Best black powder sub?

[brno602]

What's a good Black Powder sub?
I have only tried Pyro R/S in cartridge type guns, I have always stuck to Goex 2f or 3f powder for any old reloading I do and only shoot the Real thing in my Hawken, and will only shoot the real thing in my Hawken, but for the Cartridge guns say a 45/75 what's a good non Black powder Sub? not really wanting to shoot a true smokeless powder. I did not like the Pyro R/S Velocity was way down compared to what I got with real Black powder. And I could not hit the broad side of a barn with it!

[gamekeeper]

Only used it in muzzle loaders and cap n ball revolvers but I found "Hodgdon Triple Seven" seemed to hava a bit more poke. I don't know if that would be the same with cartridges.

[Nath]

Is the Pyrodex cartridge powder still available????
I had a can of pyrodex select recently that just looked like the old cartridge stuff!

Nath.

[perry owens]

I use real BP in all my guns except my 1873 Winchester in 38-40. It has a few pits in the bore and I find that with 777 I can fire a lot more shots before accuracy goes out the window. As Gamekeeper says, 777 seems to have a bit more poke than other substitutes. I am going to the range on Thursday to chrono some 777 loads in 38-40 and .357 Magnum.
Perry Owens

[blackhawk44]

Why mess with the subs? Several subs are more corrosive and offer tougher cleanup than true black. With the window cleaner/vinegar solutions and the proper lubes, BP cleanup is about as simple as smokeless.

[Doc Hudson]

have you tried the Swiss Blackpowder in FFg or FFFg granulation?

I'm told that it produces less fouling than any other brand of blackpowder. And on top of that, it smells right!

Just remember, that smokeless stuff is just a passing fad

[Hawkeye2]

You already have plenty of experience with the real thing why change? All those other powders may make smoke but when the horn blows and lead starts flying down range a lung full of BP smoke turns me into a shooting machine.

[cshold]

have you tried the Swiss Blackpowder in FFg or FFFg granulation?

I'm told that it produces less fouling than any other brand of blackpowder. And on top of that, it smells right!

Just remember, that smokeless stuff is just a passing fad

A+

[deerwhacker444]

.
777 Worked on these three..! Might be a bit dirtier than other BP substitutes, but it lights easy and has plenty of Oooomph..!

[Old Ironsights]

What's a good Black Powder sub?
I have only tried Pyro R/S in cartridge type guns, I have always stuck to Goex 2f or 3f powder for any old reloading I do and only shoot the Real thing in my Hawken, and will only shoot the real thing in my Hawken, but for the Cartridge guns say a 45/75 what's a good non Black powder Sub? not really wanting to shoot a true smokeless powder. I did not like the Pyro R/S Velocity was way down compared to what I got with real Black powder. And I could not hit the broad side of a barn with it!

IMEX, Goex is second only to Elephant in fouling. Swiss is great, but pricy. Graf is a good "middle of the road".

HOWEVER, you can make ANY powder as clean as Swiss or Graf by re-screening it to get consistant granulation and remove the fines. IIRC a 40-mesh brass screen is what you want for 3F. I successfully turned cheap, Chinese bulk firecracker powder (Lidu) into a powder that shot as clean as Swiss, with only a slight decrease in velocity SD, for about 1/3 the price...

[20cows]

Where does one find Chinese firecracker powder?

[OI phones in...]

Where does one find Chinese firecracker powder?

A couple-three years ago you could buy it in 25lb bags from deer creek in waldron in or at friendship... but they sort of went belly up... or at least closed their magazine.

[Don McDowell]

When it comes to cartridge guns I'm in the if not real black then shoot smokeless. The other stuff is terrible expensive, doesn't work as well and is just weird.

[piller]

While the American Pioneer stuff in the sticks is really easy to clean up and doesn't cause rust, it seems to have a lot of variation in velocity from shot to shot. I have some and am not really impressed. Triple 7 looks better to me.

[stanforth]

Is the Pyrodex cartridge powder still available????
I had a can of pyrodex select recently that just looked like the old cartridge stuff!

Nath.

Pyrodex and Triple 7 is available in the UK from Henry Krank and Co. check out www.henrykrank.com

[mklwhite]

Who is a good online source for the Swiss BP?

[Don McDowell]

Who is a good online source for the Swiss BP?

Grafs will ship as little as 1 lb, Powder Inc and Buffalo Arms both ship in 5 lb lots.
Beware Swiss doesn't quite live up to its reputation.....
If a person is bound and determined to spend his American dollars on foreign workers Scheutzen, is the better of the European imports IMHO. Grafs relabels Schuetzen and sells it under their own name brand

[Grizzly Adams]

I use nothing but American Pioneer Powder (ffg) in all my cartridge applications. It is excellent, IMHO. I use Goex in Shotgun shells.

[w30wcf]

Here is a great source for black powder - Goex, Schuetzen, Swiss, Diamondback
Back Creek Gunshop - located very near NSSA - (North South Skirmish Association) in Winchester , VA
http://www.blackpowderva.com/

w30wcf

[20cows]

I went to the local metropolis today specifically to buy a pound or two of black powder. I don't use it often and have never tried to mail order it as it wouldn't be cost effective to buy it in the small quantities I'm willing to pay for all at once.

All inquries were met with the same answer nobody in Abilene, Texas was willing to jump through the necessary hoops to be licensed to sell it.

I grumbled a little bit and got a pound of Pyrex (all the store I was in when I for sure figured out black wasn't going to happen). My main reason for needing the powder at the moment is to feed a couple of cannons for the Forth (much more satisfying than a firecracker) and Pyrex will do that fine.

[Don McDowell]

Ordering 2 lbs of Grafs house brand powder brings the total bill a tad over 50$, that puts the black at the same price as smokeless per pound or a bit cheaper.

[brno602]

Thanks for the info guy's I guess I would just have to buy some and try it I only load Cartridges for friends of mine that have old rifles as I load Black in my Hawkens. I do not mind cleaning black powder guns but the others do lol. I tell them you want that gun and brass to last you have to clean it!
But I also think most Black powder Subs are a bit corrosive also?
So I might just stick to Black.
I think I will start a new thread looking for a 45/75 smokeless load.

[20cows]

All inquries were met with the same answer nobody in Abilene, Texas was willing to jump through the necessary hoops to be licensed to sell it.

Same is true for Odessa! Large portions of West Texas seem to be a black powder desert (and a real dry place, too!).