lancaster
(.470 member)
30/09/21 04:37 AM
Hodgdon close GOEX

this will affect our american friends I fear.
https://hodgdon.com/minden-closure/

Effective immediately, Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. has made the decision to cease manufacturing operations at the company’s Camp Minden, Louisiana site while evaluating strategic options for the black powder business.

The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process on the future of the black powder business takes place. Strategic options for the GOEX and Olde Eynsford brands of black powder, along with the manufacturing capabilities, will include a potential sale of the business. All affected employees will be retained through December 31, 2021 to assist in an orderly closing of the site and receive severance commensurate with their years of service to the company.

The Hodgdon Powder Co., Inc has been honored to have been a part of the GOEX Powder legacy and sustains a fond appreciation for sporting customers who have enjoyed shooting GOEX powders.


93x64mm
(.416 member)
30/09/21 07:19 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Merry Christmas, you've been made redundant!
Poor buggers, I hope they can get support & financial backing to stand on their own 2 feet.
Sounds crazy, Hodgdon don't make powders what so-ever, they are just distributers, you would think they would be promoting all powder types for different shooting event rather than chopping off what would be a huge BP market.
Doesn't make any sense?????


3DogMike
(.400 member)
30/09/21 08:14 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Given the "Lawfare" intensive culture here in the 'States I would hazard a guess that this is driven by either a legal liability/insurance problem or else some kind of environmental issue? Either way a bad deal.
As well, I'm quite sure that our current government "Lords" are not appreciative of the idea of explosives for the common man…..so some new restrictions just beyond the horizon?
- Mike


lancaster
(.470 member)
30/09/21 02:12 PM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

there is not only the common man but your military needs millions of pounds of blackpowder every year. believe it or not but blackpowder is still an inportant part of artillery ammunition in the 21.century.
without a domestic powder mill you have to buy this stuff in china.


3DogMike
(.400 member)
02/10/21 10:29 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Well the Hodgdon's announcement has had the expected effect on the American buying public……..there is now NO black powder available at "the usual suspects" dealers nationwide.
Before this there was at least black powder easily available even tho smokeless powders were scarce.

Be damned if I will use the currently in vogue BP substitutes, of course those could be unavailable as well?
- Mike


DoubleD
(.400 member)
02/10/21 10:21 PM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Swiss Powder company is still in business.

https://schuetzenpowder.com/swiss-black-powder/

I would be surprised if some entity did not pick this company-GOEX up.

Huge market for military sales.

I don't know how much FA is still in favor for blasting, but it has always been touted as the cheaper alternative for breaking rock.

I use 2FA in my cannons.


DarylS
(.700 member)
03/10/21 05:08 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

I have used Swiss 1 1/2F in my ctg. rifle, but it seems to shoot as well with the way I was loading load GOEX 1F or 2F.
Just checked my powder supply & I am getting really low in black powder.


LRF
(.333 member)
04/10/21 02:29 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

I am part of the HIGH POWER Rocket experimenters around the world and although we are a smaller user of black powder (usually 4F) as the charge for ejecting the recover parachutes, we have certainly cornered the market on 4F with what is left. It is concerning but we are and have been working on alternative solutions for sometime now. Black powder does not burn very well at altitudes over 40,000 feet.

DarylS
(.700 member)
04/10/21 03:26 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Interesting. It needs a more efficient oxygen producer/provider - perhaps a different formulation is needed for that purpose.

LRF
(.333 member)
04/10/21 05:01 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Quote:

Interesting. It needs a more efficient oxygen producer/provider - perhaps a different formulation is needed for that purpose.




Its not a question of oxygen but rather an issue of air pressure. The standard way chargers are done is to place the powder in a "charge well", wading and then the open end is taped over. At the bottom of the well in the powder is an electric match, which is controlled by a flight computer which will light the match when required. The powder is ejected from the well by the burning producing a calculated gas pressure which in turn pushes the rocket apart and ejects the recover chutes. Now as the powder is ejected it burns from grain to grain by the heat content generating from the igniting the fast traveling particles. This works great under 20K feet however with the low air pressure that heat content disperses quickly and as much as 60% of the powder doesn't burn which in turn doesn't produce enough pressure to separate the the rocket and eject the parachute. This has been confirmed by many experiments in vacuum chambers and well documented at various institutions.
So the culprit is air pressure.

Alternatives being researched is CO2 bottles, smokeless powders, piston driven push rods (this contains the powder similar to a gun barrel but safety is an issue with this, and others. I think the possible shortage of 4F may intensify development.


DarylS
(.700 member)
04/10/21 11:55 AM
Re: Hodgdon close GOEX

Thanks for the explanation. Temperature would also play a part, I suspect.


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