Homemade black

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nanuk

nanuk

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Has anyone looked into, and actually found, whether it is legal to make your own blackpowder?

the price and availability is becoming a deterrent to shooting it, but I'd sure like to get into shooting a flintlock.

Let's see... from what I can gather:
you don't need a license or permit to melt lead and cast bullets

you don't need a license or permit to manufacture a flintlock rifle, smoothbore, or fowler

you don't need a license or permit to knapp some flints

BUT you need a Reinforced Concrete structure, multiple permits costing $hundreds if not thousands, an isolated location, multiple inspections and approvals, Just to manufacture a pound of your own BP...

AND you need permits/licenses to purchase/manufacture the chemicals used to produce said powder

AND, if you happen to give, say 1/2lb to a buddy, you then need to have a separate storage area.... (see the comments about the concrete structure)


OR is the Gov't giving me the run around?
 
Don't know about legality, but BP isn't so terribly expensive per shot, and manufacturing it is not that simple, AFAIK.

Unlike James T Kirk battling the alien lizard captain, we mere mortals need to do more than mash together the sulphur, saltpeter and charcoal - the stuff needs to be "clumped" into chunks, and then ground into the appropriate granulation.

Given that BP factories, with all the appropriate safety precautions and specialized equipment, periodically go kaboom, home factories don't seem like a great proposition.

In other words, why bother?:)
 
facepalm.jpg
 
"...legal to make your own blackpowder..." No. BP is a low grade explosive. Like Ol' Smokey says, it isn't safe to make your own anyway.
 
As a kid, I used to buy both Sulfure & Saltpeter at the drug store and grind charcoal from whatever source I could find. I even ball-milled it on one occation using a rock tumbler with marbles. Despite using the appropriate ratio's, the stuff never worked like the stuff you buy - it was also dirty as hell. Probably not the safest thing to be doing either...but hey, them's were the 70's afterall.

You'd probably spend alot more trying to get it to work the way it needs to, than to just buy it. I get mine from a gent who buys GOEX in bulk from the U.S. Still only $20 a can, and lasts for several days of shooting.
 
Somewhere on the 'net there is a thread by a chap in Germany who makes his own good quality powder. In small quantities.
Like Weapontech, many years ago I made some powder, and even fired some in a 12ga shotgun, but it was pretty miserable stuff, compared to the real thing.
 
I think the key to making black powder that actually goes BOOM instead of fizzz... is the charcoal. Lots of people think that barbecue briquettes are the source to use for charcoal. This will produce only a mediocre pop or nothing. I understand that willow is one of the best sources for appropriate charcoal for black powder. The process alone is more hassle than its worth, never mind all the milling etc. that has to be done. If you calculated how long it would take you to make 1 pound of powder $20 for a can is a darn good deal! No explosions. blown up houses, and angry wife's to deal with either....

Cheers. Steve.
 
stevejones said:
I understand that willow is one of the best sources for appropriate charcoal for black powder.
Click to expand...

Hmm, the things you learn. :) I burned a whole bunch at the farm last year, it's miserable as a burning wood, can't build anything with it, who would had thought that wood was good for anything. I will have to turn some into coal and try it out.
 
The key to making BP that goes 'boom' instead of 'fizz' is in the pucking or corning of it.

If you don't think making quality BP starts with a ball mill and ends with a hydraulic press followed by a sieve, you have much reading to do. :)

Being that its manufacture is illegal in this country, that's all I'll say about that.

-M
 
Making BP requires good ingredients and long mill time on a proper edge-runner mill. Not likely something most have access to. It also requires a caking press and the know how to get good useable powder.

Changing the charcoal supplier has meant huge problems for plants like GOEX in the past, so it is no small thing.
 
Doc M said:
The key to making BP that goes 'boom' instead of 'fizz' is in the pucking or corning of it.

If you don't think making quality BP starts with a ball mill and ends with a hydraulic press followed by a sieve, you have much reading to do. :)

Being that its manufacture is illegal in this country, that's all I'll say about that.

-M
Click to expand...


Its not illegal if you have the right permits... just contact the government agency that controls explosives... there are allot of guide lines and safety measures that have to be followed to be safe... You can’t do it in your own home ect has to be x amount of feet away from a rail yard highway ect.. I know 1 person that makes home made fireworks and he has it setup so he can make anything but he has all the paper work required training and experience...

You can own only a certian amount of powder with out any paper work for shooting ect but once you hit I think 10lbs you need allot of paper work ect..
 
haha49 said:
You can own only a certian amount of powder with out any paper work for shooting ect but once you hit I think 10lbs you need allot of paper work ect..
Click to expand...

Now... to all who say "Just don't do it" and rationalize that statement with some wives tale, you need to do more reading.

I'm following some threads where there has been some BP made, and it is faster than Goex, and near Swiss quality.

You don't need to press it and corn it.

and you can SAFELY make it in the home.

haha49: this is what I was looking for, can you give me further info? the Dude with NRC seems to be refering to manufacturing on a large scale. NOT just for making 1lb at a time.

I'd like to know where to find the exemption for the "Small Amounts" for personal use clause in the regulations.

and Yes.... 1lb is Pretty Easy to make. Some first timers have already done so, and aren't Blowed Up!
 
There's an episode of mythbusters when they try to make the captain kirk diamond gun with homemade gun powder.

They failed miserably with their own gunpowder LOL
 
ive made some in small batch's about 5oz or so but i did it the right way and used the swiss recipe(same as modern swiss powder) its nice knowing how to make your own in case you cant get any (SHTF or GOV stoping it)

i will not tell how to make it over the net so dont ask
 
As pointed out , ball mill and a 20+ ton press are a necessity.
I still have 12-15 lbs of homemade .(none made for at least 8-9 years)
Brush Willow charcoal is absolutely the best.
Mine is crushed to 'cannon coarse , and flinter fine' using screens.
Works as good as storebought , but is a little dirtier.....

Used proven safety methods , never had an accident.:)
 
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