Black Powder

[Jerry]

Any updates on black powder availability? Thanks, Jerry

[Chocktaw Brave]

Still scarce as hens teeth up here in Alaska. I may resort to pyrodex in the cap locks to save the black powder for my flinter.
Pyrodex is avail almost everywhere and I have 5-6 lbs of it.

[flinchrocket]

If you have to use a BP substitute get the Hodgdon 777 according to Mad Monk ( RIP )

[Daryl]

Yes- Bill said if he had to use a phony powder, it would be 777. The reason is the others have perchlorates, which generates extremely corrosive fouling.
T7 does not possess this chemical.

[moleeyes36]

As of a week or so ago, Powder Inc. listed on their website that they had a couple of grades of Swiss, a few grades of Shuetzen, and some re-enactor/skirmish type powder.  Of course their website might not be up to date.  They listed the estimated availability of GOEX to be April, but that could be wishful thinking. 

Don Richards

[fishdfly]

Try Travelers in Texas

[Clowdis]

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/3501
Graf's is showing their brand and Scheutzen in stock.

[moleeyes36]

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/3501
Graf's is showing their brand and Scheutzen in stock.

Who makes Graf's brand of powder?

Don Richards

[Daryl]

My question as well. I assume it is WANO powder, same as Schuetzen, same containers, rebranded.

[Joe Stein]

A few years ago I bought some Graf's branded powder and they were saying then that it was made by Wano.

[Bob Roller]

Can any of these ersatz powders be ignited by a flintlock? Could the barrel be loaded with these odd powders and fired by a pan primed with the real old GOEX or DuPont or Swiss.? I remember some of these substitutes that were corrosive and could ruin a bareel fast.
Bob Roller

[Daryl]

Bob- I don't think there are ANY phony powders that ignite well in a flinter, without real black powder (booster charge) being put down first.
The phony powders have a very high ignition temperature and some are higher than others. T7 or 777 by Hodgdon is one of the phony's having
 high ignition temperatures required.
& yes- most of them are quite aggressively corrosive, likely having Pyrodex at the top of that list.

[moleeyes36]

I've read somewhere that Pyrodex works well when scattered in your flowerbeds.   

Don Richards

[Bob Roller]

Bob- I don't think there are ANY phony powders that ignite well in a flinter, without real black powder (booster charge) being put down first.
The phony powders have a very high ignition temperature and some are higher than others. T7 or 777 by Hodgdon is one of the phony's having
 high ignition temperatures required.
& yes- most of them are quite aggressively corrosive, likely having Pyrodex at the top of that list.

That's what I thought but have no experience at all with any substitute powders.Thanks for clearing the fog I had about this.
Bob Roller

[Dphariss]

Still scarce as hens teeth up here in Alaska. I may resort to pyrodex in the cap locks to save the black powder for my flinter.
Pyrodex is avail almost everywhere and I have 5-6 lbs of it.

I have never seen a gun shot with pyrodex that I could not tell just by looking. If you must use 777.  I have seen Shilohs come in with “bad barrels” that had only shipped weeks before. Already micro pitted. No warranty.  And it may never show any rust. The fouling can attack steel at the molecular level according the Mad Monk.

[Dphariss]

And 777 is even harder to light than P-Dex. Its designed for inlines and shotgun primers..

[Daryl]

Spot-on Dan. I did not have trouble with T7 igniting in my .69 rifle, though. Fired a few shots just to "check it out".

[Dphariss]

Any updates on black powder availability? Thanks, Jerry

Its available. There is a pretty long list of distributors. Buffalo Arms, Coonies, and others. Don’t know about GOEX but I don’t use it anyway.
If you know other shooters you can pool orders/money and order 25 pounds to save on shipping/hazmat. At least the last time I checked. Who knows now…

[Scota4570]

This is what happens when you use pyrodex in a flintlock.

[Daryl]

The only reason for not using Pyrodex or other perchlorate or chlorate powders is because of the damage it does.

[wolf]

glad i saw all this coming before goex went under, i can shoot for a long, long, long, long, time,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[LynnC]

When 777 first came out I tried it both barrel and pan in a flintlock.

It went off like pull trigger, Clatch......wait......long Fzzzzzzzzzzzz-Boom!  I bout died laughing. Now if only you could get the deer to stand still till it went off!

Edit. I just watched the above video and I swear the 777 had a much longer fuse burn in the pan.

[T.C.Albert]

Not sure how they slip by, but the last flask and 3 or 4 or powder horns I have bought at local flea markets and antique shops were all full to varying degrees of real black powder. The flask was a reproduction and the horns all contemporary buckskinner type stuff, but in each case they cost me less than the powder in them alone was worth. If they weren't  full of powder I would likely have passed them by as I didn't need or even like them that much, but things being what they are lately it seemed like a win win situation.
Tim A
 

[MuskratMike]

While at the range yesterday an elderly gentleman I see often walked up to me and said as I am here at least once a week he thought I should have these. His neighbor passed away so the widow brought him all of his guns and shooting supplies. Most he could use but the round wood ball short starter, 2 nipple wrenches, a brass adjustable powder measure, a box of .440 round balls, 2 pounds of Goex 2f and 1 pound of Goex cartridge back powder. When I offered to pay him he just smiled and said "Merry Christmas." I don't have a use for the cartridge black powder but know someone who can use it. The rest I will give away to anyone that needs them, especially if its a young or new shooter.
"Yes Muskrat there is a Santa Claus"

[Daryl]

The CTG will work just fine in .45 and above. You just need to use about 10gr. more than you would with 3F.