Got some 1F Goex

[rich pierce]

I had a chance to pick up a pound of 1F Goex and will be giving it a try in my .69 smoothbore. I’ve not used 1F before. Guess I need another horn! I try to have separate horns for granulations. Might use one of my original big horns.

I’ve found that my .69 New England fowler shoots well with 80 grains of FFG, 0.020 patch, and a .662 ball. Start there with FG and work up as necessary? 46” barrel.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Rich:  back in the late 70's, I was stationed at Masset, Queen Charlotte Islands, now known as Haida Guaii.  I had a T/C "Hawken" flint rifle in .50 cal, and the only powder I could find in Northern British Columbia in those was was Meteor Fg Cannon powder.  I used it for the main charge, and the pan, and shot a lot of deer with that rifle and that powder.  Nowadays, I use GOEX 1Fg in my Sharps rifles.  It'll work nicely in your fowler with either shot or ball.

[wattlebuster]

I like an shoot 1F in both my 12 ga guns, Gives me the best patterns out of both. 90 works in one an 100 does the best in the other.

[Hungry Horse]

 I’ve used 1F in my 12 gauge  percussion double, and in my 20 gauge flint trade gun, and had great success with both. When I ran out of 1F I tried some very old 2FA blasting powder that was a little weaker, but was so heavily coated that you could shoot it in a monsoon. I think slower burning powder gives much better patterns than faster burning ones.
 That old blasting powder was just a little more than half the strength of 2F, so a double dip with my sixty grain measure worked pretty well. But, you seemed to get twice the amount of smoke, so I don’t really know if I shot that much better with the blasting powder, or the smoke was so intimidating that I beat everybody.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

As to speed of the powder for good patterns, I don't know. Hungry Horse has good performance in shot loads with 1F and thinks it's the best.
Others I have read, say that the faster 3f powder is better in their guns as the pressure at the muzzle is less due to the powder burning more
quickly. ? I just don't know and feel powder granulation is just another variable to test - it's almost a never ending progression of
different components to try.

[Hungry Horse]

 My theory is that the finer the granulation of black powder, the more violent the initial explosion. this creates a pressure spike that has several negative effects in a smoothbore, primarily shooting shot, but also creates some problems when shooting a ball. A sharp violent explosion will try to force whatever is between the charge, and the obstruction ( be it shot column or ball) though the obstruction. If it shot, it most likely will blow a hole in the pattern, with a ball it will seek an escape route around the obstruction, either creating spin, or bonding the patch to the ball long enough to change the flight of the ball.
 All the superfluous junk that we carefully stack into our “special” load is nothing but a buffer designed to deaden the effect of the sharp explosion generated by the wrong powder granulation. JMO!

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

HHorse - you are assuming that the finer powder has a higher exit (muzzle) pressure than the slower powders.
I think the faster (shorter) pressure curve of the faster powders, as opposed to slower burning (longer) powders, gives  a reduced pressure at the
muzzle.
That is the premise for the described better patterning of the faster, burning powders, ie: 3F as opposed to 1F or 2F.
Pletch's videos have shown the patch opens up & falls behind the ball just about as soon as it leaves the muzzle. Some do travel further from the muzzle than others
however.  There would/could be several different reasons for this.
By writing this, I am not totally in disagreement with you, just attempting to show the various aspects in relation to this 'action' & attempting to find valid reasons for
differences 'in opinion'. Trying to find the reasons for why something happens and understanding the physics involved.

[Scota4570]

I only shoot 1F in my 4-bore.  The reason is the recoil velocity is much softer.  2F and much worse 3F will cause violent recoil.

IN 12 ga I find 1F is also softer shooting.  IT helps promote better shooting. 

You got me thinking, I have a light weight 54 cal that kicks pretty good.  I should try 1F for comparison.

I inherited some 16GA brass shotshells loaded long ago by an ancestor.  They seemed to contain 1F powder. 

[smylee grouch]

This 1f discussion sounds like it would be a good experiment if someone could figure out how to go about it.

[John SMOthermon]

Rich, don’t overlook going lower on the powder charge and check your pattern as well..

At 20-.25 yards a Turkey won’t know if your shooting 80 grns or 50..

I can’t wait too hear your results...

[Daryl]

I am shooting 75gr. 1F in my 12 bore, with 1 1/4oz shot.

[snapper]

I have shot 1F swiss from my shotguns, and have had some ignition problems.   Anyone else have that issue?

Fleener

[Hungry Horse]

Daryl, I question your assumption that finer powder has a greater exit speed. I think courser powder granulation simply build that exit speed slower. This is why recoil is perceived as lighter with courser powder. Now, I’m not saying there is a grain for grain equivalence, I think you would need more course powder to get the performance you want, but the perceived recoil would be lighter.

 Hungry Horse

[Bob McBride]

I haven’t had ignition problems but I do concur on the lighter perceived recoil and lower FPS vs 2f all things being equal but with a well sealed tight load the 1f performs quite well and will still kick like a mule in a large bore. I have tons of 1f and always like to give it a shot during load dev. I only have one 12bore that prefers it but it definitely shoots a tighter group in that gun vs 2f Swiss/Goex/OE/Schuetzen. One thing I will say about the 1f Schuetzen is after a day on the range you will look like a coal miner who just finished a double....

[Daryl]

Daryl, I question your assumption that finer powder has a greater exit speed. I think courser powder granulation simply build that exit speed slower. This is why recoil is perceived as lighter with courser powder. Now, I’m not saying there is a grain for grain equivalence, I think you would need more course powder to get the performance you want, but the perceived recoil would be lighter.

 Hungry Horse

Where did I say the finer powder had a greater exit speed?