New black powder

ihookem

FNG
Joined
Jan 21, 2024
Messages
50
Location
Allenton , Wis
I have yet to make my own. I have read that if you make it right, it will be more powerful and cleaner. Many say it's in the charcoal and how long you mix it.
 
OP
FrontierGander
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
316
Location
CO
It really depends on your charcoal and processing. This was a 72hr mill job.

Today my brother and i pucked a pound, but our next batch will be with cottonwood charcoal instead of Juniper.

2 days into the dehydrator, then itll get corned, screened and back into the dehydrator.
1000012356.jpg
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
2,919
It really depends on your charcoal and processing. This was a 72hr mill job.

Today my brother and i pucked a pound, but our next batch will be with cottonwood charcoal instead of Juniper.

2 days into the dehydrator, then itll get corned, screened and back into the dehydrator.
View attachment 812064
What are the dimensions on those? They'd be a bear to break up. Why not use dividers to make your pucks thinner?
 
OP
FrontierGander
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
316
Location
CO
What are the dimensions on those? They'd be a bear to break up. Why not use dividers to make your pucks thinner?
A bit over 1". Not a bear at all if they are not over compressed. They have a density in the 1.75 to 1.77 range. A chisel and rubber mallet make easy work.1000012378.jpg
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
2,919
A bit over 1". Not a bear at all if they are not over compressed. They have a density in the 1.75 to 1.77 range. A chisel and rubber mallet make easy work.View attachment 813955

They're a bit smaller than they look. My die is 2.5" diameter and if I made one solid puck as tall as yours (proportionally) it would take me a day to bust up! I do 1/8" pucks using spacers and then use some small side cutters to break them up. However, it's been quite awhile since I've made some.

Do you follow the BP thread over on castboolits? They've made quite a bit of progress in the last couple of years.

It looks like you've got some quality powder going. Great job!
 
Joined
Mar 27, 2019
Messages
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Location
Lyon County, NV
They're a bit smaller than they look. My die is 2.5" diameter and if I made one solid puck as tall as yours (proportionally) it would take me a day to bust up! I do 1/8" pucks using spacers and then use some small side cutters to break them up. However, it's been quite awhile since I've made some.

Do you follow the BP thread over on castboolits? They've made quite a bit of progress in the last couple of years.

It looks like you've got some quality powder going. Great job!

Do you have a link to that?
 

ihookem

FNG
Joined
Jan 21, 2024
Messages
50
Location
Allenton , Wis
For a while, I was seriously thinking of just making black powder if smokeless got any harder to get. I already make my own round balls and patches so after the powder , a primer is all I would need.
 
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