Making your own powder

[DragoonRick]

Charing denim for Black Powder.
  To make denim into charcoal, obtain a new unused gallon paint can.    Punch a hole in the lid with a framing nail.
Cut a couple of old genes into 2 or 3 inch squares.   Put these in the paint can loosely not packed. Cook this on a Coleman stove or some propane stove.  When gas begins to escape from the hole the charing has begun. You can set the gas stream on fire, but not necessary.  When the gas stops plug the hole. And let the can cool. You then can crush the charred cloth like any other charcoal.  It makes good powder and is easy to obtain.

By the way all that charcoal I made came to about a pound of refined charcoal powder.  For 100+ oz of powder for 6+ pounds of powder. 

[DragoonRick]

ABOUT POTASSIUM NITRATE
  By weight makes up 75% of the black powder you are making.  I’m using tree stump remover. There are other sources, but I’m not up to digging in bat caves, chicken coops or out houses.  Many instructions tell of pulverizing Potassium nitrate in a ball mill, but it devolves in water.  What ever pot you use put the PoNi alone in the pot with enough water to cover it. Bring it all to a boil stir until the PoNi dissolves. You may need some more water.
  I use an old aluminum nonstick frypan stir with a wooden spoon.

[Zulch]

Thank you Rick 👍👍 i really appreciate your posts.

[Captainkirk]

This is great info! Thanks to Rick and Mark for sharing!

[AlaskanGuy]

Agreeded…. Loved to hear about the cotton charcoal… I love learning something new..

It is pretty simple to refine that stump remover. I keep on hand about 15lbs of it at all times, but it is naturally occurring just about everywhere.

[DragoonRick]

Used my homemade powder today.  No problem with it at all👏🏻 I had problems with my caps and my dragoon revolver, but the powder worked well. I used 6 #10 commercial caps. Great shooting.  Now I used the powder in a  “Hawken” rifle and my percussion caps. No failure to function.

[DragoonRick]

As to making the powder:
1. Put the Potassium nitrate in a proper size pan. Cover with enough water to dissolve the PN.  I really use a discarded nonstick frypan. For a pound of powder use 12 oz of potassium nitrate. Cook at low to medium heat until the Po Ni dissolves. Put in 2.4 oz of very finely powdered charcoal. Stir till it  until completely mixed.  Add the 1.6 oz of sulfur, again stir slowly on low heat with a wooden spoon.
 2.  When the mixture is like mud or soft cookie dough and any free water has evaporated (make sure all of the mixture is incorporated don’t leave dry mixture up on the pan side.
3.  I use a rolling pin and roll the mixture on a board of maybe 18x30.  Roll it thin and let it dry.

4.  When it is very dry use a spatula to push the mixture into  small piles. Roll it out again let it dry several hours more.
 5 the rolling pin will crush the mixture to fine powder. .
When you can pick up a pinch and it’s does not stick to your fingers it should be ready.  More drying want hurt the powder.
6 store in tight container like an old powder can. 

[AlaskanGuy]

Really great write up sir….  Cheers..

[DragoonRick]

This will be a photo of my powder making today. The first photo is of the old non stick frying pan. It is on an electric hot plate. In view is 15 oz of stump remover on a electric scale. The stump remover which is potassium nitrate is poured into water in the frying pan. That is heated until most of it has devolved. Next the powdered charcoal is poured into the pan.  Mix the 3 oz of charcoal with the stump remover.  Mix slowly and carefully as the mixture is being heated almost to a boil. Add 2 oz of sulfur. Slowly mix until the water has mostly evaporated.. it’s like biscuit dough.  I added a little water with a sprayer.

[DragoonRick]

Next  it’s like biscuits dough.
I put it on a “dough board”. And roll it out with a rolling pin.
I’ve left it to dry over night.

[Zulch]

Outstanding Rick!!! Thank you sir. This is fantastic!! Very thorough as always. I appreciate all your content Rick. 👍👍 Tim

[DragoonRick]

Many thanks
Dragoon.
Rick

[Captainkirk]

Good stuff, Rick. Thanks for sharing.

[AlaskanGuy]

Again I say, if your going to try this at home, DO NOT USE YOUR WIFES STUFF!!!! Best to do it when she is gunna be gone for the day just to be safe….. 

[DragoonRick]

MORE INFORMATION.
    I left the powder on the “ Dough board” over night. This morning I tested the powder by lighting 1/4 tea spoon of the powder.  It ignited easily and burned fast. It was very dry. When I  could spudding pope the powder into a pile without sticking in clumps it is ready to use.  When I  the powder from the dough board it seemed dry enough to store in a container..  I will switch the powder into a commercial “Goex” can. I’ve produced 20 oz BP