powder for GPR

[Huntnut]

I have been using pyrodex RS FFG in my .54 GPR and I have been getting hangfires. I have wanted to get some Goex BP but havn't ordered any yet. While I was out shooting my .32 pistol today I thought I would try some of the Pyrodex P FFFG in my .54 and it shoot great no hangfires and seamed to be a little more accurate and easyer to reload after 5+ shots with out running a patch down the bore. Should I just keep shooting this powder or try some real FFFG blackpowder?

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I use pyro 'P' grade in my .50 with no problems. as with real BP I rap the breech area with the palm of my hand after dumping powder in to jar grains into the drum, does well but what a 'crud ring' near the breech.

 

[silverfox]

Real Black Powder?? thats the only way I know to stop most hangfires. It just works beffer. Get some try it you won't go back.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

If you can get it, real BP works well and limits hangfires. I have lots of trouble getting it up here and mostly reserve it for flinters.

My GPR 54 caplock goes about 10 shots with full power Pyro RS loads before I get any hangfires, but picking the nipple and popping a cap takes care of that for another 10- all with no bore swabbing. Using Pyro P moves that up to around 15 shots.

Mine is more accurate with the P, whether using 35 grains for small game, 50 grains for target or 90 grains for hunting. But I came by 10 pounds of RS at a buck a pound from an estate, so I'm shooting a lot of that lately. Pretty messy at 50 grains and hangfires after half a dozen shots, so I'm still using the P for target and small game.

 

[wtilenw]

I shot Pyrodex for years and never considered "Real Black" because I was always told it was terribly corrosive. I have since been sent straight by members of this forum, Pyrodex has its own set of issues not limited to but including corrsiveness (is that a word?). The deciding factor for me was the ignition temperature of Pyrodex is higher than real blackpowder. The only misfires or hangfires that have left an impression on me have been in the field, on game. I switched to real blackpowder in 2005 after a misfire very nearly cost me a nice Buck Antelope, I was able to get another cap on the gun while lying down after the Buck passed me at a distance of only 4 feet, I stood up and took my shot, the gun hangfired and I hit the buck further back than I would have liked to, I reloaded and shot him again, this time at 125 yards, this is farther than I like to shoot but I had no choice. That was the last shot I fired with Pyrodex and have not had one single misfire or hangfire since. By the way, each of the other Guys I was hunting with that year had misfires with Pyrodex too. We had hunted one or two days in light rain, been careful to protect our caps and muzzles and didn't bring the guns in the tent at night. We were careful and one of us didn't get a Buck that trip because of Pyrodex. Never again for me. Just buy a case and be done with it. Split the cost with a Buddy or two if you wont need that much.
Idaho PRB

 

[BRUN]

Had the same problem with pyro.I tried musket caps thinking it would help but still got hangfires.Switched to goex and problem solved.

 

[playfarmers]

Go black if you can. If you have trouble getting black go with the Pyrodex P and get a Magnum Spitfire nipple. They are the hotest nipple I know of.

 

[Herb]

You are right. A Hot Shot nipple (TC, I think, or Track of the Wolf, Wal Mart sells it as "Flint River", Muzzleloader Builder Supply sells one as a Spitfire nipple) will cure all these hangfires with percussion rifles. You don't need magnum primers, CCI 11 work just fine. Remington advertises their caps so they seem to be a magnum, but they chronograph just the same as my CCI 11 caps. I don't know if the CCI 11 Magnum caps will cure the problem without the Hot Shot Nipple, but I doubt it.

 

[captgary]

Been using Goex fffG in my 54 GPR. Have put approx 450 shots through her and the one and only miss fire was a bad cap.

 

[doulos]

I never experienced a hangfire with Goex FFg. I have a traditions 1-66 twist .54 that hangfired with pyrodex but never with real black. I dont even like pyrodex out of my inlines. Im convinced real black is the way to go both for reliability and accuracy.

 

[PreglerD]

Why do you have problems to get BP in the US? Can't understand that. If a german hunter would say that I could understand it, because here we have many restrictions by law.

 

[BrownBear]

The big problem is with shipping it. For example I live on an island a long ways from anywhere, and it has to come in by boat or plane. Lots of restrictions apply.

 

[PreglerD]

Oh I understand. In GE BP is not allowed to be shipped by mail for private use. Only the commercial shipping from factory to trader is allowed and at least rentable because of the costs. As a private buyer I have to buy the bp directly in the store and then I m only allowed to buy 1000g. The authorities are in fear of this expolosive stuff, perhaps the Permission Owner are terrorists and will built bombs. :rotf:

 

[jethro224]

The closest(only) place around me that stocks real blackpowder is @45 minute drive one way.
We are only allowed to keep 5 pounds at a time.
My local gunshop owner told me he would have to buy special insurance and a special storage locker to sell real BP and it wouldn't pay for itself.
I order mine from Graffs and also stocked up at Friendship. I have a Pyrodex shootin' buddy who lets me keep extra at his place too.

 

[Zonie]

jethro224 hit it on the head!
Because Black Powder is classified as a explosive, the Insurance companys charge extra for a shop to carry it.
The shop/store also has to have special storage for it and also have special paperwork from the government.
Along with the paperwork, goes inspections by the Government Inspectors.

The synthetic powders, because of their higher ignition temperatures and the fact that they are classified as combustables like smokeless powder do not have these extra requirements.

As was mentioned, shipping also is more expensive because it is an "explosive".

zonie

 

[PreglerD]

So we all in the same boat. In GE it is similar!

 

[BRUN]

Our gun shop in town didnt renew his license so I had to order.$10 a lb from Graff is better than $17 a lb the gun shop was charging.

 

[PreglerD]

I wonder how cheap bp is in the US. For example I pay for 500g WANO PP € 19,50 = $ 23,40.

 

[jrozelle]

I shoot .32, .50, and .54 rifles and a .36 pistol. I have had problems with mis-fires, hang-fires, and no-fires in the past. All of these were due to either a dirty gun or not wiping the oil from the bore/ and or not clearing the nipple with 3 caps before loading. I shoot Triple 7, Pyrodex (RS)FF, (P)FFF, and Goex Black Powder with NO problems at all IF I load a properly cleaned, prepped gun!!! These guns have over-, side-, and in-line percussion :thumbsup: hammers. If you have nipple/ hammer nose, or hammer binding,spring,tumbler, or fly issues -no powder will work reliably.

 

[54mountain]

My club buys in bulk and my price is $9.50 a pound. sports shops sell it for around $17.00