You need to get Black Powder, and a powder horn. And Don is absolutely right. NEVER Load from a can or powder horn. Those brass valves that attach to a horn or flask are an invitation to a BOMB! The gates just don't stay clean enough to stay fully closed. The powder residue on the gates that develops from dust meeting moisture keeps the Gates sprung giving room for an ember to ignite the powder in the flask or horn.
The principle Safety rule with all Black Powder is to load from the flask or horn into a SEPARATE powder measure. Then close the flask or horn( or can), put it aside, and only then pour the powder into the gun barrel. If an ember lights off the powder, you burn up a powder charge, maybe singe your fingers, or eyebrows, and perhaps soil your pants! :shocked2: But, you don't blow your hand and head off, or harm others around you.
A corollary safety rule is cleaning between shots, not because the barrel can't be reloaded without cleaning, but to put out any burning embers in the barrel that might light the next powder charge. A spit patch( patch dampened with spit), or a patch lubed with any other lube, from Moose juice to bore butter, to olive oil, to Ballistol, will extinguish any embers as well as clean residue from the barrel for your next shot.
Check the Member Resources section at the top of the Index Page to this forum for all the information available to you to further your education. Under several topic headings, you will also find shown at the top of the thread an article or column worth reading. Welcome to the sport.
