FFG & FFFG ?

[hawkeye1755]

Anybody knew in which year they made the difference between the ffg and fffg? How they call it in the oldtime , say between 1740-1800.
When they buy BP in a store what are they buying?
Powder for a musket or powder for a rifle?
:hatsoff:

 

[MSzychulda]

I believe most period powders were not sized but graded. It was cannon grade or rifle/musket grade, with little attention payed to the size of the granulation. This is why those little powder testers were used in military units and at forts/stations.

Our modern powders are now sized by the different F gradings and coated with graphite. So to answer your question, the grades are a modern invention, just use what works well. I load and prime with 3F in my 50 cal and .62 smoothbore, while some like 2F and prime with 4F. I like the simplicity of one horn. Matt