what powder for sidelocks?

[javaman]

blackmag
777
blackhorn
pyrodex
       I need a powder that cleans up easily,,,  i am physically handicapped  and by the time i get thru shooting i am dragging..   so far black mag has cleaned up the easiest and sometimes if i am in tough shape i can clean the gun the next day    blackhorn is so darn expensive so what are the other alternatives?

[quickdtoo]

I wouldn't plan on relying on Black Mag, their factory is gone. 

Tim

http://www.wmur.com/news/23556316/detail.html?hpt=T2

[Swampman]

The BH209 rarely works in caplocks and won't work in flintlocks.  All the rest require the same cleanup as blackpowder.

[Nobade]

I don't get this hard to clean up stuff with BP. What could be easier than water? My BP guns sure are easier to clean and deal with than my smokeless powder guns. Plus BP doesn't kill your gun like Pyrodex.

[Swampman]

Errrr...you don't have to clean smokeless guns at all.  IMO you do have to clean black powder rifles and it takes at least an hour to do it right.

[Semisane]

and it takes at least an hour to do it right.

Naw Swampman, 15 or 20 minutes if you hurry - 30 minutes at a leisurely pace.

Of course, you have to have all of the necessary tools assembled and handy in your cleaning kit.

On a caplock, I remove the barrel, remove the nipple, remove the clean out screw, remove the lock from the stock, brush everything down with soapy water and a one-inch paint brush (bristles cut short to make them stiff), pump the bore with soapy water, rinse everything with clean water, spray everything down with carburetor cleaner, dry, oil, and reassemble.  Thirty minutes max.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

I normally use Goex in the flinter. With the Sidelocks, they get American Pioneer of Jim Shockeys Gold. The round balls do excellent with this powder.  Heck even the flinter likes american pioneer 

[flintlock]

Javaman...I'm not sure if you have a powder problem or a cleaning problem...With real black powder over 50% is not burned and left as residue, some is blown out the barrel and some is left in...

First, I moved to FFF grade in all my flinters, even my .54...FFF will burn cleaner than FF...Then I moved my charge down from 100grs of FF to 80grs of FFF...This alone reduces residue while still giving me a potent whitetail load...For target practice, 50grs still hits dead on at 50 yards in my gun...

To clean, I plug the touch hole with a tooth pick, pour in about 6 ounces of either rubbing alcohol or plain water, let sit a couple of minutes and pour it out...I then run 3-4 patches down to dry and repeat...After getting the barrel dry the 2nd time, I spray WD-40 down the barrel, wipe it dry and then run an oiled patch down the barrel...Then all I have to do is remove the lock, clean and lube and I'm done...

This same procedure also works well with Pyrodex and cap locks, you just need to plug the nipple to hold the water or alcohol and I also prefer to remove the nipple to clean it and the bolster after cleaning the barrel...

[Dances with Geoducks]

Use only Goex real black, If you want an easy clean up use Thompson Center 1000+ bore butter, #13 cleaners, and pre soaked patches. It makes cleaning a breeze.

Boil with water all the petrolium oil out of your barrel and season with T/C Bore Butter

Ive used all those fake powders, and none work as good as the real thing.

[Huntsman1]

I use Goex fffg or Graf & Sons fffg powder, I don't mind the cleaning. But in a pinch I'll throw Pyrodex RS down the barrel and after the shot a swab & Windex will clean just fine.

[Rock Home Isle]

I use Goex fffg or Graf & Sons fffg powder, I don't mind the cleaning. But in a pinch I'll throw Pyrodex RS down the barrel and after the shot a swab & Windex will clean just fine.

I like GOEX as well. 

[coyotejoe]

I understand your desire for easy clean up but really, they all have to be cleaned and there just isn't much difference in the end. There is however a great difference in performance and there you really can't beat blackpowder. All of the substitutes have a higher ignition temperature, that is the very quality which makes them free from the restrictions placed on real BP, and that higher ignition temp makes them more prone to misfire and hangfire, not to mention more expensive.

[Swampman]

777 actually is quite a bit easier to clean.  I get it and Pyrodex for $5.00 to $10.00 a can after hunting season at Walmart.

[Ron T.]

I shoot a .50 caliber finter... and as y'all know, finters can't use Pyrodex or the other artifical black powders, so I have settled on using Swiss FFFg for all my loads & Goex FFFFg in the frizzen pan.

However, there are many different reasons why each of us uses a particular brand or type of powder, so I should mention those factors that have influenced what brand of BP I use. 

I've also used Goex FFFg for the main charge load, but changed over to Swiss 'cause it was claimed that Swiss leaves less debris and is easier to clean up after shooting.  But in all honesty, I haven't noticed any big difference in either the debris left in the rifle or the ease of clean up after shooting comparing Swiss to Goex.

Frankly, I "like" both Goex and Swiss, but my current local source of black powder is the President of our local BP Club and he ONLY uses (and keeps) Swiss BP.  And so, that has definitely influenced what brand of black powder I use.

I've also been told that most (if not "all") of the traditional BP shooting records are held by shooters who used Swiss BP.  Being an "accuracy net", THAT has also influenced my decision NOT to buy 25 lbs of Goex at a net site @ $12.60 a pound (vs. $22 a pound I'm paying for Swiss) for my own use.

I've given consideration to buying the large 25 pound supply of Goex and selling some of it off to other BP enthusiasts 'cause I really don't want that much BP around the house.  However... I'm in my mid-70's and if I couldn't find other shooters to buy at least 18 to 20 pounds of the Goex, I'd end up with more BP than I'll probably ever live long enough to use.

As a result, I'm still using the Swiss BP and will probably stay with the Swiss FFFg for the rest of my shooting days.  Buttttttttt... like most BP shooters, I'd love to cut my costs-of-shooting.     


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.