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weight of powder charge

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If you have a good measure calibrated with 2F, it weighs 120 grains.

Spence
 
Which weighs more, a pound of lead, or a pound of feathers? :hmm:

The actual standard for measuring black powder is by weight. I know it can get confusing sometimes, due to variations in powder measures, grades, and brands. Then throw in subsitute powders, which are measured purely by volume, but that volume is based on the black powder weight standard. Even modern shot shells are based on drams-equivelent, which is also an old black powder weight standard.

Don't get too hung up on actual weight, it' more important to find a VOLUME of a certain grade and brand that is consistanly accurate in your gun. When you find it, your measure may say it's 80 grains, another measure may show it as 82 grains, and weighing it on a scale may show that it's 78 grains. Using powder weights is just a close ballpark number we use to comunicate to each other what our guns like. Bill
 
OK, thanks Spence and snowdragon. I am using a recoil calculator to try and compare the recoil of a .58 -vs- a .72 Kodiak.
 
Dixie,
For your application in the calculator the guy's are right, just use the 120 as weight.

But, watch this one,,
Here we go again,, :wink:
 
Dixie Flinter said:
OK, thanks Spence and snowdragon. I am using a recoil calculator to try and compare the recoil of a .58 -vs- a .72 Kodiak.
There's no need to compare, at 120 grains they both to straight to "Ouch" or "Look at that bruise!" on the calculator!! :surrender:
 
I will go out on a limb here and say that everyone that produces volume measures used a scale and powder of some make to come up with their measures markings. The problem being that some powders are densers than others so that the same adjustment results in diffrent weights. If I changed powder lots and was interested in the exact weight I would weigh charges and adjust the measure accordingly. When I shot bench rest you even make small adjustments for humidity and temperture. I have found Black Powder Rifles to be less picky but then again we are not trying for .0 groups. Geo. T.
 
And, of course, the coriolis effect! (I realize this calls for an SEG emoticon, but I am confident that some one will put a suitable one in for me.)
 
I did an experiment with the brands of powder I have on hand. I used the TC plastic, adjustable measure set at 90 gr volume because it is the load I use the most. I measured the weight of three charges and divided by three to reduce the measuring error a bit.

Swiss 2F weighed 97.3 gr +8.1%
Swiss 3F weighed 94.1 gr +4.5%
Goex 2F weighed 91.7 gr +1.9%
Goex 3F weighed 89.4 gr -0.7%

My measure showed the least error with Goex 3F powder. Swiss is much denser and throws heavier weighted loads for a given volume.

Using the variation of my measure, I calculate 120 gr Goex 2F would weigh 122.28 gr.
 
Wow! 3Fis smaller grain thab 2F and I would have thought it would be heavier. I guess this is why I try to think less as time goes on! Geo. T.
 
I'm with you Geo.T. I have never weighed my charges on a scale but I would have bet the more dense 3F would have weighed more.

At 64 still learning new stuff everyday.

Dan
 
It's a fun thing to do. I like to play with the numbers, too. As a trained scientist with degrees in Chemistry and Industrial Hygiene, I spent a large amount of my life understanding things in terms of numbers. Some folks understand these things and some don't. Ain't nuthin' wrong with havin' fun in different ways. Let us know what you figure out.
 
Well I'm toying with the idea of a Kodiak double in .58 or .72 and was trying to get an idea of recoil (with roundballs) in the .72. Since they weigh almost exactly what the maxi-balls weigh in the .58, which I used to have, that pretty well says recoil is "substantial" but nothing a PAST recoil shield or a pachmayar recoil pad wouldn't make quite tolerable with reasonable loads of 110-125 grains 2f and roundball - should be a good "boar buster" :grin:
 
As someone not trained in science, or chemistry, or even hygiene for that matter, I still love numbers and like to see it all spelled out once the ballistics calculator is done. It helps me to visualize understand what all is going on.
 
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