Since pryrodex is bad and i can’t get black too easy: maybe i should try my hand at making it. Anybody do that? http://www.askaprepper.com/how-to-make-gun-powder-the-old-fashioned-way-in-less-than-30-minutes/
what that guy just made is the worst grade of "green powder".
lets see, let us count the many ways he went wrong...
poor choice of ingrediants.
- the potassium nitrate is "ok" but really needs to be ground much much finer, more like "dust".
- he does not mention where or what kind of sulphur he got (yes it matters)
- and only said "activated charcoal" which is actually a very poor choice.
(the best charcoal is willow or alder that has been stripped of the bark"
it was not well milled, which is actually essential for good consistancy and combustion
and it was not wet and compressed and grated so, in essence he has re-created the poorest of poor quality
"green mix" which might be ok for blanks, primitive cannon, or firecrackers. ... or not.
I've never tried but know those who have and most agree unless you have all kinds of time on your hands and just want to do it for something to do is the only way it's worth it. That and unless you just flat out can't buy black powder. Unless you live in some crazy communist state or foreign country you can mail order it and even pay the hazmat and be money ahead if your time is worth anything at all.
What Cliff said. In Spades.
if you really really want to get into powder making, Ignore the BS like you found. And almost all the crap
on the interwebs about doing it.
get some of the really really good books out there (NOT the so-called army and three-letter agency and
"improvised blah-blah" pamphlets)
Look into "brush hippies" posts and videos, he is one of the few doing it right, but I even question his cavalier attitude regarding safety.
and heed ALL safety warnings, and never make very much at a time.
And get and read everything chemist & BP expert "Mad Monk", aka Bill Knight ever wrote on the topic.
in fact do a search here on CAS City for "Mad Monk" for some useful and enlightening reading.
If one insists on making powder, Remote property is good.
Using Small "bunkers" ( ie holes in the ground) for "doing stuff" in is good.
Lots of water available is good.
a very good working knowledge of the chemistry is essential.NOTHING THAT WILL SPARK is essential, note the previous posts regarding kabooms.
Stick with making basic gunpowder.
Do not be tempted into any shortcuts, or experimenting with changing formuals or using any of the wacko-rocket engine mixes.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS ANY FORMULA USING GROUND METAL or METAL FILINGS or METAL POWDERAlso be aware that if (when?) you ever do have an accident, (and survive) not only will you be prosecuted by the local
constabulatory and the Federales , but your insurance will not cover any damage.
And you will never be able to get any insurance in the future.
My best advice, is to buy "real black" a case at a time from one of the powder houses,
or go to a Rendesvous and buy some.
or use APP.
It
may seem expensive but is cheap in the long run.
Then learn to clean and oil thoroughly. Yes even with Holy Black.
No offense, but if you have found corrosion after "thoroughly cleaning and oiling" then, ummm
well.... you must be doing
something wrong.
Smokeless powder and non-corrosive primers have lulled many into less than optimal habits.
Forget about solvents or chemicals.
Forget about patches until the end.
Dissassemble as req'd.
Use large volumes ( a 5 gallon bucket is not too much) of warm to hot soapy water, scrubbing with brass brushes,
many many many many many many passes of tight brass brushes with hot soapy water.
use a muzzle protector.
change the water as it gets dirty
did I mention hot soapy water?
also use small brass toothbrushes (and hot soapy water) to clean all the other bits.
then rinse with clean hot water. and use a clean brass brush again.
then rinse again.
do this with the bore, the chambers, the cylinder pin holes, pretty much any space you can get at.
now try your patches, wet, then dry. these are only to show any "stuff" you did not get.
now use oil saturated patches on the bore and the chambers, cylinder , etc.
finally apply oil everywhere with a saturated cloth.
re-assemble.
Don't mess with baking your gun in the oven to dry it off. Or using the dishwasher, for rudy's sake.
both are ( I will get flack for this) shortcuts for the lazy.
A less than thorough cleaning , then oiling, will only trap icky stuff for later unhappiness.
here endeth the lesson...yhs
prof marvel