GRRRR. :cursing: Now they have to give it away! That is what I think of it. Muzzle Blasts did an article on this within the past couple of years, if you go to their webpage, you might be able to find the article on the site. They compared this substitute to the others.
All the subs are second place finishers to Real Black Powder. Pyrodex, in powder form, is the best of the rest.
The others are based on various acid, mostly ascorbic acid, formulas, and ignite at much higher temperatures than does Black Powder. It can be used in some Percussion guns, but each gun seems to be choosy about what substitute you can use in it.
These seem to work okay in pistols and revolvers, probably because No great accuracy is demanded of most of those shooters.
Once the can is opened, and the powder is exposed to air, they tend to lose their powder. You want to use the can or jar up in one year, and not try to store part of a container over a couple of years. The same problem does NOT exist for Black Powder.
This is a Traditional Muzzle Loading Website. We don't discuss those zip guns that are being pushed in every chain store. Nor do we usually use much of the substitute powders. Don't believe it that you don't have to clean your barrel using the stuff, because that is a total lie. Most of the subs will attract moisture and cake up as fast or faster than Black Powder. The gun must be thorough cleaned with both soap and water, and then often with a solvent to remove modern priming waste, or plastice from the barrel. Its takes a lot longer to clean a modern zip gun, shooting the substitute powders and plastic covered bullets, than it does a Traditional side lock, using Black Powder. But all have to be cleaned. Otherwise, you have a lot of rust, and a ruined barrel at the beginning of next season.
For most hunting with BP firearms, the Patched Round Ball is not only preferred but is superior to bullets in the field. You will probably be told differently by the hucksters. Only when hunting dangerous game is a bullet called for, and you can still use a RB in a large caliber, if you use alloy lead to cast the balls so you get better penetration.
Welcome to the forum. You will get far better information about guns, powder, and accoutrements here than you will get from most clerks in sporting goods stores. Just read through the past few weeks of posts under any topic to see what I mean.