Black Powder substitute

[OldSchoolRanger]

I've always had an itch to own a flintlock.  Recently, Bugflipper gave me a lead to a decent affordable flintlock.  Thanks again, Bugflipper.   

I've been going around to the LGS, looking for a place that sells real black powder.  So far no luck.  I have found a place that sells American Pioneer Powder.  It comes in the correct granulations, Double F for the load, and Triple F for priming powder.  Has anyone used this stuff.  Is it going to be satisfactory for use in a flintlock?

From what I understand Pyrodex, isn't really any good in a flintlock.  So does anyone, know if they sell real black powder in either CT, NJ, NY, or PA.  Or how about Goex, is this real black powder, or an excellent substitute?   If you know of a place that sells real black powder, what state is it in?

If I can't get the right powder to shoot, I can always keep the flintlock as a wall hanger, and go back to my percussion sidelocks.

[Winter Hawk]

You could order from Maine Powder House or Powder, Inc.  Minimum order for both is 5 pounds.  If you order 25 pounds they cover the hazmat and shipping charges.

Flintlocks definitely want real black powder.  Some folks have put about 1/10th of their powder charge as black first, then the rest as one of the substitutes.  I don't know if I would do that myself.  The priming charge also has to be real black powder; the sparks won't ignite the other stuff.

Hopefully someone will give you a lead on a local source for the holy Black.

~WH~

P.s. - Goex is REAL black powder.  Most folks use ffffg for primer.  I use fffg to charge both my .50 and .45 flinters and prime with that also.

~WH~

[Ranger99]

if there is a reenactor group in your
area surely they'll be able to direct
you to a local source.

[wgr]

were you located?

[Bugflipper]

I don't have first hand knowledge of it but have heard pioneer powder is a bit of a pain unless you have magnum 11 caps or 209. That would be terrible in a flint if that's the case.


I'd encourage you to shoot pyrodex in it until you can locate some real black. It helps you learn the process first of all since you are swapping over from percussion. It also will help you overcome flinching a lot quicker, which is perfectly normal with flints. The lock time is incredibly slow with pyrodex, but it will fire fine as long as it's in good working order. It's unnatural to shoot a rifle that's exploding in close proximity to your face. That flash and smoke close to you will dazzle anyone's nerves. The slow lock time of pyrodex will amplify the grimace or flinch tremendously. As you have a good laugh at yourself then you can concentrate on holding it steady long after the hammer falls. Just be sure to throw a dummy charge with no ball. Then fill your pan to the bottom of the touch hole. Fire it to make sure all the oil is burned out. Now you can swab then load as normal with powder patch and ball.


When you get real black you can just run 3fg in pan and barrel to save from carrying two types of powder. If you've overcome the flinches by then it will shoot as good as your percussions.

[OldSchoolRanger]

Bugflipper - Thanks for the advice, but which Pyrodex?  I would assume Pyrodex RS, but I've learned my lesson to never assume. Actually, I still assume, but I try not to assume, when it comes to firearms.

were you located?

Unfortunately not where they sell BP.  I live in King Cuomo's kingdom, luckily its upstate NY, and not in his fiefdom, NYC.

[Bugflipper]

Oh sorry, either would be fine. With pistol you need to load down about 5 grains lower than normal just like with 3fg. It has more pressure than 2fg/RS would have.  It is slightly faster igniting, but not enough to worry with if you already have RS. Both are super slow igniting, it seems like you are waiting forever after the hammer drops, but really it's probably less than half a second.
If you don't order online then odds are eventually you'll go on a trip somewhere that has real black. Once you shoot it odds are you'll never want synthetic again. You can reserve the pyrodex for percussion only until it's gone or charge the pan with real black and drop 10 gr of real black down the barrel first, then say 75 gr of pyrodex on top if your normal load was 85 gr of pyrodex. Your lock time is as good as if the load was completely real black. Pyrodex just needs to get hotter than a flints spark will get it to be effective.

[clum sum]

I have used 777 in both rifle and pistol flint locks with 4F blackpowder for primer. The only missfire I had was when I forgot to load the powder.

[flintlock]

It's best to get real black powder like Goex...The ignition temp of real black is about 800 degrees...The reason Pyrodex was invented was to make it easier to ship so the ignition temp is higher than real black powder...The quickest, most reliable ignition you will get from a flinter is with real black powder...

[OldSchoolRanger]

Thanks all for the replies.  Hopefully, I will find some real black before the weather gets better.

[tacklebury]

Dude, this is what I buy and it's very good and consistent.  I buy 3 at a time to break kind of even on the hazmat.  Costs me about 70 bucks for 3 lbs and that's only about $22.50 a pound.    You cannot buy ANY black powder in my area of MI either. 

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/5404

I should state that it works well in my Brown Bess Flinter..