Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I think everyone should have at least a couple black powder guns or muzzle loaders!
I’ve made my own black powder but I screened it rather than corning it. It burned, went whooosh, but I never tried it in a firearm.
On my to do list is to make a good puck press and do it properly next time.
My charcoal was from tree of heaven which is supposed to be a good choice but after watching these videos, I’m thinking that any light weight, high cellulose wood is more or less as good as any other.
It would really all come down to cost. TP isn’t all that cheap as a carbon source.
Another thing that I find interesting is his rather unscientific method of making his charcoal.
The paint can retort is fine but the collective wisdom is that it should be filled as densely as possible - he’s not doing that at all.
Also, too hot is bad - maintaining 650degF is perfect (supposedly).
How that matters and how they came up with all of these parameters, I don’t know. I doubt that making powder by strictly following the “proper” method would produce any better results.
His numbers are impressive for sure!

---

I wonder how well commercial charcoal for grilling would work? The work already done. I have a nice bag of Argentinian charcoal labelled "carbon". Bought here.

If legal I'd like to make BP for use in small cannon. Commercial BP is expensive and a kg wouldn't last long. I don't have a cannon yet, so non worries Inspector Plod.

---

I'm not sure what the laws are here. If you can buy blackpowder, does that imply that you can also make it? Even if the constituent individual chemicals are controlled, is it okay if they are made from non-controlled chemicals?


I remember as a kid getting my mom to buy a small jar of potassium nitrate from the chemist for me - the chemist smiled and asked what it was for, and I told her for making gunpowder, and she smiled and completed the transaction. Those were the days. I think I got the gunpowder recipe from our 1950s version Encyclopedia Britannica.

Post Extras