Making your own powder

[Zulch]

Rick,
   great!! By the way, I'm not sure what you were trying to type where it says "spudding pope"? I'm sure it is a typo error. Could you please clarify what you intended to type when you have time. thank you sir, this is looking good. 

[DragoonRick]

Spatula move the powder.   I don’t know what spudding pope is. Use a putty knife.
What I’ve presented is a recipe not a formula. The charcoal is the most challenging.  After that it takes a couple of hours to mix and role out the powder. You can obtained lots of equipment but it will not make your powder much  better. If you need really faster hotter powder sure. I’m satisfied with my product.

[Zulch]

Thank you Rick 😁👍👍

[Captainkirk]

Never heard of using jeans for charcoal. I'm impressed as hell with that!

[DragoonRick]

The cotton makes smooth easily powdered charcoal.  There are no lumps or chunks.  It mixes well into smooth powder.   For a test put a couple of square inches in a cleaned out shoe polish can  or Altoids tin.  Char the cloth like you do for flint and steel fire set.  Crush the now chard cloth into fine powder. Mix  75 grns of stump remover , 15 grns of finely powdered charred cloth and 10 grns of sulfur. You can use a reloading scale or kitchen scale to measure the mixture. Should be 100 grns. You can use an old coffee cup to mix the recipe with enough boiling water to cover the mixture. Stir until it’s mixed.  Spread the powder dough on a plate or plywood board.   Roll it out thin with a drinking glass.  Let it dry over night.  Crush the now dried powder with a large spoon. You should have 100 grns of powder to test. That’s enough for three rounds in a .44 Cap and ball revolver.
  Again keep it away from sparks or flame.

[Zulch]

The cotton makes smooth easily powdered charcoal.  There are no lumps or chunks.  It mixes well into smooth powder.   For a test put a couple of square inches in a cleaned out shoe polish can  or Altoids tin.  Char the cloth like you do for flint and steel fire set.  Crush the now chard cloth into fine powder. Mix  75 grns of stump remover , 15 grns of finely powdered charred cloth and 10 grns of sulfur. You can use a reloading scale or kitchen scale to measure the mixture. Should be 100 grns. You can use an old coffee cup to mix the recipe with enough boiling water to cover the mixture. Stir until it’s mixed.  Spread the powder dough on a plate or plywood board.   Roll it out thin with a glass.  Let it dry over night.  Crush the now dried powder with a large spoon. You should have 100 grns of powder to test. That’s enough for three rounds in a .44 Cap and ball revolver.
  Again keep it away from sparks or flame.

Thank you once again Rick. I small portion for testing purposes was/is a nice addition to your thread. Gives someone an opportunity to experiment without having to work with large portions. It seems more approachable when you put it like that. Thanks you.

[DragoonRick]

This small amount for experimental use can still be dangerous. Do not heat the mixture in a microwave oven.  It will ignite  on you.

[Zulch]

This small amount for experimental use can still be dangerous. Do not heat the mixture in a microwave oven.  It will ignite  on you.

Thank you Rick. Noted. Safety First! 

[DragoonRick]

Here. Is a really good black powder book.


        Black Powder Manufacture methods &Techniques.
         By Ian von Maltitz.

A very well written technical  book.  It had one small paragraph about cotton.

I don’t like to mail order a bunch of supplies.  I’d much rather pay and go. But here is:

More research:
      In Amazon a 5lb bag of potassium nitrate that is fine quality cost $25. That’s cheaper than stump remover.!
      Amazon list charcoal powder and sulfur. 
          It will make a pound of powder for about $5.00+

[DragoonRick]

On Friday or Saturday I plan again to be at the range to test my homemade percussion caps.  As to the homemade powder.  There was no failure at all.
If I am successful I will do a YouTube video.

[Zulch]

Here. Is a really good black powder book.


        Black Powder Manufacture methods &Techniques.
         By Ian von Maltitz.

A very well written technical  book.  It had one small paragraph about cotton.

I don’t like to mail order a bunch of supplies.  I’d much rather pay and go. But here is:

More research:
      In Amazon a 5lb bag of potassium nitrate that is fine quality cost $25. That’s cheaper than stump remover.!
      Amazon list charcoal powder and sulfur. 
          It will make a pound
 of powder for about $5.00+

Rick. Wow!!! Thank you for the info on the book and supply list on Amazon! Who would’ve thunk? Amazon 🤔
I would never considered Amazon as a supply source. Thank you. Can’t wait to see your video as well once you get that done👍👍 thank you!!

By the way Rick, I came across this just this morning. Have you seen this? When you have time please let me know your thoughts on this product. I'm not sure if this is good for percussion revolvers or not as it is a Fireworks company. 1 kit for making 12lbs of Black Powder for $65.77
https://www.skylighter.com/products/red-gum-black-powder-chemicals-kit

[DragoonRick]

Zulch,

  I know that pyrotechnics is a big hobby group. They do rockets and fireworks. I don’t think it would be difficult to make muzzle loader powder with that supply list. The only issue I’d have is with the charcoal. I don’t know about “air float. Charcoal is.

[Zulch]

Zulch,

  I know that pyrotechnics is a big hobby group. They do rockets and fireworks. I don’t think it would be difficult to make muzzle loader powder with that supply list. The only issue I’d have is with the charcoal. I don’t know about “air float. Charcoal is.

Rick, sir, as always, thank you. I have reached out to the company just to see if it is suitable for percussion revolvers. As to the "air float" charcoal? I do not know either. I will google and see if anything of interest comes up.
Thank you Rick, really appreciate you checking this stuff out.
Tim

Rick, Just googled it and here is what I got: "Airfloat charcoal is extremely fine mixed hardwood charcoal. The most commonly used charcoal in homemade black powder. Great for screen mixing, no milling required but also works well when ball milling your black powder."

[DragoonRick]

All those resources should produce good powder👍👍👍

“Anyhow”. I’m taking my caps, powder, and pistols to the range this morning.   I hope to have a positive video and report. 
Rick

[Zulch]

Rick, Good luck and good shooting. Can't wait to hear the results.