Thanks Monk......not sure about using 'fireworks' powder......wouldn't mind trying some to see if it works well, but not sure about buying 25lbs of it!
Have you had any experience with Goex's Express powder? Is it better than regular Goex?
When GOEX was developing the Express Powder they sent samples to me to be tested. I looked mainly at the particle size of the charcoal to see if the change in processing had the desired effect.
The Express powder is faster than the regular GOEX. Same raw materials in the same proportions as the regular powder. Just run in the ball mill longer and then in the wheel mill longer to reduce the ingredient particle size which then speeds up the burn rate.
A goodly number of BP cartridge shooters have used the Express Powder with good results.
If you are shooting patched balls I would lean towards the Swiss.
When GOEX developed the Express they had several bp cartridge shooters look at it. They told GOEX that it was as good as the Swiss. So GOEX set the price of the Express right up there with the Swiss. Or even higher out of some distributors. But the GOEX Express CANNOT give the moist burning that one will see with the Swiss in a patched ball rifle. In my .50 Lyman Trade Rifle the Express gave a more manageable fouling. I shot the Express and regular production on the same day in the same gun. The regular production powder gave me a tar-like residue on the damp between shot patches. The fouling from the Express was more soluble in the moisture in the cleaning patch so it was not tar-like. But even that fouling was not as easy to deal with as with the Swiss and Schuetzen shot on the same day, same gun.
E. Ogre
