Black Powder Weight Qestion

[Savvy Jack]

Johnboy I find this interesting although its Greek to me right now. I weighed two different trials. I used a Thompson Center U-View Black Powder Measure.

Powder Measure

I poured in with a funnel for about a total of a four inch drop. Allowing it to slide down the funnel sides I got different weights vs pouring directly in the center of the funnel.

Pouring directly in center of funnel,

Average of three = 102.3gr/w

Pouring an allowing it to slide down the walls of the funnel,
97.2gr/w

All six drops avg = 99.75gr/w

BATCH = Goex FFF 03-38 07JA?4B  The ? mark represents either a () or a 0. It does not resemble a zero or the letter O.

[john boy]

Jack, thanks for the followup.  If it was me, I'd use this lot of Goex sparingly because they usually don't produce powder with this heavy density.

In case your interested, here's the breakdown of the lot number for your powder:
03-38 07JA?4B
03= FFFg
38=Batch number of the powder made
07=2007
JA=January
?4=Would be January 4th
B=Second Shift ... have never seen a different letter for Goex powder and presume they package on the 2nd shift

[Delmonico]

The onliest dumb questions 'round these parts is the ones ya don' ask! Iffin ya don' ask, y'all will always be "dumb".

You've never worked retail then pard.   Sometimes they don't get no smater when you answer and the question can make you dumber just hearin' it.

[Savvy Jack]

Jack, thanks for the followup.  If it was me, I'd use this lot of Goex sparingly because they usually don't produce powder with this heavy density.

In case your interested, here's the breakdown of the lot number for your powder:
03-38 07JA?4B
03= FFFg
38=Batch number of the powder made
07=2007
JA=January
?4=Would be January 4th
B=Second Shift ... have never seen a different letter for Goex powder and presume they package on the 2nd shift

Brings on another question. That can was purchased a month or so ago in Alabama up around Birmingham from either Ceblas or Bass Pro. Why is it 2007? Do we have a vast back stock of BP in this country?

[john boy]

Jack, buying black powder is not like going to the super market and buying fresh vegetables.
When a retailer (distributor) receives BP from the vendors, they receive hundreds of pounds.  And in the hundreds of pounds could be powder that has been in the vendors unsold inventory from prior years

If you were to buy some KIK powder, in all probability the lot would be 2004 or 2007.  IIRC, the shipments were 20,000 pounds each.  You'll never see a 2010 lot because they went bankrupt in 2009

It's just the way it is.  Your concern should be ... if it doesn't go bang.  Original gunpowder has a long shelf life

[w44wcf]

I can ask dumb questions if I wanna! What else would you be doing if not answering my dumb questions? Never mind...don't answer that dumb question.  

Yeap just as I spected. 38gr(volume) of one batch of goex weighing 37gr is less powerful than 38gr(volume) of another batch weighing 39gr.

mmmmm....not necessarilly.....different lots can differ a bit in ballistic strength.  Don't lose sleep over it though.

Just recently, I purchased some Goex Express in 2F granulation along with a pound of Goex Cartridge to test in my .44-40 Marlin Cowboy (24") as compared to standard Goex 2F, Goex Cowboy, Schuetzen 2F and Swiss 2F which I have already chronographed.

Speaking of ballistic strength, 35 grs. by weight of Swiss 2F will produce more velocity than 40 grs., by weight of the other 3 powders (1,309 f.p.s. vs 1,200-1,240 f.p.s.)....and has proven to be more accurate as well. 

w44wcf

[john boy]

Speaking of ballistic strength, 35 grs. by weight of Swiss 2F will produce more velocity than 40 grs., by weight of the other 3 powders

John, here's one of the reasons why - Density
94.1   Goex    Cowboy   
97.2   Goex Express   FFg   
102.3   Swiss    FFFg   
104.4   Swiss    1.5   
104.9   Swiss    FFg

Then add Alder Blackthorn charcoal in Swiss v Swamp Maple in Goex - More Mill Wheel Time for Swiss - More Polishing Time for Swiss

[Savvy Jack]

John, here's one of the reasons why - Density
94.1   Goex    Cowboy   
97.2   Goex Express   FFg   
102.3   Swiss    FFFg   
104.4   Swiss    1.5   
104.9   Swiss    FFg

Then add Alder Blackthorn charcoal in Swiss v Swamp Maple in Goex - More Mill Wheel Time for Swiss - More Polishing Time for Swiss

Thanks Johnboy,

Somewhere I saw w44wcf talking about density! I think it was about original cartridges being very dense.

[Savvy Jack]

Thanks Johnboy,

Somewhere I saw w44wcf talking about density! I think it was about original cartridges being very dense.

yeap, it was here:
http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=6267.15

[Savvy Jack]

John Boy I weighed my batch of Skirmish and an average of 5/100 =99.0

Now I do store it outside in my reloading shed. Very dry but not climate controlled. I'm sure the humidity comes and goes but it was real dry all day but but yet cool.

Now the funnel I used was a typical small kitchen funnel. About a three inch wide mouth with about a two inch drop. I let it slide down the side of the funnel like I did my Goex batch.

I guess its pretty dense!