free powder!

[chubby ninja]

I recently met up with a buddy .He asked me what I had been up to .I told him that I had solved my powder shortage problem by finding an out of the way place that sold real black.My friend told me he had a couple of lbs. of goex that had been sitting in his gun safe for awhile.He gave it to me. Upon getting it I discovered it was 2cans of 1f and a can of2f.The reason for the thread is this;I've never shot 1f powder.Should I try shooting it like regular 2f?I have a 12 ga. barrel for my New Englander,should I use it only for that?Next question, has anyone ever tried a small charge of real blk [15 or 20 grains] before finishing with pyro.Pyrodex has shown to be unreliable in my sidelocks. I know that pyro. pellets have a small bit of blk on one end to help ignition.Any thoughts

 

[MrTom]

I think 1f is used for cannons, maybe some large bore rifles. I may be wrong but its a pretty large grained powder and I don't think I'd try it in a rifle, shotgun maybe. See what others chime in with.

 

[Matthew323]

No reason not to try it in the 12 bore. Go over to the Muzzleloading Forum, to the Smoothbore section, and there will be multiple threads/posts on fg & ffg powders in smoothies. Should be of great help to you. According to what I have read, there is a 50/50 chance that the coarser powders will improve your patterns, and reduce felt recoil. At a possible cost of slightly more fouling.

Have fun experimenting!!!!!

 

[deermanok]

I read posts that some shooters use 1f. 1.5 f is kinda popular too for smoothies and shotguns.
Definitely dirty but it would work.

 

[deermanok]

You could dump 10 grains or so down the barrel under pyrodex pellets. That will set them off.

 

[Half-Cocked]

This maybe overly simple but can't you just crush it? Maybe too much work for a whole pound. I crush my 2f to fine powder in small batches for dumb things like a mini mortar and unsuccessful attempt at fire works.

 

[Matthew323]

Hand crushing will deliver very uneven ignition because of the vast difference in particle sizes. Without the very expensive brass screens to sort out the various sizes of crushed powder particles, the burn would be very uneven, and the resulting accuracy, poor.

 

[snapbang]

Buy some window screen. Lay the powder on the screen and move it back and forth. The screen will act as booth a grinder and a sieve. Whatever falls under the screen should be reasonably consistant in size. May be powder but still consistent.

 

[deermanok]

I've read posts on the other site about guys grinding 2f powder to use in the pan of flintlocks. The intent, I guess is to turn 2f into 4f.
Sounds like a lot of potentially dangerous work. Why not just buy a finer grade of powder?

 

[snapbang]

Why not just buy a finer grade of powder?

Agreed, if you can find it.

 

[John0313]

I was given a bunch of 1F a few years ago. I use 10 gr. of 3F to light off the FG charge in my .50, and have never had a problem. 2F works too!

 

[Matthew323]

Remember that everything you do with already made black powder has to be done in a non-static environment. Is aluminum window screen considered non-static?

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Aluminum is considered "non-static" from what I understand.
So is Stainless Steel.
I would try a 20 mesh (.9mm) above a 40 mesh (.6mm) set of screens to get two different grades of powder. Measurements approximate. Consult US Sieve chart.

 

[Matthew323]

Aluminum is considered "non-static" from what I understand.
So is Stainless Steel.
I would try a 20 mesh (.9mm) above a 40 mesh (.6mm) set of screens to get two different grades of powder. Measurements approximate. Consult US Sieve chart.

Aluminum is considered "non-static" from what I understand.
So is Stainless Steel.
I would try a 20 mesh (.9mm) above a 40 mesh (.6mm) set of screens to get two different grades of powder. Measurements approximate. Consult US Sieve chart.

That's good. I wasn't sure. After my one, and only, idiotic mistake with black powder as a teen, I never want to suffer extensive 2nd degree burns again. Nor, wish them on anyone else.

 

[eekjellander]

I have shot probably up to 50 + LBs of 1 1/2 F OE in my Sharps prior to selling it ,the only difference between that and 2 F is a less sharp push and it is used (A LOT) by cartridge shooters in competition .I see no reason to not shoot the other 20+ lbs in my muzzle loaders as they they are tasked with the same target requirements .I do not know the characteristics of 1F as I never used it ,went with what everyone else used in competition (1 1/2F) Ed

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

That's good. I wasn't sure. After my one, and only, idiotic mistake with black powder as a teen, I never want to suffer extensive 2nd degree burns again. Nor, wish them on anyone else.

I know all about burns too, 3rd degree, months of recovery. I still fear fire.

 

[Leadhoarder]

The 1f will work in a 12 gauge. There was a good post on another site where the poster used a chrono using different powders and wads. 1f provided great consistency at the cost of slightly reduced velocity when compared to 2f.

 

[Russ4iam]

I don't believe aluminum is non static. Many years ago they used it in electric wiring. Stick with wood. ?

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Aluminum doesn't spark when struck, nor does copper, brass, SS, nickel, etc.

 

[dbowling]

1F Swiss is said to be more like 1.5-2f in other powders so if Swiss powder Id try it for sure in .50 just to see.. in a shotgun believe it would work fine. And like said could use a small squib charge under it to get it to burn good.