Professor Marvel, is it legal or possible without blowing one's self to Kingdom Come to make black powder? I saw Eustis and Percy do it on Mountain Men (Reality? TV) so it must be possible?
B.N.Scotty
My Dear Ira
Oh my yes... reality TV ... I doubt the stuff they made was much good... but until it is actually tested properly one
never knows...
Whilst it is in fact
possible, and there are several folks doing it, and several
very long threads on other forums describing their results, I would not just hestitate, but advise against it IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE LANGUAGE.
I have dabbled in one ounce quantities in the distant past, and I would only consider the manufactor of BP under
"End of The World" scenarios...
and I have many many bows and arrows and such I could use instead.
BTW do you have any idea how powerful a tank-based .45 cal PCP air rifle is?
or a rubber powered speargun? those things are FUN shooting at hay bails.....
The fellows I am aware of who are doing it are
- VERY far out in the country.
- have an insanely strict safety protocol
- have actually built small bunkers to "do stuff" in for safety
- working on small quantities ( approx 1 pound at a time or less)
- have a very good working and theoretical knowledge of the subject
( one is
in the explosives business, another is in the professional pyrotechnics business [ ie fireworks]
and a third is a professional chemist and an insanely talented BP amature)
Even then, they admit that, based on the history of commercial BP manufacture, a KABOOM event is just
"when" and not "if"
And when an event actually occurs, the problems it will cause are not worth it, to wit
- loss of personal parts ( fingers, hands, eyes, face, hearing, etc) or death
- NO insurance will ever cover ANY damage
- gawd help one if there is any harm to any non-participant
- the trouble with local and state fire and LEO
- the trouble with the Fed
KABOOMS are taken very seriously of late, and it is a further unfortunate truth that any such thing will get publicized
in the worst possible way ( harming the sport ) as well as being viewed as a possible terrorist-related thingy.
As much as I am a cheapskate, and an avid DIY er and
hate dislike Pyrodex I would advise using that
or 777 or 209 before I would even suggest making BP
and with BP still available I would highly recommend getting a few folk together for a group buy and Maybe use that "stimulus check" even if some have to drive a couple hours to pick it up.
powderinc still has powder, ( I only quote them cuz they have it, and its easy to look up )
shipping & hazmat is included in the price.
25 pounds of 3F is going for
GOEX $520.25
Schuetzen $495.25
Skirmish $437.75
25 pounds of Scheutzen at $500 ( $20 a pound, delivered) beats losing important parts any day.
not to mention all the other grief.
Not to mention the time and trouble it takes to try to make....
and the result will almost certainly be of poorer quality...
yhs
prof marvel