Where do you get your powder?

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Renegadehunter

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I finally ran low enough that I was getting nervous about how much powder I had on hand.  The muzzleloader club I'm in and have been getting my powder from is on its last legs, and they are so broke that they won't buy bulk powder any more, not even if members put their money up first.  There was a big falling out among some of the "officers" last year, and about half the club walked away and joined another group.  The other group is only about an hour drive away, but don't hold shoots near as often.

So anyway, I went with Graf & Son's and put in a minimum 4 lbs order last night.  I ordered 3 lbs of 3f since that is my pet load for RB shooting, which is 98% of the shooting I do, and 1 lbs of 2f, which my renegade prefers for conicals.  I chose Goex instead of the Graf brand, as although I hear that the Graf powder is simply rebranded Scheutzen, many say that it seems it is weaker/less volatile than "normal" Scheutzen.  I didn't want to have to rework my loads and so paid the extra $2 for the Goex.  Scheutzen and Goex are all I've ever used and my rifle shoots them the same, but I just didn't trust that the Graf brand would shoot the same after what I've read. 
 
This got me to wondering, how many of you have to order your powder online?  Where do you get it from and what kind?  I ended up having to pay about an extra $30 in shipping and hazmat fees, so it works out to $26 a pound for powder this way.  Still cheaper than Swiss.   :shock:  
I know Idaholewis has mentioned that he lives down the road from a vendor, how many others are lucky enough to have a vendor near them?
 
I used to do as you did. I bought from Graf's. Years ago I bought from Maine Powder House. I was buying Swiss by the case then and he charged no Hazmat or shipping when you bought a case.
 
I get all my powder from Graf . Now all I use is there brand except for 4f as they dont have it under there label .  I have never been able to see any difference in there's  or Goex both shoot the same never changed my loads and never had a difference in where I aim .I also get all my smokeless powder from Graf they have a good selection ,price and shipping costs.
 
That's good to hear Mark, I'll have to try the Graf's next time.
A correction to my first post, the Goex was $3 more than the Graf brand.

I also just read that the Graf powder is now rebranded Goex, not Schuetzen anymore.  Sounds like that is a recent change.  My rifle shoots them both the same, so as long as it is one or the other it wouldn't make any difference in my established loads.
 
As you mention, I get my Powder from Buffalo Arms Just Down the Road, I am fortunate to live so close. They Carry Goex, all Grades, Goex Olde E, Schuetzen, and of Course Swiss Which is about all i shoot, and Swear By (2F for me) 

 Buffalo Arms Powder Pricing seems Good from what I’ve seen on other Sites, But i Don’t believe they ever do deals on Hazmat Fees? Hazmat fees would no doubt take the Fun RIGHT Out of Ordering Powder, But With what I’ve learned over my Career thus Far in Muzzleloading, if i were Ever to Move away from here and Not have easy access to Real Blackpowder anymore, I would Order Swiss 2F and HAPPILY Pay the Hazmat fee before I ever tried to make myself adapt, and like a Substitute Powder. Knowing what I know about Real Blackpowder, and the Luck I have had With Swiss from my Very beginning in Muzzleloading, I would struggle EVER Liking Any Substitute Powder


https://www.buffaloarms.com/black-powder
 
I'm the same.  I was lucky enough to have real BP available to me when I first started, so I can't imagine why I would choose to go backwards with propellant choice.
I've thought about it a few times, it's readily available anywhere, you read about the lack of fouling with some of them and think to yourself that might be nice, but then you read about ignition failures, and the worst of all to me is a hang fire...wounded animal material big time.  I have a lot of fun shooting muzzleloaders, but everything I do with them will always be centered around hunting performance.

I guess I'm such a BP snob that I've never even tried any of the subs.  The ONLY way I ever would is if that was the only thing available and it was that or hang the rifle over the mantle.  I just have zero interest in them.
 
I also will only use black Ive tried Pyrodex bought 2 lbs and it was the not impressive. Way to many hang fires for me . I ended up putting most of it in the flowers in front of my house. You couldnt give me any of that crap ever again .
 
Renegadehunter said:
I'm the same.  I was lucky enough to have real BP available to me when I first started, so I can't imagine why I would choose to go backwards with propellant choice.
I've thought about it a few times, it's readily available anywhere, you read about the lack of fouling with some of them and think to yourself that might be nice, but then you read about ignition failures, and the worst of all to me is a hang fire...wounded animal material big time.  I have a lot of fun shooting muzzleloaders, but everything I do with them will always be centered around hunting performance.

I guess I'm such a BP snob that I've never even tried any of the subs.  The ONLY way I ever would is if that was the only thing available and it was that or hang the rifle over the mantle.  I just have zero interest in them.
I got Spoiled with Real Blackpowder from my Very beginning, I then tried Pyrodex P for the Heck of it, I had HORRIBLE luck with it! EVERY single Cold Clean Bore Shot was a Very Slight Hangfire, to SEVERE Hangfires. Now, Before anyone thinks and comments Oil etc. in the Patented Breech/Powder Chamber Contaminating my Powder, That was DEFINITELY NOT my case, I will go out on a Limb here and say that I understand This area FAR FAR Better than the Majority, I have Videos on this EXACT thing, I even Cut an Old Renegade Breech Plug in Half for educational purposes to Show EXACTLY what you are dealing with inside there, and how important it is to get the Breech BONE Dry, and How to go about doing it.

 My problem with Pyrodex P was 1, or 2 Things, possibly a combination of Both? Possible Scenario <a href='/tags/1' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #1'>#1</a>, My Can of Powder had spent about 8 years on the Shelf of North 40 Sporting Goods, Maybe my hangfires was due to it being Old and it was going Bad? Possible Scenario <a href='/tags/2' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #2'>#2</a>, My Nipple Flash Hole Size, I was intentionally using Worn Nipples with Flash Holes that measured .031-033, From what i had read this should have been ideal? All i can say is i had CONSISTENT Cold Clean Bore Hangfires. I would NEVER have Trusted this CRAP on a Hunt! I sprinkled it in a Line along my Driveway and Burned it up!! This was the First time it Burned good :D
x1VIMqSl.jpg


I recently tried Blackhorn 209 Powder, Now that Stuff was REALLY a Joke for my Use. I shoot Slip Fit Bullets for Target/Bench Shooting, they load with VERY LITTLE effort, The Range Rod alone will usually load my Target Bullets. The First attempt with BH209 ended in a Bullet “POOPING” out the Barrel about 20 yards and Tumbled down the Old Rd i was set up in, i sat there and thought to myself “Did i just see that???” I actually laughed about it, WHAT A JOKE LOL!! How could a 209 Shotgun Primer Blast Go through a Powder Charge, Spit the Bullet out the Barrel and Not ignite the Powder??? It did this 2 times to me. Again, I sprinkled it in a Row and Lit it on Fire as well. I wouldn’t take this Crap if it were Free of Charge, That is NO JOKE! I later learned that BH209 Requires a certain amount of Compression To Reliably ignite. Well that’s not gonna cut it with my Bench/Target Bullets, They Load effortlessly. And I ain’t about to change ANYTHING i do to Shoot a Powder like this, My Shooting Results Clearly show that I don’t need this Stuff :D Real Blackpowder in the Form of Swiss 2F gets r done EVERYTIME, at ANY Yardage from Point Blank to 825 Yards, The Serious Competitors use it to 1,000 Yards without a Hiccup. Western Powders can Shove BH209 DEEPLY Somewhere :Red tup::king:
6LU2P7yl.jpg


Moral of the Story, Substitute Powders are FINICKY and Require certain things to Reliably ignite. Real Blackpowder on the other hand is Not finicky in the least, it goes off IMMEDIATELY EVERYTIME, No matter the Flash Hole size, Load Compression, etc., It requires NOTHING special, the teeny tiniest Spark and its GONE IMMEDIATELY! I would be REALLY sad if i had to Change my WELL PROVEN Stuff to make these Subs Work. I hope i NEVER see that Day!! I would be Devastated over a Shot lost at an Animal because of a Powder that Failed to ignite, Maybe my Flash Hole wasn’t Large enough? Maybe I didn’t have enough Seating pressure on the Bullet? I don’t have to Worry, or Think about ANY of these Things with Real Blackpowder, Just Hunt! When a Shot presents itself, i am Notching a Tag :Red tup:
 
Never tried the substitute powders myself, started with DuPont FFg in 1968 (in a 1851 Navy replica, no less!) & then Goex of various sizes, at present have Schuetsen on hand but never any of that fake stuff. From what I have read, the claims of easy clean up are fake also.
 
I finally ran low enough that I was getting nervous about how much powder I had on hand. The muzzleloader club I'm in and have been getting my powder from is on its last legs, and they are so broke that they won't buy bulk powder any more, not even if members put their money up first. There was a big falling out among some of the "officers" last year, and about half the club walked away and joined another group. The other group is only about an hour drive away, but don't hold shoots near as often.

So anyway, I went with Graf & Son's and put in a minimum 4 lbs order last night. I ordered 3 lbs of 3f since that is my pet load for RB shooting, which is 98% of the shooting I do, and 1 lbs of 2f, which my renegade prefers for conicals. I chose Goex instead of the Graf brand, as although I hear that the Graf powder is simply rebranded Scheutzen, many say that it seems it is weaker/less volatile than "normal" Scheutzen. I didn't want to have to rework my loads and so paid the extra $2 for the Goex. Scheutzen and Goex are all I've ever used and my rifle shoots them the same, but I just didn't trust that the Graf brand would shoot the same after what I've read.

This got me to wondering, how many of you have to order your powder online? Where do you get it from and what kind? I ended up having to pay about an extra $30 in shipping and hazmat fees, so it works out to $26 a pound for powder this way. Still cheaper than Swiss. :shock:
I know Idaholewis has mentioned that he lives down the road from a vendor, how many others are lucky enough to have a vendor near them?
I finally ran low enough that I was getting nervous about how much powder I had on hand. The muzzleloader club I'm in and have been getting my powder from is on its last legs, and they are so broke that they won't buy bulk powder any more, not even if members put their money up first. There was a big falling out among some of the "officers" last year, and about half the club walked away and joined another group. The other group is only about an hour drive away, but don't hold shoots near as often.

So anyway, I went with Graf & Son's and put in a minimum 4 lbs order last night. I ordered 3 lbs of 3f since that is my pet load for RB shooting, which is 98% of the shooting I do, and 1 lbs of 2f, which my renegade prefers for conicals. I chose Goex instead of the Graf brand, as although I hear that the Graf powder is simply rebranded Scheutzen, many say that it seems it is weaker/less volatile than "normal" Scheutzen. I didn't want to have to rework my loads and so paid the extra $2 for the Goex. Scheutzen and Goex are all I've ever used and my rifle shoots them the same, but I just didn't trust that the Graf brand would shoot the same after what I've read.

This got me to wondering, how many of you have to order your powder online? Where do you get it from and what kind? I ended up having to pay about an extra $30 in shipping and hazmat fees, so it works out to $26 a pound for powder this way. Still cheaper than Swiss. :shock:
I know Idaholewis has mentioned that he lives down the road from a vendor, how many others are lucky enough to have a vendor near them?
 
Being from Mass. our choices are very limited.
Last lb I bought was in Kittery Maine (Kittery Trading Post). Goex 2F @ $30.00.
You can go online to “Maine Powder” but it’s a couple bucks more.
Might like to find a black powder group around here....
 
Last time I bought powder it was from Grafs also. Ive used Swiss for years and just stayed with it. Sure its more money but I used it in BPCR for years and now I use it in the muzzleloaders.
 
I get all my powder from Graf . Now all I use is there brand except for 4f as they dont have it under there label . I have never been able to see any difference in there's or Goex both shoot the same never changed my loads and never had a difference in where I aim .I also get all my smokeless powder from Graf they have a good selection ,price and shipping costs.
I buy from Grafs.com too. Fast easy
 
I've only been shooting a bit over 10 years now, but always had BP available just 15 minutes away at Angeles Range (only 1lb per person at a time State limit).
But now I have moved to a 'gun friendly' state (Nevada) and cant find it ANYWHERE.
Looks like Graf is going to get a new customer!
 
Starting back in the mid 1960s I bought Dupont locally for $1.00 a pound. Last powder I bought (a 25 lb case) Was Jack's Battle Powder, a 3F made by Goex. It is good powder and at the time I ordered it the price had just gone up from $11 to over $12. Graf's looks to be a good source and the price is right. Can't afford to order now but maybe sometime.
 
I get my holy black (goex) from Maine Powder House. They carry Goex, Swiss, Schutzen and Old Enysford. I usually buy a case at a time. I can mix and match the powders, and by buying a case theer is no haz mat fee. Cost runs about $18/pound. I usually sell several pounds of the powder to fellows in my club. Can't find real black powder in our area of CT, and besides, I would rather get it delivered right to my door. I only use real black, cause flint locks don't like anything else.
 
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