Anyone have experience making BP at home?

[shibbershabber]

I'm looking at making a batch... But out od all the how-tos and videos... No one is sizing granules

Is it FF? FFF? FFFF?

They're just shoving through random screens!

Am I over thinking this?

Ive mostly observed FF for long guns, FFF for pistols and FFFF for priming flintlocks.

Read More

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Something to consider here is that the "F" grades are modern...as in late 19th - early 20th century terms.

When muzzle loaders were the only firearms the terms :
Coarse Powder , Fine Powder , Super Fine Powder ( Occasionally ) and Cannon Powder were used.
At times you may read of Rifle Powder , Musket Powder and rarely Pistol Powder.

Priming powder is also a "new" thing...back in the day...Daniel Boone "primed" from his one and only powder horn.
In any event...
You can get along just fine by using 2F or 3F for all your shooting needs.

I wouldn't over worry too much about it.
Andy

Edit to add...
An old fashioned Mortar and pestle will make any "F" grade you need....

 

[dangerranger60]

They are not just random screens. They are the screens that give them close to the size they need. and then after drying the granules are sifted for size through a classifying screen to sort the sizes. Classifying screens are found at a lab supply store. DR

 

[Forger]

Pottery and firework chemical supply shops have brass and stainless screens.


Seattle Pottery supply

Skylighter

 

[Stomper]

Something to consider here is that the "F" grades are modern...as in late 19th - early 20th century terms.

When muzzle loaders were the only firearms the terms :
Coarse Powder , Fine Powder , Super Fine Powder ( Occasionally ) and Cannon Powder were used.
At times you may read of Rifle Powder , Musket Powder and rarely Pistol Powder.

Priming powder is also a "new" thing...back in the day...Daniel Boone "primed" from his one and only powder horn.
In any event...
You can get along just fine by using 2F or 3F for all your shooting needs.

I wouldn't over worry too much about it.
Andy

Edit to add...
An old fashioned Mortar and pestle will make any "F" grade you need....

So what you're saying is, "F around and find out"?

 

[edzz]

So... Your saying "F"ing black powder isn't what black powder used to be.

 

[Howard1955]

Something to consider here is that the "F" grades are modern...as in late 19th - early 20th century terms.

When muzzle loaders were the only firearms the terms :
Coarse Powder , Fine Powder , Super Fine Powder ( Occasionally ) and Cannon Powder were used.
At times you may read of Rifle Powder , Musket Powder and rarely Pistol Powder.

Priming powder is also a "new" thing...back in the day...Daniel Boone "primed" from his one and only powder horn.
In any event...
You can get along just fine by using 2F or 3F for all your shooting needs.

I wouldn't over worry too much about it.
Andy

Edit to add...
An old fashioned Mortar and pestle will make any "F" grade you need....

MORTAR? PESTLE? BAH, HUMBUG!

If'n you wants it super-duper fine, go big!

 

[Mark W.]

Grandpa taught me how when I was about 11. We went to OWL drugstore in Salem and bought the 3 ingredients needed and made about 2 onces of BP. We rolled up a couple of firecrackers and made some fuse. Some of it got burned on an old plate. It was mixed dry so not the highest quality but it made a good bang in the firecrackers.

 

[thorborg]

Pottery and firework chemical supply shops have brass and stainless screens.


Seattle Pottery supply

Skylighter

So do suppliers of coffee supplies for grading ground coffee but you will likely pay an objectional- premium for them when the hardware store might come up with something useable for straining paint, OR?

 

[Forger]

So do suppliers of coffee supplies for grading ground coffee but you will likely pay an objectional- premium for them when the hardware store might come up with something useable for straining paint, OR?

Pottery suppliers are cheaper. Oh rock hounding/gold mining shops have them also

 

[P7M13]

Pottery and firework chemical supply shops have brass and stainless screens.
Seattle Pottery supply

Skylighter

The cheapest I found were on Amazon.

MORTAR? PESTLE? BAH, HUMBUG!
If'n you wants it super-duper fine, go big!

That kid has a shocking future in grabbing one of the high tension lines above a passenger train.

 

[Howard1955]

I can't vouch for this man's methods, but here's an interesting video. If I ever get to make my own BP, I'll try to record the process and share it here.

 

[Ura-Ki]

It's super easy to do once you have a good supply of the 3 things you need, the tricks are in Corning your powder after drying, and you can test it to determine "F" rating, there are videos that show you how to do it all!

 

[Mark W.]

McMaster Carr sells graded screens

 

[BillM]

Keep your eye out at the used bookstores for a copy of Foxfire 5. It has a section on making black powder, as well as making/rifling black powder guns.

 

[po18guy]

I think this guy....did....