How much ffg vs. ffffg to order?

[smrkdown]

I'm going to put together an order for
ffg and ffffg for a .50 cal rifle.

Going to order from here, but I'm curious how much of each to buy to make up 5lb or 10lb total: https://powderinc.com/product/mix-and-match-5lbs-black-powder/ https://powderinc.com/product/mix-and-match-10lbs-black-powder/

Assuming ffffg priming charge will last a lot longer than ffg main.

 

[coloradoclyde]

An average charge of 80 grains will give you 87 shots per pound...if an average priming charge is 3 grains then you will use 261 grains of 4f per pound.....At that rate a pound of priming powder would last for 26 pounds of powder.........

So one pound of priming powder should definitely be enough for 5-10 pounds of rifle powder.

 

[Claude Mathis]

You might try using 3f for both load and prime. It works well in my .50 flintlock and it simplifies buying powder.

 

[Black Hand]

Skip the FFFFg and prime with whatever you use for the main charge. I use FFFg for both...

 

[ZUG]

Buy 10 lbs of the 3F -- most economical way to go. You could always mix up the 10 lb order especially if you have other larger bore guns - I like 2F for my shotguns and 58 cal civil war repos.

 

[necchi]

Welcome new guy,

Buy 10 lbs of the 3F -- most economical way to go.

Zug is right, if you hang out here long enough you'll find that most on this forum recommend 3f and do indeed use it as a main charge and a flintlock primer.
Powders are much cleaner and higher quality then they where even 20yrs ago.
If you must mix 1# of 4F will last you a long-long time,,
Last time we ordered it was a full case of 3F.

 

[Zonie]

About 9 years ago, after reading a number of posts in which the writers cheered the benefits of 4F powder for priming, I bought a pound of it.

I had been priming my flinter with the same 3Fg powder I used for the main charge and was anxious to see the great improvement in ignition speed.

I gave the 4F more than a fair chance to prove its merits but I really didn't see any differences.

It flashed nicely but so did the 3Fg.

The gun fired reliably but not any faster or more reliably than it did with the 3Fg.

All in all, it seemed to be just another thing to mess with while I was loading so I gave up on it.

Later, Pletch published his findings and sure enough, the 4F powder fired his test gun faster than the 3Fg in the pan.

Faster by a whopping few thousandths of a second!

Now, if it was the difference in time for a top fuel dragster to reach the finish line that amount of time would be a couple of feet at 300 miles per hour.
In a flintlocks pan, that difference and $1.00 might get you a cup of coffee (if you don't buy it at Starbucks).

I will admit the 4F lasts longer.
9 years later I still have almost a full 1 pound can of it. :rotf:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Faster by a whopping few thousandths of a second!

It only takes about 14 milliseconds to flinch....

 

[Walks with fire]

7000 gr./3 gr. is 2,333 shots. I know I won't buy anymore as I have a full can of Goex 4f and almost a full can of Swiss null-b yet. I will be dead or too old to shoot before it's gone. Like Zonie said; 3f works just fine and may even be better in damp conditions where it's in the pan a while for hunting.

I do have to stock both 3f and 2f because a couple of my barrels shoot their very best with 2f and don't like 3f while my GM 1/70 .50 drop-in just thrives on 100 grain of 3f.

 

[Zonie]

Faster by a whopping few thousandths of a second!

It only takes about 14 milliseconds to flinch....

A "millisecond" is a thousandth of a second. :hmm:

Of course the time for a flintlock to fire is far more than a few milliseconds. Somewhere around 65-80 of them so my point is, for me, the tiny gain that 4 F powder gives isn't worth the trouble.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Faster by a whopping few thousandths of a second!

It only takes about 14 milliseconds to flinch....

A "millisecond" is a thousandth of a second. :hmm:

Of course the time for a flintlock to fire is far more than a few milliseconds. Somewhere around 65-80 of them so my point is, for me, the tiny gain that 4 F powder gives isn't worth the trouble.

Wasn't arguing....Just threw it out there for contrast. I use 3fff more than 50% of the time for priming and almost always for the main charge in a .50 cal....
4fff does flow better through tiny priming flasks though.... IMO.....Considering that a pound of 4fff could last a person years, I don't see ordering a can much trouble....

 

[smrkdown]

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I should just get 5lb of 3F for now.

 

[rushlake1]

buy 10 #'s it won't get any cheaper...only one hazmat fee.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

If you have any fellow shooters to go in with you order 25 lbs. It will save you a few bucks per lb. Dan.

 

[Tinker2]

I prime with the same powder I load in the gun 3f or 2f
Works for me.

When hunting in windy, rainy, snowy weather they are less likely to blow away.
Less likely (for me) to be troubled by humidity.

But if you are ordering powder, get one # of 4f then you can find what works for you.



William Alexander

 

[smrkdown]

If you have any fellow shooters to go in with you order 25 lbs. It will save you a few bucks per lb. Dan.

I know it's been discussed elsewhere, but I couldn't find a really clear answer, even reading the regulations.

In Pennsylvania, I thought I read that the limit for possession without special storage requirements is 10lb but could be wrong. If so, would need to divide that 25lb across 3 people/locations?

 

[Many Klatch]

Just read the ATF rules carefully. You cannot buy the powder yourself and then sell it to friends that is illegal. You can get their money up front and buy it together and have it shipped to one place, that is legal (I think).

I just buy whatever powder I need for my use. If there is a local source for your powder if you pick it up you save the $25 to $35 Hazmat fee. So it's worth a drive. I see you are in PA. Log Cabin in Ohio is one place. Dixons in East PA is another. I'm sure there is more.

 

[Black Hand]

If there is a local source for your powder if you pick it up you save the $25 to $35 Hazmat fee.

True, but local places usually charge far more for a pound. The $25-35 savings really isn't worth it unless you a just buying a pound or two. Online, the price per pound can be $10-15 less than when purchased at a brick-and-mortar store (if the store even carries blackpowder).

 

[Ames]

I add 10 grains of FFFF to my corn muffin batter.
Gotta use it up somewhere. :youcrazy:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Another vote for ALL 3Fg!

In fact as pointed out, you might want to see if you can order more than 10 containers of the stuff. It's only going to go up in price is correct, and a few extra containers might make nice trading fodder if powder dealers in your area are scarce or if the price is very high per pound.

LD