Homemade Black Powder

Here's the field data!!

I have fired my powder in two arms, a 50 cal TC hawken and an 1860 colt army.

Goex on FFg 50 cal, 490 RB, pillow ticking and my homebrew lube: 1240 fps at 60 gr volume.

My FF, unpolished and unglazed, same gun, same load: Shot 1: 1174 Shot 2: 1166 Shot 3: 1211 (patch was cut perfect on each of the following shots, whereas the previous patches were in my opinion very improper, and I settled the powder for 4 seconds then topped off) Shot 4: 1200 Shot 5: 1185 Shot 6: 1228 (this shot the powder was settled slightly in measure and then topped off... this for SURE attributed to the increase in velocity)

Returned to Goex for a second round of velocity verification. Shots were settled in similar fashion to my loads above to make testing “even steven". As you will see, Goex velocities went up like mine did with settling. I'm still significantly low, but acceptably low and with charge increase, I can get same performance (but wait for the target pix and that will not be necessary!)

Shot 1: 1323 Shot 2: 1315

So I have concluded that my density at 1.4-1.6 grams/cc is significantly lower than Goex 2.0-2.4G/cc, they are going to CONTINUE to be approx 100 fps faster than my CURRENT powder, volume for volume.

Stacking factor data:

Goex settles max of 1/8 inch. My powder stacks more poorly and settles 3/16 inch average, maybe a taste more or less at times. In the gun, my ramrod drops the same 3/16 further (deeper) than with Goex of equivalent charge. So I am able to settle by virtue of the ball seating my powder more than Goex.

I will attempt to fix this by a polishing process that will allow tighter natural stacking. I have to create that process so it may be a long time coming!

Fouling: Goex, being “dirty” is REAL CLEAN compared to my powder. I will post pictures of patches between shots. Birch pure seems to be WAY DIRTY by itself but makes good power and speed by the data above. I will alter the wood using known cleaner burning woods and increase density which should improve the burn. Also I short retorted the last batch as an experiment. I will try longer retort times for more complete reduction to see if the new charcoal will burn cleaner. I think it will. There were a lot of volatiles remaining in this last batch.

Accuracy:

My unbiased shooting in Yucca Valley, CA yesterday showed a clear advantage to my powder. No load development was used which is VERY UNFAIR to firearms, powders, etc. But a typical response to queries RE: accuracy loads for a TC 50 hawken with RB, 60 gr is ALWAYS the target shooters ticket!

I shot 50 yards due to 25 mph winds that were not predictable. I had much NON shooting time due to gusts that hung for 4-5 minutes before tapering off. So Goex sucks for accuracy and my powder is exceedingly accurate! Yep..... I am boasting!

Pictures posted below. After sighting shots of approx 10 for chrono testing and zeroing (first time behind this rifle, but rifle is seasoned by prior owner), I shot two groups with same focus and intent.

My nephew has not ever seen a 1/4 inch group, but he's not a shooter. Goex turned in a 2 inch best performance after I did my best patch cutting, standardized best practices for loading, etc. I was as consistent as humanly possible. I could with absolute certainty, predict a bad shot due to patch cut and ball seating. After several shots, I got it worked out completely. My lube was 60 beeswax/40 crisco with 2 tbsp of canola oil (like a four or 6 ounce batch) soaked to absorbtion with heat and wrung out  (pillow ticking approx 15 thou thick)

The score:

Goex 2 inch

Mikes FF 1/4 inch.

Each groups was a 4 shot string. I have one bad patch and new it, it was high and left by 2x2 inch. The other 3 consecutive shots went into .25 inch. Yes, .25 inch, with open factory sights and no wind correction.

Holy Batcrap Robin!

I also tested with less intent, the FFF I made from same batch of powder in the 1860 revolver.

Again chrono data: Goex shot 1/2: 682/663 Mikes FFF shot 1/2: 660.2/660.4

I think that the data speaks for itself. Also I found that the level of fouling with the FFF was less than my FF, by a large margin. Dunno enough about how BP burns in a barrel but Goex and Mikes made a standardized mess in 48 rounds thru gun with NO CLEANING. Gun still fired accurately, cylinder still rotated properly, hammer fell cleanly, but my hand was a mess from lube, BP, yuck!

Accuracy results

Procedure: two hand hold, 35 feet, 1/2 diameter target dot, 20 grains volume Goex or Mikes FFF, oxyoke felt wad with dry lube, 454 RB, nice shaving each load, #11 CCI cap, TC bore butter topper half topped off.

Goex 1.5 inch for 5 shots and could have been tighter, as tight as 1 inch but there were vertical stings present that did NOT get attributed to anything but powder performance.

Mikes FFF, two windblown groups ( I shot with wind without any caution). 4 shots total, first two printed in .25 inch, second two printed 1.2 inch left (NO WIND CONDITION), .25 inch group, both groups show minor vertical stack with no windage error.

I can't do better than that with the gun. And I was NOT working hard to shoot that way. The Pietta simply shot well when aimed with either powder.

So I will post pics later tonight of patches, targets and powder.

I will be ordering lab screens to enhance my fractioning of the FFF to include finer grains than I can currently sort, to make more equivalent to Goex, the composition of largest to smallest grains. Or I may fraction for more consistency than Goex with a higher reject rate if when done, it enhances velocity error reduction.

But how much more consistent can my powder be. Error for two shots was only 2 tenths of an FPS???????

I need to polish the FFF to get the stacking factor equal to Goex so that my velocity comes up to Goex speeds. I am a taste low but not by much.

Next trip at the end of May, I will try FFF in the rifle for a few shots since FF vs. FFF may give more velocity in 50 cal with a better stack factor. I must also cast some RB and shoot homebrew CB's with it to make it RIGHT/RIGHT.

Also I will need to return to the wild the 2.5 foot Desert Rosey Boa that we caught on a walk to the target. I have had good success with finding temporary pets on shoots, two tarantulas in September last year (returned a month later) and now the Boa. Very pretty snake and as docile as an earthworm! My 8 year old is in hog heaven holding it.

Reverend: It will cost a few bucks to roll commercial powder once/If I get the blend improved. My electrical contracting company has higher fees in overhead here in California than Goex pays in Louisiana and I can guarantee that. So ANY redcution in overhead from what I currently pay for ANY business is a welcomed sight.

Goex target ( 2 of 3 shots, the thrid is lost  on the paper somewhere within 5 inches of this group.... what a mess of a group, although goex did group better at times during sighting, just this was a “GROUP” for grouping, not chrono tests

Mikes FFF

My powder (photo is not going to resolve well due to compression) FF on left, FFF on right

Family employees make for a low overhead, and I have family that would gladly leave the LA ratrace to earn a reduced income slower life on an Idaho farm making a product. We shall see... if I can't get it to clean up and can't get the mass/cc up to snuff, then business ends right then and there.

But that's not to say that I won't kick butt all over paper targets and game with my stuff. I am ok with ending at personal consumption, but I am an entrepreneur by DNA and I can't help but find a financial benefit in the prospect.