Powder preferences?

[hunterlawyer]

Hello:
What are the experienced folks powder preferences?

Goex seems to leave a lot of residue.

KIK looks cheaper, and maybe is cleaner than Goex, but I have never tried it (I am only at the end of my first pound of real powder, anyway).

Would 3-F be preferable to 2-F in my GPR 54cal?


Thanks in advance,
Bill Smith

 

[roundball]

Hello:
What are the experienced folks powder preferences?

Goex seems to leave a lot of residue.

KIK looks cheaper, and maybe is cleaner than Goex, but I have never tried it (I am only at the end of my first pound of real powder, anyway).

Would 3-F be preferable to 2-F in my GPR 54cal?
Thanks in advance,
Bill Smith

IMO...

Goex is one of the best, and all I happen to use;

Type and amount of lube used can influence the amount of residue from powders;

I use Goex 3F in .45/.50/.54cals...very fast, very clean (Natural Lube 1000), very accurate.

My .02 cents

 

[vermontfreedom]

I have used Elephant, Goex, Schuetzen, and Swiss. (I would like to try KIK, having recently heard good things about it, but I have 20 pounds from these other manufacturers I have to shoot up, first!)

I will never, ever, ever, use Elephant powder in a gun. It produces the worst fouling and lowest velocities.

Goex and Schuetzen are essentially identical in all respects, including price, fouling, and performance.

Swiss is the best powder on the market, but you'll pay for it. It's about 25-40% more expensive than Goex or Schuetzen. However, within granulation, it is 15% more efficient.

I also shoot a .54 rocklock and have used 3F, but prefer to use 2F. Pressures are higher with 3F because you will get a denser powder charger (smaller grains), although fouling should be somewhat less.

 

[harryo]

Hello:
What are the experienced folks powder preferences?

Goex seems to leave a lot of residue.

KIK looks cheaper, and maybe is cleaner than Goex, but I have never tried it (I am only at the end of my first pound of real powder, anyway).

Would 3-F be preferable to 2-F in my GPR 54cal?

Swiss is the best I've ever used, although it is also the most costly. KIK is am excellent powder and is hotter and cleaner burning than Goex. It is pretty similar to Swiss in performance and costs less than Goex. I use Ffg in everything from .45cal and up and only use Fffg in .40cal and down.

There have been some who say they like to use Fffg, even in the larger calibers, because it burns more efficiently and leaves less residue. I just read an article written by Bill Knight which tells all you want to know about blackpowder and he disputes this and even ran some tests which seem to back up his claim. It's an interesting article. Here's a link to it.

[url] http://www.thunder-ridge-muzzleloading.com/Bill Knight.htm[/url]

 

Goex for me. I have shot it for 35 years and have no reason to shoot anything else. Just my opinion.
Your results may vary with your lube choice. :grin:

 

[hunterlawyer]

Good and appreciated opinions.

Does 3-F combust more readily in a flintlock than 2-F?

Bill

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Muzzleloading has never been the same for me since I used my last can of DuPont shiny black.

 

[oldways]

I have used Swiss, Goex and Elephant. The older lots of Elephant (before 2000)left a lot of fouling, later lots were much better. Goex is a good powder and I have no problem using it but like Swiss much more. With Swiss you will use less so it helps to off sets the higher cost somewhat. It is also the clenest burning powder I have used. Swiss also produces more energy so I use 2f Swiss in .45 and up with 3f in .40. It may be higher in cost but I feel I can justify the higher price.
Dave

 

[roundball]

I have used Swiss, Goex and Elephant. The older lots of Elephant (before 2000)left a lot of fouling, later lots were much better. Goex is a good powder and I have no problem using it but like Swiss much more. With Swiss you will use less so it helps to off sets the higher cost somewhat. It is also the clenest burning powder I have used. Swiss also produces more energy so I use 2f Swiss in .45 and up with 3f in .40. It may be higher in cost but I feel I can justify the higher price.
Dave

BTW, did you guys see where Goex just announced "Goex Express"...from the bits and pieces I'm picking up about it, it looks like a more refined version of Goex aimed at direct competition with Swiss...same characteristics, same pricing, etc

 

[Rocky Johnson]

Swiss for me :winking: Rocky

 

Yep, I remeber those days. That was good stuff. Use to shoot a Scottish powder that came in a red can that was real good too. Haven't found any of that in a Loooooong time.

 

[MikeChapin]

I have used GOEX FFFg in everything except my 12 gauge, for years. It worked great. On my last purchase I picked up KIK. It was cheaper than GOEX and I had heard good thing about it. From what I had read I got mostly FFg and some FFFg.

For most of my rifles it shot the same as GOEX FFFg - same load. On one rifle I had to change the patch/ball combo to get it back to a decent shooting condition. My .36 spread the groups when using the FFg. I used the KIK FFFg and it went back to its tackdriving self. Kind of strange though, it uses the same load of KIK FFFg as GOEX FFFg. It shoots about 1/4 - 3/8" higher at 25 yards but almost makes a single hole off the bench.

As far as fouling goes, the KIK is a little better than GOEX. I don't notice it while shooting but it does take one or two less patches to clean up.

 

[playfarmers]

Has anyone tried Graf & Sons FFFG. It seems that that is all I can get around here now. I picked up 1 pound to try, but have yet to have a chance to get out.

 

[tzvia]

Out here, we don't have much powder choice, it's Goex or the wannabe's, 777 and Pyrodex. So I tried all three. 777 and Pyrodex required a 'kicker' of ffff downbore first to ignite (I used 15gr). The gun was a .62 cal smoothbore NW Tradegun. 777 was problematic at best, just would not ignite reliably even with a FFFF starter (and using FFFF Goex in the pan) so don't bother with it. It works ok in my caplocks but that's it, so once the can is empty, I'm not buying more!

Pyrodex was way better, went off every time as long as there was some real BP downbore first to get it to ignite. Cleanup was a snap as well. Promising in case getting real BP becomes a problem, I can stretch out a can of Goex that way. But it is a pain having to dump two charges downbore.

Goex was 'dirtier' and I had to swab every few shots, no big deal compared to the duplex bp+Pyrodex hassle. In the end, from dirty to clean, no difference between Goex and Pyrodex or 777 in my Tradegun. My shooting patches were lubed with Borebutter, which kept the fouling soft. One cleaning patch with Hoppies 9 to cut the Borebutter, then a few pumps using a flushkit, a few more patches, then a swab with RIG and it's done.

Lois

 

[lacerote]

Shot Goex sine 1974, now shoot Swiss and find it FAR better in every respect, Accuracy, velocity and residue. I dont care it costs more, If I can get Swiss it is all I will use .