Anybody make their own
- Thread starter Nate1778
- Start date
Well as long as we have Pyrodex or real BP I figure I will continue to buy it... Once Obama and his LWL (Left Wing Loon) lackeys make BP and similar powder illegal, then I will start working on making my own...
He is already kicking around making reloading illegal so figure it won't be long before the idiots make BP (and its derivatives) illegal also...
He is already kicking around making reloading illegal so figure it won't be long before the idiots make BP (and its derivatives) illegal also...
Back in 1991 I was involved in Model Rocketry and I found a book from a company called Teleflite that told hou to mill your own BP for model rocket engines. I made some with a large rock tumbler and 7 lbs of 3/4 in brass pellets. I used lab grade flowers of sulpher and some hardwood characol but eventually I switched to pyro grade air float characol. For the potassium nitrate I bought a 60lb bag of technical grade 'Vicknite' from a distributor in town. It cost me $45. The stuff at http://www.skylighter.com/mall/chemicals.asp?Sort=P
would cost $390 for a 60 lb bag. I am not sure if you can still buy it from a distributer the way I did back then.
would cost $390 for a 60 lb bag. I am not sure if you can still buy it from a distributer the way I did back then.
grymster2007
New member
What makes you think that they won't also outlaw the manufacture of BP?
grymster2007
New member
So we'll be buying our BP out of the trunks of modified Honda Civics? Ball mills in the forest?
I stumbled on this thread, I typically frequent the "smokeless" side, but a customer of mine, who is a bit of a survivalist, gave me a book the other day, that gives extremely detailed and precise instructions for several types of blackpoweder, from blasting powder, to fireworks, to gunpowder, along with the recipes of several of the old commercial blends.
It is called
Blackpowder And How to Make It,
An illustrated guide to the amatuer production of Blackpowder
by Randy and Leigh Ellis
Library of Congress # TX 2-430-837
I doubt that it is still in print, but it might be worth a look, as it seems to be a very thorough book, with an eye toward safety throughout.
It is called
Blackpowder And How to Make It,
An illustrated guide to the amatuer production of Blackpowder
by Randy and Leigh Ellis
Library of Congress # TX 2-430-837
I doubt that it is still in print, but it might be worth a look, as it seems to be a very thorough book, with an eye toward safety throughout.
Gomez,
"He is already kicking around making reloading illegal so figure it won't be long before the idiots make BP (and its derivatives) illegal also..."
Where do you come up with this ****? Dems in control, so the Reps convince you, hey, you might be one of the convincers, that we are going to lose ALL our gun rights?
Listen to the Rep rap that is going on today. "We will NOT agree to ANYTHING that them bastids that put us out of control propose!"
Stick with BP shooting or go to hell. And I won't apologize for that as you guys coaxed the Reb to do.
Cheers,
George
"He is already kicking around making reloading illegal so figure it won't be long before the idiots make BP (and its derivatives) illegal also..."
Where do you come up with this ****? Dems in control, so the Reps convince you, hey, you might be one of the convincers, that we are going to lose ALL our gun rights?
Listen to the Rep rap that is going on today. "We will NOT agree to ANYTHING that them bastids that put us out of control propose!"
Stick with BP shooting or go to hell. And I won't apologize for that as you guys coaxed the Reb to do.
Cheers,
George
Re: BP
A lot of good post here and great info. I'll just add a little variation to the theme.
First you don't need a special rock tumbler. I use the same vitrating tumbler that I use to clean and polish my brass (Thumbler's Ultravibe 18 tumbler). I cast two dozen 2 oz lead ball (fishing weights without the brass eyes) and use them to crush the charcoal to a fine powder.
I make charcoal in a 5 gallon metal bucket then rough crush it. Next I place it in the tumbler with the lead balls for 20-30 minutes and I get a very fine charcoal powder. Using the same tumber I add the sulphur and potassium nitrate and a little water and tumble another 20-30 minutes until very well mixed and ground to the same consistency. The water aids in the blending ans adds a margin of safety. The key is to thoroughly mix all three ingredients
Drying on newspaper and granulating through a screen as others do.
The real 'trick' is the charcoal which provide the 'fuel' for the combustion. While the other chemicals are purchased and are both pure and consistent, my charcoal is homemade. All charcoal varies in quality and consistency and some woods just make better charcoal for BP than others. I've experimented with a variety of woods and am currently using Big Leaf Maple - just because it makes good charcoal and is readily available. Still I'm experimenting with other wood charcoal to compare performance differences.
I'd be interested in other folks evaluation of different types of wod charcoal as well.
A lot of good post here and great info. I'll just add a little variation to the theme.
First you don't need a special rock tumbler. I use the same vitrating tumbler that I use to clean and polish my brass (Thumbler's Ultravibe 18 tumbler). I cast two dozen 2 oz lead ball (fishing weights without the brass eyes) and use them to crush the charcoal to a fine powder.
I make charcoal in a 5 gallon metal bucket then rough crush it. Next I place it in the tumbler with the lead balls for 20-30 minutes and I get a very fine charcoal powder. Using the same tumber I add the sulphur and potassium nitrate and a little water and tumble another 20-30 minutes until very well mixed and ground to the same consistency. The water aids in the blending ans adds a margin of safety. The key is to thoroughly mix all three ingredients
Drying on newspaper and granulating through a screen as others do.
The real 'trick' is the charcoal which provide the 'fuel' for the combustion. While the other chemicals are purchased and are both pure and consistent, my charcoal is homemade. All charcoal varies in quality and consistency and some woods just make better charcoal for BP than others. I've experimented with a variety of woods and am currently using Big Leaf Maple - just because it makes good charcoal and is readily available. Still I'm experimenting with other wood charcoal to compare performance differences.
I'd be interested in other folks evaluation of different types of wod charcoal as well.
Thanks, I wandered about using a shell cleaning tumbler. I am about to pull my first mix out of the mill tonight. Quick question, with regard to gaining or corning the mix. I assume you ball it up and then do you shove it through the screen, or work it back and forth like a cheese grader. Seams like if I simply shove it through that I would get strings of powder out the other side. Also whats the consistency I am shooting for, just wet enough to hold together or, oatmeal, what am I looking for? Any suggestion on gloved, I was thinking latex gloves to keep the hands somewhat clean, or are leather gloves the better way to go. Thus far here is my recipe:
75% Potassium Nitrate
15% Willow charcoal
10% Sulfur
5% Dextrin
75% Potassium Nitrate
15% Willow charcoal
10% Sulfur
5% Dextrin
grymster2007
New member
Gotta check with my Ma. She was going to harvest some willow branches for me.
Shotgun Willy
New member
I'm slowly working on my first batch. This pasts weekend I dissolved my stump remover, in hot water, and recrystallized it. Then I spread it out to dry it.
Lesson learned-Do not spread your KNO3 out on aluminum foil, thinking it will protect the aluminum cookie sheet, underneath. Wet KNO3 is very good at etching aluminum. It ate right through the foil, and on into the cookie sheet. I even used her best cookie sheet.
After as much chemistry, as I took in college, you'd think it might have occured to me, before I did it. Duh!
Lesson learned-Do not spread your KNO3 out on aluminum foil, thinking it will protect the aluminum cookie sheet, underneath. Wet KNO3 is very good at etching aluminum. It ate right through the foil, and on into the cookie sheet. I even used her best cookie sheet.
After as much chemistry, as I took in college, you'd think it might have occured to me, before I did it. Duh!
Here is a tip as well, when wetting the powder out of the mill for corning, go slow. I was using a spray bottle as recommended, the powder never seamed to be getting moist at all, then all of the sudden "TO WET". So my advice is leave have the mix out, that way if it goes to wet you can add powder. The small amount I did get to corn last night turned out very nice and uniform in size.
Mesquite is listed.
Charcoal Suitability Table
http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Charcoal_Suitability_Table