What is the best black powder?

Without doubt, Swiss is the best black powder, although lots are raving about the new shipments of KIK, but I haven't been able to find it, these two give the highest velocity and are the cleanest burn. Like smokeless powders however, you may get the best accuracy out of GOEX or Grafs(Shuetzen), and there is nothing wrong with any of them.
 
It really depends on what type of muzzle loader you are shooting. Inline & percussion cap guns can use black powder or the new substitutes like Pyrodex or Triple 7. If you are using a traditional flintlock, you will have difficulties using the substitutes. They can be used for the main charge without too much difficulty, but you must use real black powder in the flash pan to ignite the main charge. Bp ignites at a much lower temperature than the substitutes, & fine bp (ffffg) used in the flash pan burns quicker that the substitutes. I can think of nothing worst than having a misfire when shooting at that buck of a lifetime because I used the wrong powder. The substitutes are much easier to find than real black powder.

George
 
Is Blackthorn 209 Black Powder? I though it was one of those fake/reproduction powders. The original poster was asking about Black Powder!
 
I use Goex fffg for my .50 cal main charge and ffffg for my primer, goes bang, puts the holes close together on the paper, smells good, cleans up with hot water and soap. Then again, i shoot a flinter, not one of those new fangled shotgun primer deals, and i shoot patched round ball, not conicals, so it works well for me, it may not work well for you. skokie.
 
For me I like to use Goexx ffg for .45 cal and larger rifles,for smaller caliber rifles and all my cap and ball revolvers I use Goexx fffg.
 
Swiss is excellent. So is Wano from Germany. Goex is a sure bet... Elephant is hit or miss, some batches in previous years being humid and the can corroded from the inside!
 
I have had good results with Goex FFFG in my cap and ball revolvers as well as in a CVA .45 cal. rifle (percussion cap) and a .50 cal. flint pistol. I tried substitutes but would never go back mainly due to carbon fouling issues.
 
I've never tried any other brand, but I've always been happy with the results with Goex BP. I used FFg in my .50 call, 12 gauge and 11 gauge, but settled on 3f as the best choice for me in my .62 smoothbore flintlock. I use 4f for priming my flintlock when hunting, but I have experimented at the range and 3f works just as well, near as I can tell.
 
T7 is not BP. It is a synthetic substitute.


If you are asking about the best propellant for a muzzleloader, the answer will depend on the gun that you have.

Real BP is hard to find, because it is considered as an explosive. As a result, few dealers stock it. It is easier to ignite than the subs, but corrosive and dirty. As noted above, if you are using a flintlock, it may be your only choice as a pan powder.

In a caplock, you can use any substitute, except BH 209.

For .45 caliber, FFFG works better than FFG IMHO.

In an inline, you can use real BP or any of the subs, with the following caveat: BH 209 requires a gun with a closed breech, a short flash hole in the breech plug, a tight fitting sabot and a hot primer. You have to remove primer fouling from your breech plug's flash channel with a hand held drill bit every 20 shots or so. If you meet these requirements, it is by far the cleanest and best performing propellant for muzzleloaders.

If not, here is a rundown of the others:

Pyrodex RS: easy to ignite, cheap, consistent, dirty and corrosive.
Triple 7: slighhtly harder to ignite with #11 cap. OK with musket caps and #209 primers. Harder to clean than Pyrodex. Tendency to produce a crud ring. Corrosive, but not as much as T7. More potent than Pyrodex, so higher elocities. Consistent.
APP and JSG: very easy to ignite. Easy to clean. Less fouling than Pyrodex and T7. Low and inconsistent velocities. Therefore: inaccurate.
APP and JSG sticks: Even more inconsistent than the powdered stuff!!
BH 209: Expensive (but less so than pellets). High and consistent velocities. Easy to clean. Cleans like smokeless powder. Non corrosive. Low fouling. Requires a hot 209 primer for ignition. Sensitive to flash channel fouling. Non hygroscopic. BH is my personal favourite in an inline, but it has its limitations, as noted above.
Black MZ: See JSG above.
 
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Goex has worked very well for me. I was not aware that Swiss, Schutzen, Kik, or Wano were available here in Canada? Any idea if it is available on Vancouver Island?

I agree about what has been said about BP subs. I have tried 777, and have not been very impressed. It is powerful enough about 15% more powerful then real BP I'm told. It feels like it is. I don't like the smell (real BP smells better).
I am a cowboy action shooter, and do not shoot muzzle loaders.

I do believe that smokeless powder is just a passing fad...
 
Goex is good.. when available.

I have always used goex, in varying granulations.. whenever I could find some./... I want to try a kentucky type rifle in a flintlock but am reluctant to buy since I will need fff to ffff for the pan.. Can anyone tell me where a Sask boy can find some.. In my inlines I use 777 loose in my percussions I use Pyro Rs.. all with exceptional results... but I wanto take my next buck with real traditional stuff.. I will also be looking for buckskins and a feathered cap....(:))
:owned::owned:
 
I have tried many over the years, nothing has come close to 209 blackhorn. clean, powder. great accuracy out to 250 yards.
But it is pricey, and doesnt like the muzzle loading 209 primers. You need a hot 209 primer for this powder.
Play around with different loads. It is amazing the difference 10 grains can make either way.
They have a good website, with lots of info on it. Check it out.

www.blackhorn209.com

Small note: 209 blackhorn is measured in volume not in actual weight. It is a lighter powder than most. (Ie. - 110 grains by volume may only weight 90 actual grains ).

Good Luck, be safe, and have fun!

Collin
 
Shrapnel posted;
Swiss is excellent. So is Wano from Germany. Goex is a sure bet... Elephant is hit or miss, some batches in previous years being humid and the can corroded from the inside!
Click to expand...

This man knows his Black Powders.

X2
 
I have used Goex for quite a while and its great. Its black powder so of course its dirty. Thats the whole idea! It works in everything. Say...has anyone heard anything about the plant? I heard it blew up...? If that is the case I hope that these other brands of bp will be available!

Cheers, Steve.
 
Waterloo and the saint from sask...should know about Becky at Hillfolk Musket supply in Senlac Sask...they can get Swiss, Goex, Wano...tell'em Ben sent them...on second thought, maybe you better not.....
 
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