Which powder?

1
Is it ok to use 2f (Swiss) for a .75 cal smoothbore? I couldn't tell what the threshold was for using 1f.
Also, the balls I bought are 72 cal. What type of patch should I use?
Hell is where:
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The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: Which powder?

3
I read conflicting reports. Somewhere I read where 2f is unsafe for large bores, but it doesn't say what "large" is. Seeing as I just dropped 30 bucks on a pound of swiss 2f, I would be a little miffed if all I could use it for is for priming.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: Which powder?

6
You'll need some FFF or FFFF to prime with. I doubt that FF will touch off reliably in the pan. I always simply bought FFF for both charge and prime but mine is a .50 rifle rather than a .75 smoothbore.
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
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Alex White

Re: Which powder?

7
FF might be a little slower in the pan, but if you have good spark it should work.

I keep wanting to get a pound of Goex Reenactor, which has some fine particles and some coarse particles and is meant to work both in the pipe and in the pan.

Re: Which powder?

8
Fukshot wrote:FF might be a little slower in the pan, but if you have good spark it should work..
Will that result in a "whoosh-bang"?
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: Which powder?

11
Do you really want to put highly flammable and spark sensitive material in a mortar and pestle?

Doing some reading since last night and it looks like just getting a good quality FF for your rifle charge & pan is fine. Key is the good quality - the Goex Olde Eynsford or Swiss powders are the best. I'm going to get a pound or two of that OE to try (when I can afford to) in my flintlock, .45 Colt & .38 Special.
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
like no-one is watching.
Alex White

Re: Which powder?

12
wlewisiii wrote:Do you really want to put highly flammable and spark sensitive material in a mortar and pestle?
I've been around black powder for over 20 years. I would not think twice about crushing it with plastic tools.

With sidelocks, experienced hunters will remove the snaildrum/bolster screw and pour a pinch of powder down that turn. When you put the screw back in, you're grinding powder between the barrel and screw.

Re: Which powder?

13
FFFFpowder has only been around since 1920. The loading drill for the Brown Bess was too take a paper cartridge and bite the ball end off then pour a little bit into the pan pour the rest down the barrel then ram the ball home. I use 3f in my 58 cal for both main charge and prime only because it is more accurate than 2f. The key for fast ignition is having the vent hole properly centered over the pan and using a little prime, you want it to be below the vent hole. If you cover the vent hole you have to wait for the powder to burn below the vent to ignite the main charge. Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton and Davey Crockett never used 4f too prime they just used what ever crappy powder they could find.
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