Testing new brand of black powder

[brewyak]

So a local gun shop started producing powder and last week I bought a pound to test out. Went to friends range and we used his sons chronograph. We felt strange shooting from the bench since everything we always shoot is off hand. Here are the results. I did like the powder and will have to take some time to work up a load with it. Since the weather was less than ideal I will do that another day. We both used the same charge that we normally shoot. The fowling was more in my friends gun than mine maybe to do with the rifling of our bbls. Mine round and his square. I noticed the same amount of fowling that I do with goex. It was consistent though.

 

[windini]

Glad to see someone producing more powder!

Great test report, thanks.

 

[64Springer]

If all loads were exactly identical with same patch and same pressure when seating the ball, it looks as if the American brand is sorely lacking in the power generation department.

400 FPS, when compared to Swiss, is a huge gap.

Much better groups, but at a 26.5% loss in Bambi knock down power.

Can you increase the charge volume and still maintain that accuracy while bumping up the FPS numbers?

Then you'd have a winner on your hands.


P.S. All of my rifles, be they Muzzleloader or Modern, generate better accuracy when the powder charges/chamber pressures are on the lower end of the published load data.

The OP's numbers are more proof of that phenomenon.

 

[brewyak]

If all loads were exactly identical with same patch and same pressure when seating the ball, it looks as if the American brand is sorely lacking in the power generation department.

400 FPS, when compared to Swiss, is a huge gap.

Yes it’s not quite there yet. I sent them my results and am hoping to work with them to improve. Still exciting to have someone going through all the hassle to produce powder. And they are only like 10 miles away. Also I do shoot a fair amount so depending on how much of an increase I have to make and if it doesn’t beat me up. The difference in price is totally worth it. Considering the pricing on a new powder is $5 a lb cheaper than the cash price case I got for Swiss I bought over a year and a half ago

 

[IanH]

First, thank you for finding and testing the powder, I can appreciate the time and effort to compile the data you did.

Second, that powder seems to be performing on the level of screened powder that has not been pressed or "corned", except that screened powder usually burns very clean.

Third, a couple of questions: Did you weigh this new powder and compare its density to the commercial ones? If the new powder has less mass per unit volume, that would account for the lower velocities. The other question I have is the granulation, I see no indication of sporting grade size on the front label.

 

[leadhoarder]

I could live with low velocity as long as it was consistent and did not foul the bore terribly.

 

[brewyak]

First, thank you for finding and testing the powder, I can appreciate the time and effort to compile the data you did.

Second, that powder seems to be performing on the level of screened powder that has not been pressed or "corned", except that screened powder usually burns very clean.

Third, a couple of questions: Did you weigh this new powder and compare its density to the commercial ones? If the new powder has less mass per unit volume, that would account for the lower velocities. The other question I have is the granulation, I see no indication of sporting grade size on the front label.

Thanks. We did not weight just volume. But I can weight out some for fun. I did stop at a friends place and we looked at it using a 10X magnifying glass he has. The American powder looked like tiny lava rocks. The Swiss like hard coal and the Goex soft coal. I know sheen from the Swiss is from the graphite and the polishing. It did have a side label that I just didn’t post up the kernels of powder did look uniform and were on line with size of the goex and swiss

 

[IanH]

If the kernels are porous, that's why it doesn't have much power; inadequate pressing. It should still work fine but might be even dirtier if you use enough to match GOEX or Swiss.

 

[BBGun]

Thanks. We did not weight just volume. But I can weight out some for fun. I did stop at a friends place and we looked at it using a 10X magnifying glass he has. The American powder looked like tiny lava rocks. The Swiss like hard coal and the Goex soft coal. I know sheen from the Swiss is from the graphite and the polishing. It did have a side label that I just didn’t post up the kernels of powder did look uniform and were on line with size of the goex and swissView attachment 233509View attachment 233509

Must not be online, do they ship?

 

[brewyak]

Must not be online, do they ship?

I think they would. Seeing how I got it one the day after it was produced and it’s lot #1 it’s brand new. I would contact them and ask. They do have a Facebook page

 

[BBGun]

I think they would. Seeing how I got it one the day after it was produced and it’s lot #1 it’s brand new. I would contact them and ask. They do have a Facebook page

 

[Rob M.]

So a local gun shop started producing powder and last week I bought a pound to test out. Went to friends range and we used his sons chronograph. We felt strange shooting from the bench since everything we always shoot is off hand. Here are the results. I did like the powder and will have to take some time to work up a load with it. Since the weather was less than ideal I will do that another day. We both used the same charge that we normally shoot. The fowling was more in my friends gun than mine maybe to do with the rifling of our bbls. Mine round and his square. I noticed the same amount of fowling that I do with goex. It was consistent though. View attachment 233472

Thats great ! Wish I could give them my business . Where are out of ? I see it now , Phillipsburg PA . Appreciate the info . I'd sure like to buy from them exclusively . Finally Americans making some &%$## black powder . About d@mn time. I love my homemade powder but having another source and support a good company would be great .About %#@ time ....

 

[appalichian hunter]

So a local gun shop started producing powder and last week I bought a pound to test out. Went to friends range and we used his sons chronograph. We felt strange shooting from the bench since everything we always shoot is off hand. Here are the results. I did like the powder and will have to take some time to work up a load with it. Since the weather was less than ideal I will do that another day. We both used the same charge that we normally shoot. The fowling was more in my friends gun than mine maybe to do with the rifling of our bbls. Mine round and his square. I noticed the same amount of fowling that I do with goex. It was consistent though. View attachment 233472

Curious as to the wording on the label, Yes it says American Black powder, Inc but the next thing it say is propellent for black powder firearms, it does not say it is actual black powder. Wonder if it is like the other subs. Notice it doesn't mention black powder in the products name. How about a pic of the back of the container.

 

[Mad L]

Curious as to the wording on the label, Yes it says American Black powder, Inc but the next thing it say is propellent for black powder firearms, it does not say it is actual black powder. Wonder if it is like the other subs. Notice it doesn't mention black powder in the products name. How about a pic of the back of the container.

Just a thought: using the term "Propellant" instead of "Black Powder" could be to cause less attention from 'You know who'.

Currently black powder is considered an "expensive" where other powders are listed as "propellants" and thus why we are not seeing Swiss (and others) in our local stores but 3-7 etc we do.
I have had this confirmed by multiple ammo shops in multiple states explaining why they no longer carry the Black Powders.

Perhaps it's to simply 'draw less attention' from the ferril "OMG" squads out there....?

 

[64Springer]

Explosive...

Or an expensive explosive.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I still have my doubts if it is not a play on words, perhaps to make one think it is real BP. I would bet it is either a sub, or a very low class of the original product. The shops around my area that don't carry the real BP says it's because of the regulations on storage. Let's be realistic with this explosive stuff, if you do a bit of research, it is not really hard to make an explosive for nefarious reasons that is a lot better than BP if one was so inclined.

 

[IanH]

It is graded (2)FFg. This is a black powder sporting grade, glazed, 16-30 mesh, by the label.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Inquiring minds have been satisfied.

 

[TDM]

Well kudos to them for making it. Maybe they’ll continue to improve their recipe.

 

[deerstalkert]

I have known guys that bought cannon powder and ground it to smaller size, repackaged it and used it. last one (package) i saw was 25lb bag.
I suspect this is what this "New" powder is. the investment needed to get up and running manufacturing BP commercially is astronomical.