Black powder brands

[mossyhorn]

I have always shot Geox 2 & 3F but due the recent shortage
what powder is the most similar? Swiss, Schuetzen, Old Eynsford 
for a substitute?

[Maven]

I like Graf & Sons branded BP, which until a few years ago was made by GOEX.  It's now made by WANO.  The new Diamondback, made in the same place as Elephant, but way better, was another favorite.  Addicted to Black Powder may still carry it.

[HighUintas]

I like Graf & Sons branded BP, which until a few years ago was made by GOEX.  It's now made by WANO.  The new Diamondback, made in the same place as Elephant, but way better, was another favorite.  Addicted to Black Powder may still carry it.

Do you have any correct knowledge on whether Grafs is now the exact same as schuetzen? I like the price of schuetzen but it is incredibly dirty in my rifle. I know all black powder is dirty .. but going from it to swiss was like night/day.

OP, I don't know if olde eynesford is available at all anymore since the last goex explosion in 2024. I don't know if they even made any before that happened. However, when I had shot that prior to them closing for a few years I liked it a lot.

I primarily shoot schuetzen. It's cheap, seems to do fine, but is incredibly dirty, at least in my gun. I am guessing that is inshot swiss in my flintlock I would enjoy shooting my flintlock a lot more! I've only shot the Swiss in a percussion gun though.

[Daryl]

Interesting that you find schutzen to be dirty.
I've yet to shoot a "dirty" powder. Right now and for a couple years, 2F Schutzen is all I shoot in the .50 and .69.

[Maven]

HU, I recently (last month) ordered more BP from Graf & Sons, their brand, which is WANO/Scheutzen.  I shot some yesterday from my.54cal. I. Haines (Chambers kit, Waksupi built) and didn't find it to be filthy at all. 60gr. + .530" RB (home cast from RCBS mould) + slightly looser patch (~.014" for easier starting and ramming).  My lube was 1 Ballistol : 6 water, which manages the fouling, even with heavy loads, very well.  Here's a pc of the results @25 yd. (supported, because of back problems).  Btw, I haven't fired that rifle in over a year.

[Daryl]

I shoot 85gr. 2F Schutzen in the .50 for all ranges with a .021"(10oz.) patch and .495" ball. This combination loads quite easily in the Rice gun maker's bl. using the rifles rod, 4/10"s down to 1/4". Wet patch.

[MuskratMike]

Just got a message from Dave Gullo at Buffalo Arms. Their shipments of Black Powder are going to be short for the foreseeable future. If you want or need black powder order now and buy as much as you need and can afford to buy.

[Martin S.]

Mike, did they say why?

[MuskratMike]

No he didn't but I imagine all producers left in the game have more requests than they can fill. Give Buffalo Arms a call and find out. Dave is usually around on week days.

[Bob Roller]

There were some that never aught on like Elephant.I think I still have a can .I don't remember where it was made.The last shooting I did with black powder was at a BPCR match at Ralph Marcum's range in MCKee  Kenticky.
Bob Roller

[Birddog6]

I like Graf & Sons branded BP, which until a few years ago was made by GOEX.  It's now made by WANO.  The new Diamondback, made in the same place as Elephant, but way better, was another favorite.  Addicted to Black Powder may still carry it.

Do you have any correct knowledge on whether Grafs is now the exact same as schuetzen? I like the price of schuetzen but it is incredibly dirty in my rifle. I know all black powder is dirty .. but going from it to swiss was like night/day.

OP, I don't know if olde eynesford is available at all anymore since the last goex explosion in 2024. I don't know if they even made any before that happened. However, when I had shot that prior to them closing for a few years I liked it a lot.

I primarily shoot schuetzen. It's cheap, seems to do fine, but is incredibly dirty, at least in my gun. I am guessing that is in shot swiss in my flintlock I would enjoy shooting my flintlock a lot more! I've only shot the Swiss in a percussion gun though.

Going from Swiss to any regular black powder, will be like night & day. Swiss is a Sporting Grade Powder, not regular black powder.
When I shoot it in my .40 cal rifle, I can shoot it all day & never even swab, it is so clean.
Go to any other black powder, at least double the fouling.
Also dif lubes react different with dif powders & same with dif loads.
A loose ball/patch combo will have more fouling than a tight one normally.

I bought a case of Elephant , oh, back around end of the 90's or maybe 2000 or so.  OMG that stuff was aweful. Bill Knight told me it would be very accurate & it was, but fouled horribly.  I finally got rid of it & got some Goex he led me to. Later some Scheutzen & Swiss he led me to & it was awesome. He knew by the code on the can of how it performed, & all the details, as he was doing allot of the testing.