black powder VS. pyrodex

[dobber]

im a lurker with a question.  ive read som old post where some were saying that they were not getting good shots out of a beer can mortar with pyrodex.  over the last summer i built a beer can mortar, and use 1000 grains of pyrodex(alot more than yall shoot from what i see) and im getting 350-400 yards out of it, ammo is a beer can full of concrete. what would be the differance if i used black powder or cannon powder and where cani get either one from?

[Double D]

You will just have to get some black and try it and see what results you get.  Pyrodex requres resistence or pull to build pressure and it may be that you beer full of concrete is heavy to give adequate pull.

Pyrdodex also require aggressive cleaning after firing as it is extremely corrosive.

Check around for your local muzzloading club and join up.  Those folks usually have club buys on powder. 

You can also order powder direct and  have it shipped to  you.  Check thise websites for Powder distributors.  If you contact them they may e able tellyou if a supplier is near you.

Powder

• Schuetzen Powder LLC
• Powder Inc --offers shipments in five pound lots
• GOEX
• Maine Powder House
• Hodgdon
• Crater
• Back Creek Gun Shop Winchester VA

[Will Bison]

I'll list another source; Coonies in New Mexico.(No web site but listed by GOEX) I buy from Coonies as I save a bit on shipping. (West Coast)

Pyrodex is fine in certain applications, cannons ain't one of those applications. Dan Pawlak sent me some Pyrodex in the early 70's for testing (Dan was killed in '77 when the Pyrodex plant exploded). Pyrodex was/is a BP replacement under certain conditions. Pyrodex works great in percussion rifles when loaded properly. It was NEVER designed to work in flintlocks, matchlocks, cannons or anything of similar ilk.

Pyrodex requires a High Explosive to properly initiate it. In short, Pyrodex when ignited by flame in a cannon, can blow you to Hell. I guess I can sort of compare Pyrodex to TNT and this is a bad comparison I admit. Both can go off High Order or Low Order and you can't control it without a high explosive booster (or at least some type of booster). I have exagerated to some extent but only to make a point.

Good old gunpowder, the black stuff, is really forgiving when it comes to the Wide World of Explosives. BP is one of the most safe explosives I have ever worked with.

Get off the soap box.

And please, please, please, if you have questions about explosives, PM or e-mail me.

Bill

[GGaskill]

1000 grains is about 2 1/2 ounces and I can get that kind of range from my bowling ball mortar with that much powder.  I normally use around a third of that in BP in my beer can mortar.

When I first had the beer can mortar, I used a 50/50 mix of BP and Pyrodex.  One day I ran out of Pyrodex and used straight BP and got twice the range.  Never went back to Pyrodex.

[cannonlover]

When cannonmaker and myself test fired  his can mortars we were getting about 20% more range from BP than pyrodex.  We clean the tubes very thoroughly at the end of the day to prevent corrosion.