Hypothetical question re: flintlock and Alliant Black MZ

[brewer12345]

I heard that the BLACK-MZ, factory in VA, caught fire and blew up some time back and that is why I cant find any for sale. any one heard that? and is there any to be had? every time on line and SEARCH for it, it comes up discontinued.

It is gone and AFAIK not coming back. I like the stuff and use it. In fact I bought a bunch after it dried up at Sportsmans Warehouse to make sure I had enough to last a while. Since I know it won't last forever I have been working up loads with real black. If is amazing how much filthier the barrels get with real black compared to Black MZ. Ah well. I will eventually burn up every last pound and move on.

 

[Newtire]

nothin but real bp in the pan. Only use subs in flintlock if ya start about 10 grains real black before the main charge then 777 or pyro or what have ya

Since have discovered that Black MZ makes it’s own lube. In fact, no lube is recommended after the first shot. In short, it has a delayed ignition when used with a 10 gr. genuine black powder primer under the Black MZ in a flintlock. Works like gangbusters in sidelock percussion guns of any caliber. I save all my real bp for my flint guns .

 

[toot]

It is gone and AFAIK not coming back. I like the stuff and use it. In fact I bought a bunch after it dried up at Sportsmans Warehouse to make sure I had enough to last a while. Since I know it won't last forever I have been working up loads with real black. If is amazing how much filthier the barrels get with real black compared to Black MZ. Ah well. I will eventually burn up every last pound and move on.

is it measured in grains same as black powder, iffin I should find some?

 

[Zonie]

is it measured in grains same as black powder, iffin I should find some?

All of the synthetic black powders are made to be measured with a black powder measure. If the black powder measure is sized for a 80 grain load of black powder, the same measure will deliver an amount of the synthetic powder that is close to the same amount of power as the real black powder would make.

Almost all of the synthetic black powders actually weigh less than real black powder. Some of them are up to 30 percent lighter in actual weight than the same amount of real black powder would weigh.
Because of this, it is not a good idea to try to actually weigh out synthetic black powders on a scale.

As an example of this, a metal powder measure that is made to give a 80 grain powder charge of real black powder will weigh out an actual 80 grains of it.
The same powder measure full of Pyrodex will give the amount of powder that will give close to the same velocity as the black powder would but, the actual weight of the measured Pyrodex will be around 60 grains on a scale.

Looking at this from the other point of view, if you actually measured out a true 80 grains of Pyrodex on a scale and poured it into your gun barrel, it would have 1.333 times more power than real black powder would deliver. That would make the 80 grains of Pyrodex (actual weight) give the same amount of power as 107 grains of real black powder.

 

[Grenadier1758]

is it measured in grains same as black powder, iffin I should find some?

Powder measures to be used in a black powder gun are to be measured by volume. Exactly as @Zonie stated.

 

[1853enfield]

i think black MZ was one of the best things to come down the pike in years. it is truly clean i have shot all day and never had to run a patch down the tube. In my flint i prime the pan wiht black 4f. I do have 7 or 8 lbs of black mz and was really sad when i heard it had been discontinued. i just checked put my bp supply and have several pounds of both 2 and 3f. i was given a pound of 1f and used in in my 12 ga. shotgun