FF and FFF powder for rifle and pistol

[dave951]

The 2f v 3f is a guideline.

I shoot 3f in all my guns up to and including a .69 smoothbore with no issues. Real world observation- 2f "may" give a tad more velocity. 3f almost always fouls less. Accuracy is often better with 3f.

 

[Doc]

The only guns I use 2F in are my SxSs all my other ones, pistols, and rifles I use 3F.

Some years ago I switched from 2f to 3f in my Damascus doubles. Since my wife and I are serious clay shooters we liked it. Our velocity went up which translates to less lead which gave us more hits. Also made for easier loading.
Doc,

 

[hanshi]

Generally expect 3F to give higher velocities than 2F; though in larger bores this may or may not hold true. As for fouling and maybe other side effects I'll go ahead and put this out for contemplation. While I have no definitive proof and won't bet money on it I do believe this to be true. Whichever grade, 2F or 3F, is cleaner or dirtier is more dependent upon other factors, lube, patch, bore condition, caliber, etc, than whether or not it's FF or FFF. Plus FWIW, I've never in my life encountered a "clean" black powder.

 

[Doc]

Generally expect 3F to give higher velocities than 2F; though in larger bores this may or may not hold true. As for fouling and maybe other side effects I'll go ahead and put this out for contemplation. While I have no definitive proof and won't bet money on it I do believe this to be true. Whichever grade, 2F or 3F, is cleaner or dirtier is more dependent upon other factors, lube, patch, bore condition, caliber, etc, than whether or not it's FF or FFF. Plus FWIW, I've never in my life encountered a "clean" black powder.

I guess we can call 12 ga. a large bore. My wife and I are serious shotgun shooters. Years back with 2f we had to clean our bores between shooting singles and doubles. Still using the same lube etc. changed to 3f and we can shoot straight through. Our BP club also shoots sporting clays 50 round no reason to clean. But even better with 3f we got higher velocity so we had a smaller lead on the clays which gave us more hits. It’s a win win.
Doc,

 

[Johnnyntrain]

Thanks.
Guess my concern wasn’t so much the powder type but the amount.
Won’t an equal amount of FFF (quicker burning) generate more initial pressure then the same amount of FF?
Or is the difference minimal and insignificant?
Since (apparently) the powder doesn’t matter for both guns should so I just mix my two types together for load testing uniformity?

Dont mix. When you do you're creating a pressure curve not unlike smokeless powder . BP it's a matter of surface area, it all Burns at the same rate smaller granules have more surface area so it's more sudden. General rule above 50 caliber use one F or 2f small calibers you can use 3F

 

[Woody Morgan]

Black powder is nothing like smokeless, friend. No matter what size granulation or combination.
Care to enlighten us on how BP can in any way be similar to smokeless? I'm interested.

wm

 

[Doc]

Dont mix. When you do you're creating a pressure curve not unlike smokeless powder . BP it's a matter of surface area, it all Burns at the same rate smaller granules have more surface area so it's more sudden. General rule above 50 caliber use one F or 2f small calibers you can use 3F

Johnnyntrain, It’s true that years ago, there was a break off at 50cal for 2 or 3f. It seems about 15/20 years ago the general rule has changed. Almost all of the top top shooters are using 3f all the way up to and including 12ga. At the world championships (mostly factory teams) it was almost unanimous 3f in all calibers. You are correct the pressure is a bit higher with 3f as is a higher velocity with the same amount. Out west where many of us shoot Damascus doubles in the shotgun events almost all have switched to 3f. Doc,

 

[Muley Gil]

My 1st BP firearm was a .58 Zoli Zouave, bought for me by my daddy in 1969. I've used FFFg 99% of the time. The only time I've used FFg was when I couldn't find FFFg.

 

[Big Bob]

I use mainly 3F in rifles and revolvers, calibers are .58 in Zouave and .44 in revolver. I also use 3F in .44-40 Uberti rifle. I don't use 4F in flinters, just 3F. I've tried 2F but prefer 3F. I hope everyone using Goex and Olde Ensford stocked up. They're DOA now.

 

[Doc]

I use mainly 3F in rifles and revolvers, calibers are .58 in Zouave and .44 in revolver. I also use 3F in .44-40 Uberti rifle. I don't use 4F in flinters, just 3F. I've tried 2F but prefer 3F. I hope everyone using Goex and Olde Ensford stocked up. They're DOA now.

Big Bob, Yes apparently Goex seems to be a thing of the past, unless a company steps in to purchase the name etc. We still have Schuetzen which is very close to Goex and Swiss which is slightly hotter. Life goes on. Doc,

 

[William Lincoln]

In the early 1800's you had "Gunpowder" approx 1.5 F and "Fine pistol powder" 3-4F
I use 3F and 4F in rifles-fowlers and revolver respectively. Thousands of loads.
Black gunpowder is pretty simple. No "analysis paralysis" needed. On average
I load revolvers 44 cal with 20-30 grains and Hawkens 60-70 grains. Never had
an issue. My squibs & misfires mainly in substitutes. Best caps Remington 10's
for revolvers and CCI or RWS caps & muskets for long guns. Grain size is
surface area to combust. Now I do not shoot longrifles which do ok with slower
burning powder like 1.5-2F. I always advise following manufacturers advice
on loading-- which over the years has changed a lot. I am just stuck in another
era of time.

 

[Grenadier1758]

There was also Sporting grade gunpowder which was about the performance of 3Fg Swiss when compared to Gunpowder that had the performance of 2Fg GOEX. Sporting grade seemed to be used in the fowling guns and some of the smaller caliber rifles.