Black powder substitutes in a flint lock

[Half-Cocked]

Finished product

That looks very good! My hats off to you. I also saw the pics of the patches that is impressive! I am going to experiment with some of the fallen branches I find. Willow is hard to find out here and if not necessary why should I wait. I don’t think willow is native to Michigan. Maybe I was looking for the wrong willow. I think of the weeping willow trees.

I am definitely going to experiment with some of the wood out here.

One question I think I know the answer but I’ll ask… can I use green wood or should it be seasoned and dried?

 

[dennyntx]

You need to let it dry good first

 

[dennyntx]

You need to let it dry good first

I have used green wood but it takes quite a bit long to cook it down into charcoal also make sure you take all the bark off first bark has a natural fire retardant In it

 

[dennyntx]

That looks very good! My hats off to you. I also saw the pics of the patches that is impressive! I am going to experiment with some of the fallen branches I find. Willow is hard to find out here and if not necessary why should I wait. I don’t think willow is native to Michigan. Maybe I was looking for the wrong willow. I think of the weeping willow trees.

I am definitely going to experiment with some of the wood out here.

One question I think I know the answer but I’ll ask… can I use green wood or should it be seasoned and dried?

This is the homemade

 

[dennyntx]

That looks very good! My hats off to you. I also saw the pics of the patches that is impressive! I am going to experiment with some of the fallen branches I find. Willow is hard to find out here and if not necessary why should I wait. I don’t think willow is native to Michigan. Maybe I was looking for the wrong willow. I think of the weeping willow trees.

I am definitely going to experiment with some of the wood out here.

One question I think I know the answer but I’ll ask… can I use green wood or should it be seasoned and dried?

More homemade

 

[Half-Cocked]

That’s one huge fireball I like it!

 

[dennyntx]

That’s one huge fireball I like it!

Lol yup that's 100 grain charge

 

[dennyntx]

Lol yup that's 100 grain charge

If I can help you with anything email me at [email protected]

 

[B Ohio]

If you can't find real black powder you can always make it really easy cost about $6.00 a pound to make and you can't tell the difference in it and store bought except I know my homemade is a lot less corrosive than store bought

Well can you give us a hint of how that works?

 

[dennyntx]

It's really easy you need the components to go in it potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, just make your own charcoal get a metal container with a good sealing lid drill about a 5/16 hole In the lid you want the wood to burn but not flame so need to keep the oxygen out cook it until it stops smoking you then have charcoal not sure what part of the country you live in. I'm in southeast Texas one of the best woods I can find here is the tallow tree. But pretty much any soft wood with out sticky sap will work be sure and take all the bark off and let the wood dry. The bark has a natural flame retardant in it so if you leave it own it will work but your powder will be a little slower. You can get your sulfur pretty much any hardware or garden store. The potassium nitrate I found is cheapest at seed ranch on line free shipping 10 pounds is like $29.99 it only takes 12 ounces to make a pound of BP one thing you do want to do is add 3% dextrin to your mix are you will just have powder the dextrin is a binder to give you good hard granules but don't go more than 3% are it will be so hard you wont be able to crush it up. If you go online to (Hoffman Reproductions) on YouTube he has everything you need to know on making your own if there is any thing I can help you on let me know you can email me if you like and can help you out anytime ([email protected]) it really is very easy and safe if you just take a few precautions like no smoking while making it don't use any thing that sparks like steel balls in you mill only use lead balls but if I can answer any questions for you let me know

 

[Badwolf]

It's really easy you need the components to go in it potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, just make your own charcoal get a metal container with a good sealing lid drill about a 5/16 hole In the lid you want the wood to burn but not flame so need to keep the oxygen out cook it until it stops smoking you then have charcoal not sure what part of the country you live in. I'm in southeast Texas one of the best woods I can find here is the tallow tree. But pretty much any soft wood with out sticky sap will work be sure and take all the bark off and let the wood dry. The bark has a natural flame retardant in it so if you leave it own it will work but your powder will be a little slower. You can get your sulfur pretty much any hardware or garden store. The potassium nitrate I found is cheapest at seed ranch on line free shipping 10 pounds is like $29.99 it only takes 12 ounces to make a pound of BP one thing you do want to do is add 3% dextrin to your mix are you will just have powder the dextrin is a binder to give you good hard granules but don't go more than 3% are it will be so hard you wont be able to crush it up. If you go online to (Hoffman Reproductions) on YouTube he has everything you need to know on making your own if there is any thing I can help you on let me know you can email me if you like and can help you out anytime ([email protected]) it really is very easy and safe if you just take a few precautions like no smoking while making it don't use any thing that sparks like steel balls in you mill only use lead balls but if I can answer any questions for you let me know

What kind of mill do you need? What's it cost?

 

[dennyntx]

What kind of mill do you need? What's it cost?

The one I use is a double drum rock tumbler from harbor freight they run about $ 60.00 you will also need lead balls to put in it to grind everything up in it I put about 25 balls .50 caliber round balls is what I use this is the mill I use

 

[Shorty]

The one I use is a double drum rock tumbler from harbor freight they run about $ 60.00 you will also need lead balls to put in it to grind everything up in it I put about 25 balls .50 caliber round balls is what I use this is the mill I use

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I also find it interesting and want to learn how to do this..

 

[B Ohio]

It's really easy you need the components to go in it potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, just make your own charcoal get a metal container with a good sealing lid drill about a 5/16 hole In the lid you want the wood to burn but not flame so need to keep the oxygen out cook it until it stops smoking you then have charcoal not sure what part of the country you live in. I'm in southeast Texas one of the best woods I can find here is the tallow tree. But pretty much any soft wood with out sticky sap will work be sure and take all the bark off and let the wood dry. The bark has a natural flame retardant in it so if you leave it own it will work but your powder will be a little slower. You can get your sulfur pretty much any hardware or garden store. The potassium nitrate I found is cheapest at seed ranch on line free shipping 10 pounds is like $29.99 it only takes 12 ounces to make a pound of BP one thing you do want to do is add 3% dextrin to your mix are you will just have powder the dextrin is a binder to give you good hard granules but don't go more than 3% are it will be so hard you wont be able to crush it up. If you go online to (Hoffman Reproductions) on YouTube he has everything you need to know on making your own if there is any thing I can help you on let me know you can email me if you like and can help you out anytime ([email protected]) it really is very easy and safe if you just take a few precautions like no smoking while making it don't use any thing that sparks like steel balls in you mill only use lead balls but if I can answer any questions for you let me know

Thanks !

 

[BBGun]

It's really easy you need the components to go in it potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, just make your own charcoal get a metal container with a good sealing lid drill about a 5/16 hole In the lid you want the wood to burn but not flame so need to keep the oxygen out cook it until it stops smoking you then have charcoal not sure what part of the country you live in. I'm in southeast Texas one of the best woods I can find here is the tallow tree. But pretty much any soft wood with out sticky sap will work be sure and take all the bark off and let the wood dry. The bark has a natural flame retardant in it so if you leave it own it will work but your powder will be a little slower. You can get your sulfur pretty much any hardware or garden store. The potassium nitrate I found is cheapest at seed ranch on line free shipping 10 pounds is like $29.99 it only takes 12 ounces to make a pound of BP one thing you do want to do is add 3% dextrin to your mix are you will just have powder the dextrin is a binder to give you good hard granules but don't go more than 3% are it will be so hard you wont be able to crush it up. If you go online to (Hoffman Reproductions) on YouTube he has everything you need to know on making your own if there is any thing I can help you on let me know you can email me if you like and can help you out anytime ([email protected]) it really is very easy and safe if you just take a few precautions like no smoking while making it don't use any thing that sparks like steel balls in you mill only use lead balls but if I can answer any questions for you let me know

Can you supply a link to the seed ranch, thanks Have a good Independence day.

 

[dennyntx]

Can you supply a link to the seed ranch, thanks Have a good Independence day.

Just type in seedranch in search It will pop up

 

[BBGun]

Just type in seedranch in search It will pop up