Swiss, 2F or 3F

[1860]

Hi,

Couple questions;

What burns cleaner and/or performs better in pistol rounds (.38, 38-40, 44-40 & 45colt), Swiss 2f or 3F?
I can't get it local and am going to order some.

Where to order BP in bulk?  I'll be buying 10 to 25 lbs, I know about MainePowderHouse but for the life of me can't remember the others..

Thanks
60

[Fox Creek Kid]

I would recommend Swiss FFg as FFFg is very hot. Too hot for most applications. I'm not speculating as I've shot a lot of both granulations.

[Dick Dastardly]

If I were going to pay the extra money for Swiss, and I have, I'd want all the power I could get from the cartridges I loaded.  The dividing line seems to be at .45 Caliber.  From .45 and smaller FFFg is the traditional choice.  From .45 and larger it's FFg.  So for the 45s you could go either way.  Let the gun tell you what it prefers.

Swiss is a premium, clean burning and powerful black powder.  A full compressed charge isn't going to hurt modern guns built to SAAMI specs.

One thing I'd not do is pay the extra money for Swiss and then download it and use fillers.  Swiss is frequently the preferred propellant in long range black powder shooting.  When used there it's a full compressed load.  I feel that unless there's some underlying reason unrelated to Cowboy shooting, the extra cost of Swiss is an unnecessary expense.  Of course you could do some off road touring with a Rolls Royce also.

DD-DLoS

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[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy 1860!

I'm glad you can get Swiss powder from a reliable source.  In 30+ years of BP shooting, I've never SEEN a can of Swiss sold by any of the suppliers around here.  (Keyword - SEEN)  'Course, it HAS been available by shipment from distributors and I certainly haven't seen EVERY local source, but it ain't common here.  Thanks to new insurance and County regs. (no doubt trying to limit shooters in any way possible) I have only 1 source locally and it's nearly 1/2 hour away.  Waldron, In. is also about 45 min. from me and has reasonable prices ... but that's another story.

Well - my point.  Are you wanting Swiss for Cowboy (CAS) purposes or BPCR?  If only for CAS, save yer $$$s and go with GOEX.  You'll be able to get/afford more shootin' that way.  If ya have a Ruger Old Army and are planning to hunt, 'tho, I'd go with the Swiss 3F, like DD recommends for power's sake.  2F Swiss for BPCR use. 

From what I've heard, Swiss is probably more like what used to be available.  I've read numerous folks' articles who've dissected old rounds leftover from 100+ years ago, and, as I recall, MOST had what appeared to be about 2F granulation powder and many (most) were pushin' a conical bullet, not a ball.  I mention  this ONLY FYI, as you'll likely be shootin' a roundball.  Go cheap, IMHO.

By all means, buy Swiss if that turns yer crank and makes you have the maximum FUN!!!  That's what's MOST important! 

Yer mileage may vary   

[1860]

Thanks for the replies so far,

What I'm looking for is a couple of suppliers other than the one I mentioned above that I can check prices with.  I'll be ordering 25lbs.

I'm not worried about the cost for shooting CAS matches because i don't shoot them, I just like the guns.  I do shoot the guns alot, and I'm not always in a spot where I can clean them so I'm looking to stretch the time between bore cleanings that rob accuracy if not done.   I also shoot a 38-55 and traditional ML'rs and they could benifit from a stronger and cleaner powder.

60

[rickk]

Powder, Inc and Maine Powder House are the two big ones to check.

Rick

[Wills Point Pete]

 Graf and Sons has Swiss for $18.99 a pound and their own brand, which is really Schuetzen for $10.99.
 Upper Missouri Trading Co. http://www.uppermotradingco.com has the Swiss for $15.99. I do not know how much UpperMo charges for shipping, Graf's is free, my batch of BP from than was five bucks or so handling plus the twenty buck HazMat fee.
 Oh well, call 'em both and ask the total price.
 I use 2f for everything, my .45 Colt, my 12 gauge and the little bit of big rifles I mess with.

[1860]

Thanks, Graf was the one I was looking for and I checked prices on the others.  It's fairly hard to find BP around here for a reasonable price and never anything but goex.  I might even give Pinnacle a try in some original Winchesters that have weak rifling.

60

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy 1860,

If and when you do decide to shoot CAS matches, "Thundercolt's Renegades" might be for you.  We are a posse that does not shoot on the clock.  We simply enjoy the pards, the shoot and the fun. 

http://www.thundercoltsrenegades.com/index.html

There are a lot of great shooters there that will give you a genuine warm welcome.

DD-DLoS

[john boy]

Swiss ... 25# case

Clarksville Gun & Rod - $410 to Central Texas
Upper Missouri Trading - $432 to Central Texas
Powder, Inc. - $436.25 total to any location
Back Creek Gun Shop - $440.00 to Central Texas.
Maine Powder House - $442.00 total to any location
The Jag Shop - $461.50 to Central Texas
Coonies Black Powder - $497.00 to Central Texas

I buy from Upper Missouri Trading Co and instead of spending the extra cash ... try Schuetzen

[1860]

Thanks Dick,  I asked and they don't have a chapter where I shoot,

What they are getting at is part of why I don't shoot the matches, the other part is time or the lack there-of.  A match just takes all day, to be honest I liked shooting the match but the wait between stages and all the stooging around just takes the fun out of it for me.  I also love scatterguns and was pretty handy @ skeet, 5stand and sporting clays but anymore, if it is crowded, I do something else.  My good friend and his wife shoot matches here and in the off weeks we have our own set of steel that we set up, I love it.  In 2-3 hours I get my full of shooting and have plenty of time to go home and tinker/tweek my guns and what-not.  She was having trouble with her new Uberti Lightning lastweekend so I spent a few quality hours with it last night and shot it today.  The mag tube won't work it's way out anymore, bullets won't slip under the elevator and they all extract and eject pretty as you please now.  That is what I call fun and I can't wait to see her pump em out....Too bad they don't make those guns in 44-40 (for BP), after I got done polishing everything it was really slick and 10 rounds just poured out of it-I have an original in 22 short that is tons of fun..

60

[Jailhouse Jim]

Thanks for the replies so far,

What I'm looking for is a couple of suppliers other than the one I mentioned above that I can check prices with.  I'll be ordering 25lbs.

I'm not worried about the cost for shooting CAS matches because i don't shoot them, I just like the guns.  I do shoot the guns alot, and I'm not always in a spot where I can clean them so I'm looking to stretch the time between bore cleanings that rob accuracy if not done.   I also shoot a 38-55 and traditional ML'rs and they could benifit from a stronger and cleaner powder.

60

Powderinc is a great place to get either Swiss or Goex.

Jailhouse Jim

[Goatlips]

1860,

Bought a case today from

Deer Creek Products
6989 E. Michigan Rd.
Waldron, IN 46182

(765) 525-1681

Address courtesy DD.  They're busy but she'll answer all yer questions. 

Goatlips