Old Substitute Powder

[fishmusic]

When I first started black powder shooting I got some American Pioneer Powder (APP). At that time everything worked just fine but I got some real black powder soon after and left it on the shelf in my garage. Now ten years later I wanted to see if this stuff was any good so I made a little pile and lit it with a lighter. It went whoosh just as expected. Wow it still works.

So I said to myself, Self you need to use this stuff up. So I took to the next club meeting to test it in my Lyman's Plains Pistol. Loaded up 20 gr and a patched ball, capped it, took aim and CLICK. Cap went off but no bang. Tried another cap and the same. Tried a hotter cap and no bang. Finally I pulled the nipple and put about 3 grains of fffg in the space. It went BANG. Fired a few more with a dual load like that.

Well, the stuff is c*ap So what do I do with it? I now have an explosive substance that can't be used efficiently in a gun. I will probably just burn it outside but not with a satisfying BOOM!

 

[BS2366]

Maybe a cannon or launch a small barrel

 

[64Springer]

Dump it on the ground and let the rain do the rest.

Unless that would trigger Climate Anxiety.

It's all the rage now.

 

[BS2366]

Maybe you could mix a small amount in with good powder. At least that way your not wasting it.

 

[fishmusic]

Maybe you could mix a small amount in with good powder. At least that way your not wasting it.

Might be wasting good powder

 

[fishmusic]

I was thinking fire crackers. I'll try one to see.

 

[R Ellis]

May be damp put some out to dry and try it again

 

[deerstalkert]

makes good fertilizer for roses.
i think i have a pound i am saving for Geranium starts this spring.

 

[Kap]

I had the same issue several times with older powder. I put it in a Stainless steel pot with a glass lid and put it in the sun. After a couple of hours you could see moisture droplets on the glass. I wiped the glass off several times until no more droplets & put it back in the container with some small dehumidifier pads. Worked fine after that.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Use it up in duplex loads with something that actually works. I tried the substitutes when they came out and honestly, they haven't really improved all that much in terms of reliability. I use them when I get a windfall of free stuff or when I can't get anything else. Otherwise, I am a black powder shooter.

 

[fishmusic]

I had the same issue several times with older powder. I put it in a Stainless steel pot with a glass lid and put it in the sun. After a couple of hours you could see moisture droplets on the glass. I wiped the glass off several times until no more droplets & put it back in the container with some small dehumidifier pads. Worked fine after that.

Kap,

I'll give the drying out before I dispose. thanks for the tip.

 

[fishmusic]

Maybe a cannon or launch a small barrel

I am in city limits. The cops would be all over my a$$ in a New York minute.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Blow an anvil with it?

 

[Bunk]

When I first started black powder shooting I got some American Pioneer Powder (APP). At that time everything worked just fine but I got some real black powder soon after and left it on the shelf in my garage. Now ten years later I wanted to see if this stuff was any good so I made a little pile and lit it with a lighter. It went whoosh just as expected. Wow it still works.

So I said to myself, Self you need to use this stuff up. So I took to the next club meeting to test it in my Lyman's Plains Pistol. Loaded up 20 gr and a patched ball, capped it, took aim and CLICK. Cap went off but no bang. Tried another cap and the same. Tried a hotter cap and no bang. Finally I pulled the nipple and put about 3 grains of fffg in the space. It went BANG. Fired a few more with a dual load like that.

Well, the stuff is c*ap So what do I do with it? I now have an explosive substance that can't be used efficiently in a gun. I will probably just burn it outside but not with a satisfying BOOM!

It contains enough nitrates to use on the yard as fertilizer.

 

[nhmoose]

Write hate notes on enemies' lawns. They will spend hours trying to get rid of it. Active word is trying.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I use duplex loads in my rifle to extand my 2F. (I only have a pound and a half of GOEX and 2 pounds of Pyrodex Select). I use 35 grains of 2F GOEX BP and then 35 grains of Pyrodex Select on top of that. You could replace the Pyrodex with the APP and it would shoot fine. It would make your powder stash last longer. Who knows when the next BP shortage will happen.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Old Sparky]

A great way to test to see if moisture is the problem is to take a sample of whatever it is and put it in a ziplock bag with a ton of extra air so it is like a tent. I throw it out on the hood of your truck or whatever someplace warm and watch for the condensation. I really like the idea about the stainless steel pot you could try the whole batch that way. Just watch out for focusing the Sun on the powder LOL