FFFF

[Tanglefoot]

When you grind powder in a mortar you run the risk that your grinding pressure will produce enough heat to ignite the powder. If it's a squib amount it will startle you when that happens. If it's more it can spoil your whole day, set fire to your work area, cause injury and burns, and turn anything loose on your work surface into a projectile --- including the pestle you're using --- not to mention igniting the rest of the powder you probably left in an open container on the work surface. Under "cause injury" I personally have black powder grains imbedded in the skin of my face from being too close to a small charge that ignited, though mine was not by grinding. My glasses protected my eyesight. My recommendation is: DON'T DO IT!! T'AIN'T WORTH IT! IT CAN COST YOU MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN A CAN OF POWDER!
There floats my stick.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

+1, the K.I.S.S. principle, for bores from .32 to .54

+4, I use 3Fg for main charge and for prime.

I use 4Fg for making fire crackers.....

LD

 

[tenngun]

Tried it on a China cereal bowl and a stainless steel spoon. Got a phoof on third batch, about seventy grains.
still had about a hundred and forty grain from my first two batches. Did nothing that I could notice to be faster.
never trie it again, never bought a can of four f

 

[Britsmoothy]

+4, I use 3Fg for main charge and for prime.

I use 4Fg for making fire crackers.....

LD

Fire crackers!!!
Send it to me so it can be used correctly!

 

[tenngun]

20-30 dollars a pound, hazemat transport to the UK!!!!!
can you burn gold? Might be cheaper

 

[Flinty Scot]

Rushing to go shooting, I grabbed a can of powder to refill my horn in the field.
It worked OK but the pan kept self-priming from the charge, filling the pan so I had to dust a bit out to fire.
I was sneaking a bit of practice in before it rained.
Didn't realize what I'd done until I got home, grabbed the can to top off my horn; noticed the fineness of grain; double checked the label; and dumped it back into the can.

There was a thread about using 4F for a main charge. I wouldn't have done it intentionally before. I used to grind 3F in a wood mortar & pestle until recently being given a whole can.
Now it's stored separately - and it's time for new glasses.

Still, I didn't notice my .50 didn't kick any harder and it seems unaffected by what were pretty heavy loads, if i apply the same adjustment factor as for going from 2F to 3.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Rushing to go shooting, I grabbed a can of powder to refill my horn in the field.
It worked OK but the pan kept self-priming from the charge, filling the pan so I had to dust a bit out to fire.
I was sneaking a bit of practice in before it rained.
Didn't realize what I'd done until I got home, grabbed the can to top off my horn; noticed the fineness of grain; double checked the label; and dumped it back into the can.

There was a thread about using 4F for a main charge. I wouldn't have done it intentionally before. I used to grind 3F in a wood mortar & pestle until recently being given a whole can.
Now it's stored separately - and it's time for new glasses.

Still, I didn't notice my .50 didn't kick any harder and it seems unaffected by what were pretty heavy loads, if i apply the same adjustment factor as for going from 2F to 3.

Curious, what gun brand and projectile were you shooting? What was the charge? How many shots?
Walk

 

[oldwood]

Caution grinding powder in stone , metal, or glass vessels. Recommended to do it in a wooden bowel/dish , no sparks.

 

[Winterhawk]

I'm use the powder in the horn for priming. Right now it is 2Fg and I see no difference between it and when I used 4Fg. It makes a little less to carry (priming horn), plus if it is humid the 4Fg will collect moisture from the air which the courser powder does much less.

~WH~

 

[Mulebrain]

I will not invest in it ever again. It's just not needed

A can will last years and years

 

[FPDoc]

I'm lazy. I use whatever is in the horn depending on the rifle I'm using. Ive ground 2Fg/3Fg for 4Fg priming (and didn't blow up and just left it at that). I do have the required pound of 4Fg from when I started with flinters but will not live long enough to use it up unless I start rolling firecrackers. If I had a nice fowling piece I would likely use 4Fg for prime cause that's what the Gentry does and it would always be a "lovely morning for dove hunting.. whot" and I would also have my gamekeeper loading the fowling piece anyway. Grin. If you "need" 4Fg you will know it, otherwise just do as you wish. It turns out that it just hasn't been worth it for me.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Rushing to go shooting, I grabbed a can of powder to refill my horn in the field.
It worked OK but the pan kept self-priming from the charge, filling the pan so I had to dust a bit out to fire.
I was sneaking a bit of practice in before it rained.
Didn't realize what I'd done until I got home, grabbed the can to top off my horn; noticed the fineness of grain; double checked the label; and dumped it back into the can.

There was a thread about using 4F for a main charge. I wouldn't have done it intentionally before. I used to grind 3F in a wood mortar & pestle until recently being given a whole can.
Now it's stored separately - and it's time for new glasses.

Still, I didn't notice my .50 didn't kick any harder and it seems unaffected by what were pretty heavy loads, if i apply the same adjustment factor as for going from 2F to 3.

Wow. No one has suggested burning you at the stake for endangering innocent bystanders by turning you rifle into a potential pipe bomb by using 4f!
I mean every can of the stuff DOESN'T have warnings written all over it!
Good on ya feller.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I'm use the powder in the horn for priming. Right now it is 2Fg and I see no difference between it and when I used 4Fg. It makes a little less to carry (priming horn), plus if it is humid the 4Fg will collect moisture from the air which the courser powder does much less.

~WH~

Really....on damp days over here any powder will turn to soup! Never thought to time it. When I figure out a reason to time it I will time it.

 

[BJm]

At $38 per pound stop whinning. At that price i would buy cases of each grade & replentish it can by can. Down-under we have a choice ( some times ) of either Swiss or Wano powder, limited grades & somes times no choice at all because of limited supplies. Black powder here is considered dangerous so transport is a real problem. So i'm guessing you would be very unhappy to pay our price up to $120/kg (2.2 Lbs )

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Fire crackers!!!
Send it to me so it can be used correctly!

IF I bought it to be used for fireworks, then it IS being correctly used.

Excellent for use on July 4th, sorry...Colonial Treason Day for you folks on that side of The Pond.

LD

 

[Loyalist Dave]

So i'm guessing you would be very unhappy to pay our price up to $120/kg (2.2 Lbs )

Sounds like I'd be into rock tumbling and polishing if I lived, Down Under,

The sulfur is for the garden,
The KNO3 is for stumps,
The mortar and pestle is for herbs,
The charcoal is for bar-b-que...., look at my dandy Bedourie Oven if you doubt me...

LD

 

[toot]

Pietro, me too, in the real early 60's. class of 61. thanks for your service! I am a VIETNAM VET. we were all so young them!.

 

[toot]

+4, I use 3Fg for main charge and for prime.

I use 4Fg for making fire crackers.....

LD

making firecrackers is against the law last I knew?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

making firecrackers is against the law last I knew?

From the ATFE website:

Because consumer fireworks contain pyrotechnic compositions classified by ATF as explosive materials, the manufacturing of consumer fireworks requires a federal explosives license from ATF.

However, consumer fireworks which include firecrackers, today are not made from 100% black powder, so making a copy of those, requires an ATFE Explosives License, but...,
..., it is my understanding that as black powder by itself is classified by the ATFE as a flammable, and is not an explosive, it then requires no license for sporting or theatrical purposes. Otherwise reenactors, rock bands, and magic acts would need a license when using black powder or flash powder...

LD

 

[Zonie]

From the ATFE website:

Because consumer fireworks contain pyrotechnic compositions classified by ATF as explosive materials, the manufacturing of consumer fireworks requires a federal explosives license from ATF.

However, consumer fireworks which include firecrackers, today are not made from 100% black powder, so making a copy of those, requires an ATFE Explosives License, but...,
..., it is my understanding that as black powder by itself is classified by the ATFE as a flammable, and is not an explosive, it then requires no license for sporting or theatrical purposes. Otherwise reenactors, rock bands, and magic acts would need a license when using black powder or flash powder...

LD

ATFE defines black powder as an explosive.

From Federal Explosive Law and Regulations:

Explosives. Any chemical compound, mixture, or device, the primary or common purpose of which is to function by explosion. The term includes, but is not limited to, dynamite and other high explosives, black powder, pellet powder, initiating explosives, detonators, safety fuses, squibs, detonating cord, igniter cord, and igniters.

https://www.atf.gov/explosives/docs...ves-laws-and-regulations-atf-p-54007/download