Five F powder use..

[oldtravler61]

  Could someone explain what 5 f powder is used for.. Sounds crazy but I have little knowledge of its use..or I just flat don't remember ?  Is it like flash powder..?  I mix a tiny bit with my 4 f an it sure makes the flinter fast as lighting... Thanks Oldtravler...

[Scota4570]

Flash powder is a zinc, aluminum, potassium perchlorate mix.  It is a real explosive with a much higher velocity than BP.  Very hot stuff.  It also produces a huge white flash, it was used for photographs before the electronic flash.  It is also used in fireworks and by magicians for stage shows.  You do not want it anywhere near a firearm.  No matter it is tightly controlled today. 

5F sounds like null-b or at least similar. 

[Daryl]

I've heard of 5F & Null B. Similar in that they were very fine (finer than 4F) priming powder.

[Hungry Horse]

Another nutty idea for shooters that think there is some magic powder, lube, patching, or cleaning material, that will make them a champion shooter without investing major range time.

  Hungry Horse

[Bob McBride]

Here’s a video I just did for new shooters regarding powder. At 1:35 I show close up pictures of the different granulation including null-b. It is very fine.

[oldtravler61]

  Well thanks for the replies. I was given a pound of the 5 f from my good friend Jack Duprey. He has in the 50+ years I have known him  always had super fast flinters. Well after all those years he kind of   so we say fessed up...lol. So that was why I asked the question. Never heard of it being used for primer. I always have used a combo of 4f an 2f works very well..! Other's may disagree. But Jack informed me not to use to much with a good laugh...He is a prankster at best..So I thought I best double check here...
Bob thanks for the video..much appreciated.  Oldtravler

[jerrywh]

Some of my buddies and I grind up some 4F wit hwooden rolling pins and use it for primer. Much faster then 4F.

[Marcruger]

https://www.blackpowdermag.com/priming-powder-timing/

Check out Pletch’s comparison amongst the priming powders.

NullB is faster then 4f, but I don’t think a human would be able to sense it. I think you could well tell the change from 2f to NullB.

All of that said, it comes down to confidence. If you are using NullB or 5f, you know your gun is going to be doing the best it can. It boosts confidence, which improves the weakest link in the chain...the human! Works the same for the guy who hunts elk with a rifle that will shoot a 1/2” group at 100 yards. Is that accuracy level needed?  No, but the hunter may make a better shot due to confidence.

God bless, Marc

[Mad Monk]

  Could someone explain what 5 f powder is used for.. Sounds crazy but I have little knowledge of its use..or I just flat don't remember ?  Is it like flash powder..?  I mix a tiny bit with my 4 f an it sure makes the flinter fast as lighting... Thanks Oldtravler...

Depends on who made it.  Elephant once made one run of a "5F" powder and they did not get their screen sizes right.  Way too fine.  Very slow in the pan.  But rocket motor makers loved it to make the compressed solid rocket motors.

Then there was some GOEX floating around marked 5F.  That was actually a fireworks powder sold for use in muzzleloading guns. It was roughly equal to a normal 3F powder.  Just cheaper since it had been made for fireworks  Not polished.

Bill K.