black powder

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Ok yup I've heard of using that I've been using the tallow trees for years that grow like weeds here in southeast texas seem to be pretty good toilet paper wood probably be easier does it wipe the barrel clean when you shoot 😂 😂
 
I just got back from the range testing some black powder hand loads. My 90-15-10 (parts, not %) toilet paper charcoal, 35gn under 230 lead bullet loads produced an average of 866 fps, Extreme Sprad 32.3 and Standard Deviation 12.7 from my Remington NMA with .45 Colt Howells conversion cylinder. Screened powder was weighed and compressed. Accuracy was impressive.
 
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Chief Snorkel said:
I just got back from the range testing some black powder hand loads. My 90-15-10 (parts, not %) toilet paper charcoal, 35gn under 230 lead bullet loads produced an average of 866 fps, Extreme Sprad 32.3 and Standard Deviation 12.7 from my Remington NMA with .45 Colt Howells conversion cylinder. Powder was weighed and compressed. Accuracy was impressive.
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I've been using the old tried and true 75/15/10 % does you formula 90/15/10 work better then the 75/15/10 thanks
 
I have long wanted to learn to make my own BP, but discussing it is prohibited on many BP forums, I haven't seen it done, or know anyone locally who does it, and have been afraid to attempt it without initial supervision of someone who has experience making it.
 
JDBraddy said:
I have long wanted to learn to make my own BP, but discussing it is prohibited on many BP forums, I haven't seen it done, or know anyone locally who does it, and have been afraid to attempt it without initial supervision of someone who has experience making it.
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I get the curiosity, but you’re right to be cautious
 
I started making BP back in the @%vid days. I was working in NW NM and going home on the holidays and family gatherings. I figured that if things went south I'd need to know how to do that. I used pecan sheds to make my first charcoal. I always have a good supply of sheds. They drop a lot limbs every year. Slightly green limbs. an inch and a half to two inches in diameter, seem to work the best.

I learned the methods I used from the fireworking community (online). I learned how to test the powder from them (shoot a tennis ball up and measure the rise / fall time). I made BP rockets and rookie pyrotechnics. It was a lot of fun and I really wanted to learn how to make stars and mortars. That comes with a lot higher risk. Like flattening a city block if you screw up the right sized batch risk. The same people that taught me how to make BP steered me away from flash powder. I found a local high power rocketry group, built that, got certified to fly at Level 1, and did that until work moved me back home. I miss flying HP rockets. It ain't an Estes rocket that's for sure.

I have some trees on my place that turn out to make really good, energetic charcoal. I've trimmed those things back and burned the trimmings in a brush pile many times. I wish I had known about making BP back then. I've always called them a Bodark tree. It's also called Osage Orange.

I've got the itch to get back into black powder rifles and pistols. I have two pistols, a Uberti 1857 Walker, which has issues straight from the seller. The other is a Pietta but I don't recall the model. I favor the Walker. It's off getting fixed and set up. It's been gone for about 6 months. He's a good smith so I'm trying to be patient. I also have a Kibler Southern Mountain rifle kit. I won't start building it until I know I can focus on the build. I hope to retire soon and get to all of the "gonna do's" I have stacked up. I have a CVA rifle of some sort. I've only shot pyrodex in it.
 
Frontstuffers said:
I load for 45-70.
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I have a modern Henry 45-70 that I reload for. Nobody ever wants to shoot it :D I would like to have a .45-90. I have a box of Starline .45-90 brass that I bought to go with a Shiloh Sharps rifle that I never ordered. I think that if I ordered one today it would be in .45-70.
 
Most places don't allow discussion of home made black powder. It is a super dangerous task. If a mod deletes this thread, I won't speak of it here again.
Black willow and silver maple are among the best woods for making your charcoal. Bodark works well but that wood is not easy to deal with! Max temperature cooking the charcoal should be around 550F. The problem with most wood is the amount of ash it makes and the fouling in the barrel. Any bagged barbecue charcoal is absolutely terrible for making black powder because of the ash. The most surprising source of charcoal is toilet paper! TP charcoal is much lower ash than any wood. The chemical processing that turns wood into TP removes almost everything that makes ash.
I am no expert and can not teach anyone how to make it or where to buy what the law considers "precursor chemicals" for explosives without getting on some government list of bad people. BUT, all that is thoroughly discussed here:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?103852-My-homemade-black-powder
Almost 11,000 posts, It will take between 1 to 6 months to read it all but you will learn everything and I really mean everything about making your own black powder. It is easy but this is not for those who tend to screw up!
 
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Mike6158 said:
I started making BP back in the @%vid days. I was working in NW NM and going home on the holidays and family gatherings. I figured that if things went south I'd need to know how to do that. I used pecan sheds to make my first charcoal. I always have a good supply of sheds. They drop a lot limbs every year. Slightly green limbs. an inch and a half to two inches in diameter, seem to work the best.

I learned the methods I used from the fireworking community (online). I learned how to test the powder from them (shoot a tennis ball up and measure the rise / fall time). I made BP rockets and rookie pyrotechnics. It was a lot of fun and I really wanted to learn how to make stars and mortars. That comes with a lot higher risk. Like flattening a city block if you screw up the right sized batch risk. The same people that taught me how to make BP steered me away from flash powder. I found a local high power rocketry group, built that, got certified to fly at Level 1, and did that until work moved me back home. I miss flying HP rockets. It ain't an Estes rocket that's for sure.

I have some trees on my place that turn out to make really good, energetic charcoal. I've trimmed those things back and burned the trimmings in a brush pile many times. I wish I had known about making BP back then. I've always called them a Bodark tree. It's also called Osage Orange.

I've got the itch to get back into black powder rifles and pistols. I have two pistols, a Uberti 1857 Walker, which has issues straight from the seller. The other is a Pietta but I don't recall the model. I favor the Walker. It's off getting fixed and set up. It's been gone for about 6 months. He's a good smith so I'm trying to be patient. I also have a Kibler Southern Mountain rifle kit. I won't start building it until I know I can focus on the build. I hope to retire soon and get to all of the "gonna do's" I have stacked up. I have a CVA rifle of some sort. I've only shot pyrodex in it.
Click to expand...
Hello not sure what part of the country you are in but here where I'm at in southeast Texas we have tallow trees that grow fast and are everywhere that's what I use for my charcoal it makes some really fast powder I love it don't know if you have them but if you do you might give them a try 👍🏻
 
I live west of Houston, about half way to San Antonio. I know the tallow tree (aka Chinese Tallow Tree). we have them in the area. There is a fast growing little tree that could be a tallow tree that pops up in the pasture and yard. Generally speaking I cut them down and burn them. I think I'll see if I can get an id for the tree. The guys on Everything Black Powder (YouTube) swear by Osage Orange (Bodark) but seem to be willing to try anything for charcoal.
 
Yup that's the tree I'm talking about has all the little green balls on them I have tried a bunch of different woods and to me these seem to be really good. Don't know how much BP you have made are how long you have been making it. But just in case you didn't know always debark the wood the bark has a natural fire retardent in it had a friend that couldn't figure out why his didn't work good found out he was leaving the bark on.
One thing good about the tallow tree I know here in Beaumont I never have to worry about running out lol
 
I started making it back a little before Covid got "intense". I wasn't sure we would have smokeless or parts to make bullets so I started figuring out how to make BP. I have a ball mill and pretty much anything I need to make it. Figuring out the process led me to fireworking because they use a lot of BP and it needs to be energetic. I got to the flash powder part of fireworking and decided that wasn't for me. Too dangerous. I've got a press, for making BP rockets (fireworks) but I haven't "pucked" my BP with it yet. It's just screened.


Good to know there are three wood sources for charcoal in my yard. :)
 

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