Powder Comparisons

[smoothshooter]

Need an info-dump on the relative merits of some "off brands" of powders I have seen for sale recently, such as Diamondback,KIK,Skirmish,etc. I have had very good results with Goex and Schuetzen in my smoothbores and percussion revolvers. I have a .45 caliber flint rifle coming soon from Tip Curtis to add to my inventory.These other powders are somewhat cheaper than what I normally use, but some of them may be more for shooting blanks or just plinking.Any information any of you may have will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Smoothshooter

 

[gunnar26]

If you can put can in hand or read up on it online,I would venture to say most if not all powder should have some kind of usage rating. And the way things are going anything cheap should be grabbed while you can. Never know, you might find your new favorite powder....then never find it again, like the thirty pointer I missed as a kid. Kept me huntin ever since.:wink:

 

[ohio ramrod]

I prefer goex or KIK. I find them about equal with Kik being a little "cleaner". Swiss is good but more expensive. The only "bad powder" I have ever had was the old elephant I won once at a shoot. :hmm:

 

[Amikee]

I found KIK to be fairly reliable on ignition. Looks like it may need a good spark. Burns rather clean in my experience. I think I could compare it to pyrodex somewhat on clean burn. Honestly, I finished one container and never bought it again. I just like Goex.

 

[AWsaddles]

I'm currently shooting KIK and am finding it to be pretty compairable to Goex. Am planning on ordering more soon and will probably opt for it again.

 

[Dphar]

Cheap powder is cheap powder. There is no way to make good powder cheap. It takes time, equipment, ingredients and knowledge to make good powder.
Short cut any one of these and the powder is not as good as it should be. Swiss costs more because they take more time in making it, they use the best ingredients and they make it uniformly so there is less variation from lot to lot. The cheaper the powder the more shortcuts are taken. Less uniform etc etc.

Dan

 

[Rifleman1776]

Swiss is good but more expensive.

Swiss is excellent. Very clean to use and 'hotter'. Less is needed for comparable results. I believe the price difference becomes a wash considering less is used.
I find Goex and Schuetzen very comparable.
A friend uses Kik and much likes it. Until I start beating him at club matches I can't argue it's qualities. :wink:

 

[jamesthomas]

Ever since I started using KIK powder I've been hooked, not only is it less expensive "not cheap" but it shoots better and is cleaner than Goex. I rank it as a excellent powder almost as good as Swiss. I use 70grns of 3fff ,.490 ball with .22 mattress ticking, Mink oil or Hoppes #9 blackpowder lube. This gets me less than 2" groups at 50yrds.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Diamondback, if you can find it, is very inexpensive, and I would use it only for blanks, BUT that's what I bought it for. My "local" source (two hours away) cannot get it right now, but does have GOEX Reenactor gunpowder for the same price as the Diamondback. Reenactor is sold for plinking and making blanks, and is cleaner than the Diamondback was.

It's not a question necessarily of price but of quality, for I can get Swiss at my supplier for less than I can buy standard GOEX in my town. Swiss does run $8 more than standard GOEX from my supplier, but I have found standard GOEX very consistant both in targets and on deer. NOW if I was worried about my final score at a match, and how many X's vs. how many 10's and 9's..., I'd opt for Swiss.

LD

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

Since I started using Swiss powder I never looked back to other brands....

 

[nkbj]

:haha: I'm happy to make work whatever I got.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

I use KIK to the exclusion of others. It burns very clean and is very consistent.

 

[TarponStalker]

I'm glad to hear good things about Swiss. My local gun shop just told me he's out of ffg Goex but has some Swiss. $31/lb Yikes. But, I'm almost out and this will give me a good reason to try something different. I'm curious how much difference in the load for my .50 and .54.

I mainly use for hunting. Has anyone noticed a difference in things like moisture absorption? I usually leave my rifles loaded until needed.

 

[Ranch 13]

KIK is a very good powder that shoots clean and gives good velocity and accuracy.
Goex's new Olde Eynsford powder is shaping up to be an extremely clean powder and shows the potential for good accuracy, and is about the same price as regular goex.

 

[Dickydalton]

I agree with Dan. I do kinda like the Olde Eynsford too and love the Swiss.

 

[George T.]

I am currently using Shultzen that I got from Graff & Sons. At $14 a pound TT&L I had the mind set to make it work. Well I am pleased as it is clean and a little hotter than the last Goex I had. Their new powder Ole ford is just a dollar more than the regular Goex so it will be my next purchase even though I am well pleased with the current powder! Geo. T.

 

[cynthialee]

I need to get some of that Old Eynsford.

 

[Stonevievneilson]

Has anyone heard of WANO ( Schwarzpulverc GmbH ) ?
Came in a 1kg plastic container. Just wondering. Don't know what other brands we get over here.
Jonno

 

[Zonie]

WANO has been in business for years and if I'm not mistaken they make the powder that is marketed in the USA as Schutzen. I have several pounds of it and it's good powder.

 

[Stonevievneilson]

Cheers Zonie