I've been an avid shooter for around ten years now and have always used traditional black powder. Having said that, I still have almost 2/3 LB. of Pyrodex RS that won't work anymore. I bought the stuff back when I was first introduced to muzzle loading and installed one of those funkey looking funels on the plastic can and left it. I never had it outside in high moisture or anything and always stored it in the closet. The other day I tried to use a little during a re-enacting event and all it would do is fizz. Have any of you guys had trouble with the stuff before? What can be done with it besides throw it away? It makes me think it may be damp but it pours out of the can too good and fine with no clumps. Thanks for any replies...
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Pyrodex Troubles
- Thread starter kvistads
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Pyrodex seems to need some serious compression to fire correctly. Most (all) reenactors use real black powder because it will go off without being compressed. Try it with a ball or conical and see if it doesn't do better.
Pyrodex does seem to pick up moisture, and while it doesn't look any different, it doesn't burn like the fresh stuff. I have a flask of the Select which doesn't do anything but hang fire.
Pyrodex does seem to pick up moisture, and while it doesn't look any different, it doesn't burn like the fresh stuff. I have a flask of the Select which doesn't do anything but hang fire.
jtmattison
70 Cal.
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I understand Pyropoop has poor shelf life. If it's been sitting for years with just a funnel cap on it I bet it's aging was accelerated. I'd pour it out on the ground and light it just to get rid of it.
HD
HD
It's no more dangerous than lighting a campfire.MikeC said:
Just pour it out in an 8-10 foot line and light one end of it...it just acts like a fuse and fizzles along just like we saw on some of the old western movies years ago.
I poured 4+3/4 cans of Elephant 3F on the ground in 8-10 foot lines...took a good 10-12 seconds for each pound of Elephant 3F to burn[url] off...made[/url] a huge beautiful white smoke cloud against the October blue sky...but not dangerous at all.
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OK, thanks guys. I will try and see what it will do when there's a ball on top of it and also I'll try and mix a little black powder with it. At the parades I often march in, it doesn't really matter how dirty or accurate the stuff is so long as it makes noise. Again, thanks for the replies.
