignite. :grin:

 

[roundball]

I poured 5 & 3/4 cans of it out in 5 lines 10ft long on bare ground and burned it off...the particular 5 cans from that lot # were absolute garbage...wouldn't even shoot satisfactorily in a caplock.arbage

 

[Slowpoke]

Nord,
I'm assuming you have a case of it, you'll be better just putting in your yard spreader and using it as fertilizer. My father use to tell me "the best part about banging your head against a wall is when you stop doing it".
Anyway, Elephant use to be fantastic powder until they lost their source of wood for charcoal and went to a different type of wood. When they did this, it created some horrible powder. This is basically what put them out of business.... along with a plant fire.

BTW.......if you do spread it, just make sure to water it in or do it before a rain.... can't have you setting your yard ablaze. :rotf:

 

[NORD]

Well back when I didn't know anything I bought one of those Pedersoli rolling block 'unmentionable' muzzleloaders. I sold it to a guy about two years ago and he is now looking for some black powder to shoot in it. Back in the day I shot the Elephant out of it and it never plugged up like my hawkins does using Elephant. Maybe I should sell it to him for what I have in it and use the money to order me up some more Swiss...
Would that be too cruel :nono: for me to do to him? :hmm:

 

[NORD]

Anyway, Elephant use to be fantastic powder until they lost their source of wood for charcoal and went to a different type of wood. When they did this, it created some horrible powder. This is basically what put them out of business.... along with a plant fire.

What was the date or lot number when they started using the different wood for charcoal?
The reason I ask is because I have a few pounds of some newer (2004) Elephant I got from a guy I shoot with (it is in a foil bag)...which is junk.
I also have about 15 pounds some older Elephant I bought from a guy when I first started muzzleloading. I am not sure how old it is I am guessing it is from the 80's...it is packaged in black metal cans.

 

The elephant I tried was pure junk, but I got kicked off another site for saying that. The owner LOVES the stuff. You might contact the tmmh site and ask him if he wants it. I gave my excess powder to a reenactor who said it'd work for his blank load shooting--I wished him luck. Actually I still have one can of a different batch that I have not even tried. It is ffg and the other stuff was fffg--gummed up the works real good and I tried everything to get it to shoot reliably, with no luck. Since I switched to Goex--no problems.

 

[Bountyhunter]

See if you can find a cannon shooter that would take it off your hands. Cannons use it up pretty fast, and it doesnt matter so much if it does foul the barrel.

 

[NORD]

Mike Roberts,

Sounds like you have had the same problems I have had. I do know a reinactor that might be interested in it...I think I will check with him. Do you know if the older stuff was of higher quality? It has been a long time since I shot any of the older stuff I own. Maybe I will give it a try...it is hard going to anything else after using Swiss for so long.

thanks!

 

[Mike Brooks]

I have some 2ff from the mid 90's. works great in shot guns but sucks in rifles.....

 

[NORD]

I have been using it in my brass black powder shotgun shells in my single shot Stevens for bird hunting...Then on my last shot I will shoot a smokless round down the bore to aid in the cleaning process. Actually I would rather use Swiss in my shotgun shells too because I get more power and velocity out of the Swiss powder.

 

[JWP]

You know anyone with a cannon ? That's what I do with any that is given to me or that I win.

 

[NORD]

No I don't but I know some reinactors that might want it.

 

[Slowpoke]

What was the date or lot number when they started using the different wood for charcoal?

I had no idea about the lot number but I believe it was back around 95-96' when things changed. The by-product was a tar-like substance that gum'd up the works.

 

[NORD]

The by-product was a tar-like substance that gum'd up the works.

:haha: I know exactly what you mean!

 

[TANSTAAFL]

The elephant I tried was pure junk, but I got kicked off another site for saying that. The owner LOVES the stuff. You might contact the tmmh site and ask him if he wants it. I gave my excess powder to a reenactor who said it'd work for his blank load shooting--I wished him luck. Actually I still have one can of a different batch that I have not even tried. It is ffg and the other stuff was fffg--gummed up the works real good and I tried everything to get it to shoot reliably, with no luck. Since I switched to Goex--no problems.

You didn't actually name the site, but is it the one where the owner threatens to shut it down about every other week for lack of member's interest? Getting kicked off that pachyderm dung loving place for berating the poop, is the norm. (don't ask how I know)
:rotf:

 

[Halftail]

The elephant I tried was pure junk, but I got kicked off another site for saying that. The owner LOVES the stuff. You might contact the tmmh site and ask him if he wants it. I gave my excess powder to a reenactor who said it'd work for his blank load shooting--I wished him luck. Actually I still have one can of a different batch that I have not even tried. It is ffg and the other stuff was fffg--gummed up the works real good and I tried everything to get it to shoot reliably, with no luck. Since I switched to Goex--no problems.

You didn't actually name the site, but is it the one where the owner threatens to shut it down about every other week for lack of member's interest? Getting kicked off that pachyderm dung loving place for berating the poop, is the norm. (don't ask how I know)
:rotf:

That guy acts like a spoiled chiled most of the time.I can't imagine why anyone would hang out there. :hmm:

 

I have some 2ff from the mid 90's. works great in shot guns but sucks in rifles.....

I have been told that it works well in BP cartridges, and the guy I bought the stuff from was a supplier for both MLer and BP cartridge shooters--all he carried was Elephant. For a time I couldn't buy Goex locally even though it is made down the road a few miles away!!! For now, at least, our Bass Pro shop carries Goex, but they have gone all to inlines and associated gear/components in stock, so I don't know how long they will carry real BP....? I know of only about 20 folks around here that shoot traditional ML rifles/guns, and they are getting old....