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Offline toehead11183

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powder type question
« on: July 23, 2012, 06:47:51 AM »
im a new owner of a golfball coehorn. the mortar is 5" long, 2.25" o/d and 1.75" bore. im building a solid wood carriage from a 18" long piece of 4x6 timber. seller said to use 140 grains of 1f or cannon BP but i cannot find it local and online venders are too expensive or require 5# lots. i have a bass pro shop and a few gun shops that sale a wide range of 'smokeless' powders and 2-4f BP. is there a good alternative to cannon or 1f powder?
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Offline subdjoe

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2012, 07:50:52 AM »
Quote from: toehead11183 on July 23, 2012, 06:47:51 AM
im a new owner of a golfball coehorn. the mortar is 5" long, 2.25" o/d and 1.75" bore. im building a solid wood carriage from a 18" long piece of 4x6 timber. seller said to use 140 grains of 1f or cannon BP but i cannot find it local and online venders are too expensive or require 5# lots. i have a bass pro shop and a few gun shops that sale a wide range of 'smokeless' powders and 2-4f BP. is there a good alternative to cannon or 1f powder?

Not really. 

You might see if you can find a Civil or Revolutionary War reenacting unit near you and see if you can piggy back on one of their orders. Powders Inc. Jacks Powder Keg, Coonies, and several others have powder at reasonable prices.  But remember, one pound or 25 pounds, you will pay the same hazmat fee. Also, five pounds isn't a lot of powder. 
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Offline BoomLover

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2012, 08:17:15 AM »
Toehead11183, welcome to the Board!
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Offline GGaskill

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2012, 08:38:40 AM »
I think it is suitable for shooting golf balls only and if you only shoot golf balls from it then FFg (2F) should work fine.  Is it chambered (small diameter part in bottom of bore)?
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Offline toehead11183

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2012, 12:02:23 PM »
yes it is chambered. i doubt i will shoot golfballs often, mostly getting it for the noise effect
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Offline gunsonwheels

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2012, 12:33:16 PM »
I second GGaskill's comment about shooting GOLF BALLS only and using 2Fg powder.  That granulation with lead/wheel-weight balls or steel Fox balls and especially with a 140 grain charge and it could well mean trouble.
 
I DO NOT recommend starting with 140 grains however...  Start lower (about 35-40 grains) and work your way up.  I shoot amourer77's HD golf ball mortar and 30-70 grains works great for launching GB's out to about 200 yards... 140 grains??  I cannot see the ball or track it in any way... it is just gone... louder bang but no more fun than that.
 
Welcome to the Board... You'll never go wrong to start shooting with a very light charge and then working up from there.  And as you mentioned the unmentionable word...  WHATEVER YOU DO... DO NOT LET ANY DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING BLACK POWDER TEMPT YOU TO DO ANYTHING FOOLISH LIKE USING SMOKELESS.
 
GOW
 
 
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Offline GGaskill

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2012, 12:57:53 PM »
...mostly getting it for the noise effect.

Mortars are not great for producing noise.  You will probably need a disk of cardboard over the powder to get much noise from it.
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Offline Doc Brown.

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2012, 02:02:57 PM »
I would just use the 2F if thats all you can get. If the mortar was made good and has all the proper wall thickness/ good steel  and everything  2F will be good for a golf ball or noise making.  If you want to get a good bang with a mortar you have to pack and wad it real good. Aluminum foil works good for me but its expensive. Bread seems to be better but its scares me how much recoil I get with bread. Also all that packing can be scary since the longer you spend with your arm in the road the better chance it will get blown off. 
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Offline Artilleryman

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2012, 04:29:13 PM »
To repeat what GGaskill posted above, try a cardboard disk over the powder for a more suitable noise.  Remember however that you can't make a small gun or mortar sound like a large one.
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Offline Doc Brown.

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2012, 05:32:04 PM »
I have had a lot of luck with getting small mortars to have a loud report. I always use 3F but im not sure if thats the reason im so lucky or not.  Now its the really large mortars I have had bad luck getting a bang out of. The ones that use a pound of powder or they just fizzle smoke puff.  Although when the big ones do make a boom its a mighty big boom. Earth rattling.
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Offline 5kwkdw3

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Re: powder type question
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2012, 06:04:21 PM »
I don't want to get caught telling you bogus information with me new to the site and to cannoneering,  But the maker of my BNA golf ball mortar that sounds very close dimensionally to yours, instructed me to use FFF pistol powder and that Pyrodex P was a powder he would often use if true black was unavailable.  That in mind, Cabela's has 4 pounds for 70 some odd bucks making the package with shipping and haz-mat around 100 bucks.  I had quite a time this last fourth and ended up burning a full two pounds of powder if that's any help to you?  Smithy.
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