Mixing, sounds like a bad idea to me

[wheelockhunter]

A guy on another forums is thinking about mixing BP and pyrodex.( 50/50 ratio) Sounds like a bad idea to me, if I am correct they both burn different.

Is it as bad of an idea as I think it is?

 

[roundball]

A guy on another forums is thinking about mixing BP and pyrodex.( 50/50 ratio) Sounds like a bad idea to me, if I am correct they both burn different.

Is it as bad of an idea as I think it is?

Not at all...for the record of course, the first and foremost consideration for anything that we do like that must be safety as it relates to pressure levels...the types and amounts used in such a 'duplex' load must be calculated to ensure safe pressure levels are not exceeded...then see how accuracy does, etc.

The good news is that the label right on a can of Pyrodex suggests it when trying to use Pyrodex in a Flintlock...I've personally done it numerous times, the practice is safe, and it worked fine for me using what I call "layered charges".

When I switched from caplocks to flintlocks, I had a few pounds of Pyrodex RS left over, and got outstanding results in a flintlock by first pouring 20grns Goex 3F down bore, followed by 30grns Pyrodex RS (or 40, 50, 60, etc)...none of those combinations exceeded any pressure levels, and were perfectly consistent and accurate at the range. A 50%/50% set of layers using 30 + 30 grns, 40 + 40grns, etc should work equally as well.

For convenience, I used 35mm film canisters and premeasured 20grns Goex 3F into 40 of them, then premeasured 30 (or 40,50,60) grns Pyrodex RS in another 40 film canisters and kept them in separate large ziploc bags, clearly labeled, etc.

NOTE:
One time I did try "mixing/shaking" together parts of both types of powder (ie: 25grns of one and 25grns of the other) but never felt comfortable that the mixed granules of powder stayed evenly distributed after handling and settling in the canisters...worried that consistency might be affected so I used the "layered" approach instead and it worked perfectly...allowing me to use up surplus Pyrodex in my Flintlocks.

 

[brubincam]

do you think black powder and pyrodex could be mixed 50-50 and used in a flintlock to help stretch bp where it is hard to get????not as a duplex--- :thanks:

 

[Stumpkiller]

There is a warning not to right on the GOEX can. Blackpowder generates a lot of oxygen in the combustion process. That's like a turbo-boost to the Pyrodex, which is designed to burn in a "Pyrodex only" environment. 1 + 1 might equal 3 or 4 in that event.


People do it. But then, people mix alcohol and barbituates, too.

 

[roundball]

do you think black powder and pyrodex could be mixed 50-50 and used in a flintlock to help stretch bp where it is hard to get????not as a duplex--- :thanks:

If the goal is to stretch out the BP supply, then you only need a small ignitor charge of BP...the rest Pyrodex...the ratio would be way less than 50/50.

I used 20grns of Goex 3F as my ignitor charge because that was the smallest sized powder measure I had...but I found that it works so well I wouldn't use a smaller ignitor charge even if I had a smaller measure
:front:

 

[Brawdhead]

There is a warning not to right on the GOEX can. Blackpowder generates a lot of oxygen in the combustion process.

That seems a bit odd. Combustion is a reaction
that *uses up* oxygen; it doesn't *generate* it.

Dan

 

[pondoro]

Powder contains it's own oxygen, in BP it is the potassium nitrate. That is why it can burn so fast in a closed barrel. If the quantity of oxygen contained in the mixture is greater than the amount burned by the "fuel" then excess oxygen will be released.

Few combustion processes are perfectly balanced, if you have a car (sorry, they did not exist in 1840). If you have a kerosene lamp you probably adjust it to burn nice and clean, with a lot of air to consume all the carbon (soot). If you have a smokehouse you probably burn the wood with insufficient air to produce lots of smoke. If you are a charcoal maker you burn wood with very little air, to drive off the liquids and gasses and create a carbon-rich lump of charcoal.

I am not a chemist but I bet BP is mixed with excess oxidant to make sure the combustion proceeds until amost all the solids are consumed.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

It is actually the only sure fire way to use the wannabe powders in a rock lock. 10 grains or so of the holy black followed by other stuff as desired works out fine. (or it does for me when low on black)

 

[Herb]

Same for me. I wouldn't want to mix those powders. Like Roundball and Tanstaafl (tough to spell!), I use a booster charge. Hodgdon in their "Basic Muzzleloading Manual" (free from them) writes: "Flintlock: To insure proper ignition in flintlock systems, 5 grains of FFFFG priming powder should be placed into the bore prior to loading the main charge of Triple Seven or Pyrodex." (reduce main powder charge by 5 grains to compensate for this). In my testing, and I use only black in my flintlocks otherwise, I measure out the Pyrodex or Triple 7 charge in a measure, tap it to settle about 10 grains, and top it off with a small priming horn of either 2F or 3F black. Simple and fast, and then I can prime the pan from the same black powder horn.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Tanstaafl. There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch