VERY important! I learned the hard way, use a metal screen instead of the synthetic type. Also make sure the wholes are large enough for the granules to produce the right size. I ended up eventually #1 powder.
Well, today, I heard that GEOX is closing, don't know if there will be another company that will buy it out, but, great reason the at least to know how to make your own.
Heard that to. Not sure on their future plans but Folks are already rushing to load up and thus, powder shortages are coming soon. This home made stuff works as good if not better than commercial stuff. Its all I've been using this past year.
Read/heard somewhere that BP for hunters/shooters/reenactors is a very small part of what Goex does for a living. Apparently, the US Army is still a big customer.
Great video. I have a couple of pointers to add if I may. I use a small basket I fabricated from a piece of chicken wire, dump your meal powder, as it's called, and media into that to separate the two, it'll only takes a few seconds. Put your water and alcohol mixture in a spray bottle. Spray your meal powder with a mist and then fold it into itself with an old credit card so you'll avoid getting it to wet. If it gets too wet, the KN03 will turn back into a crystal form when it dries and slow your burn rate. Continue that process until the powder is just wet enough to form a ball when you squeeze it in your hand. It'll granulate easier without clogging your screen. The resulting granulation will be less dense than commercial powder, which means you'll need more in a firearm to accomplish the same velocities generated by commercial powder. I love this stuff and it's a fraction of the cost.
Brother, this was a really good series. I had always read about the different ways it was done back then, but never really thought about what it would be like in a modern diy sense. Well done! I'd love to try it, I just don't have a mill. But to learn the technique in a prepping sense could be invaluable. Thanks Ben!!
@James Sheppard Oh, I know, I just don't have one on hand. Last time I looked, the things were running a little on the expensive side. But that's what I'd use, too.
Perfect! Just getting into this sport and your help with the careful explanation of the process was great timing for me. I can’t find commercial powder anywhere!
You can increase the surface area of your granules by running them through mesh screens to -12+20 mesh size. That is equivalent to 4FA commercial bp, and roughly a third more powerful than -4+20 mesh, which is equivalent to 2fa.
Chemistry, Composition and Combustion of Black Powder The optimum proportions for gunpowder are: 74.64% saltpeter, 13.51% charcoal, and 11.85% sulfur (by mass). The current standard for black powder manufactured by pyrotechnicians today is 75% potassium nitrate, 15% softwood charcoal and 10% sulfur. A simple, commonly cited, chemical equation for the combustion of black powder is: Very lightly dampened and pressed with 4 to 6 tons of pressure depending on ignition rate desired gives an extremely cleaner burning powder that is good for muzzleloader and cartridges. The best wood for the purpose is pacific willow, however, grapevine, hazel, elder, laurel and even pine cones have been used with good results.
@Jason Bored yeah.....lol i watched part one at a later time.... i guess you can say it was one of them "DUH ya idiot" moments. I just never came back and took down this comment. I figured it would possibly help give someone having a brain fart a little tickle of the brain and get the chemicals flowing again...😏 I left my potassium exposed over night (oops) and talk about messing up the weight of the ingredients. The batch made from it wouldn't hardly even fizzle....
Excellent videos! I’m reloading.357 .44mag and 12 guage for my Cowboy Rifles. (Henry etc) it’s tough to find BP here in Canada so this is a cool option and will add to the period authenticity!
I have always wondered how to do this. Great information to say the least. I just liked and subscribed, because videos like this are truly of great value. Thanks for taking the time, and educating those of us that can make good use of home made BP. My traditional muzzleloaders will definately benefit from this. Take Care my friend.
"50 dollars for one pund is pretty expensive" and here is me in italy, crying looking at my 1 pound can of 2FF that i payed 63 euros and i traveled 300 km to find it... yeah, i think those videos will be REALLY usefull to me.
First rule : let country music play . Then nothing can go wrong.. I had some difficulties in making nitrate from chicken poo, but, I discovered you have to repeat the process, cooking down the fine organic waste, when they stick tougether and they lays down.. it was quite fascinating at the end with great outcome.Use brass insted lead,its better. Great video 👍
I have found that ball milling all the ingredients separately the screening them before mixing all parts together eliminates large chunks and makes for a better acting powder. Use of denatured alcohol just makes the process a bit faster due to evaporation. I have found 2 100' extension cords is a pretty safe buffer, if you have enough are to stretch them out. Good videos, Dextren is a problem with firearms, I'll try to find some of the red bark.
I did this project a few years back, it worked well. If I were to do it again I would probably do the final process of wetting the BP and then pressing it into disks to dry before graining. I think the pressing of the mix would help force the molecules together and make a dense grain like that of Swiss BP.
Yes indeed. The pressed powder is more dense and therefor, more powerful. This type however does work well, just needs the powder charge upped a bit to compensate for a less dense mix.
Brilliant Ben , Thank you thank you , I have the sulphur and potassium nitrate already , I even now know how to make the charcoal , you have answered ALL my questions. I am a BP shooter in Northern Ireland I. And it is almost impossible to get it . So good Job Ben thank you again, Reg
@@premkumarprem67 The ingredients are, 75% potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal & 10% sulfur. I add quebracho bark as a binder. The bark powder can be bought on etsy. The rest can be bought from garden supply stores online. Thanks for watching!
Awesome video! I’ve often wondered, but never researched the actual process. I’ve read historical accounts of home-brewed black powder being made on the frontier, and with the easy availability of commercial saltpeter (hey, you don’t even have to mine/leach bat guano!) this sounds like something I might try. Thanks!
Your most welcome! Yes the old boys most likely had many ways of making BP. It is fun to try and very liberating to not have to buy anymore. Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the upload. Very very interesting. Seems easy enough as long as care and caution is used. Helps to have at least a bit of property where you can do this outside. I see this being removed by RUclips one day, so I downloaded it. When done in small batches as you need it, it greatly reduces the risk of a large explosion. Make enough for a couple pounds then store the other components away separately to make more later. With Goex now maybe gone for good we just might have to go very Very old school for our old school firearms and make our own black powder right here in the good ol USA. Thanks again!
I live in an apartment complex and work 8 hours A-day so when I make my own black powder I mill down the charcoal and the sulfur by itself then I Dissolve the potassium nitrate in water on the stove boiling and then slowly mix in the charcoal Sulfur powder mix once I evaporate most of the water but leaving the powder still quite wet I crash out the potassium nitrate with ice cold acetone or ice cold alcohol and grain while still wet from the acetone/alcohol
What do you think about the newer thinking on this. Harbor freight tumblers and alike are contaminating powder with rubber coming off the rubber barrels and the lead balls are also leaving lead residue in the powder as well. So just total contaminated powder. I am hearing people going to PVC barrels etc and brass balls, and getting much cleaning powder.
Yes that is true for a fact. I found the same thing happening to mine and lined the tumbler with sheet metal. We did a video on it called making cleaner powder. Also switched to brass media for the mixing balls.
I make and shoot my own powder. This stuff is hardly different than Goex if you weigh out your charge. But volumetricaly it needs a bigger charge. Soooo if you want to shoot from a limited space, such as a cartridge or a revolver. You do loose power. But if you shoot it with a muzzle loader. The power is the same by weight.
I have found that my powder is less dense than factory stuff....a pound barely will fit into a 1lb Schützen canister, so by volume yes you need more... oddly enough by weight it's about the same for the same ballistic result.... I get within 90% of factory powder, so an extra 10% on the charge volume is about right. I use it a lot in m shotgun shells as they use a lot of powder and the home made stuff is cheap...
Sounds like you have some good stuff your making there. Yes indeed, this type of powder generally needs the charge upped a bit. It is possible to "press" the wetted powder into pucks then bust up when dry. Makes for stuff as powerful if not more powerful than store bought. May do another vid on it at some point. Thanks for watching!
Thank you again, like part 1, this was also a very informative and entertaining video. I'm now subscribed. I feel that this is a dying craft and it needs to be preserved, along with the muzzle loading heritage, so thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm. I apologized if I missed this or it is covered in another video, but after you dry your powder, do you want to sift it to a specific granule size? Does granule size matter, and if so how do you get it down to that granule size.
After in has been grained and dried from the first screen, I sift the powder through several different sized mesh screens to give 4,3,2 & 1F size. Small grains 3f is good for 45 and under calibers, 2 F is good for 45 and up. 1 F works good in muskets and cannons.4 F can be used for priming. Each gun is different, some work better with the smaller or larger size. Thank you for watching and glad you like the channel!
I know sparks are from flintstone and steel, but would a brass screen and iron spoon not reduce the risk? I remember we used a large feather to mix dangerous chemical (much more dangerous, think phosphor)
Fantastic series Sir! I only have one question. Does home made powder require a larger charge in order to achieve the velocities of factory powder, or are the charges the same? For reference, I am using a Kentucky percussion rifle, which has a max load of 110 grains of 2f black powder. Edit: ignore this post, i wrote the above message before watching the last segment of the video.
homemade powder has less desteny. Dont think you can fit 110 grains in your chamber because the volume is higher. Comercial powder is pressed with an 5 ton press or higher and the cake crushed and sived. Oh and if you press gunpowder be carefull it can have the same pressure like detonated ammoniumnitrate.
Oh shoot!!!! I just found that vid and started watching to find my answer. I went back to delete my post and you had already answered haha! Thanks again!
The old method taught by the military dissolved the KNO3 in alcohol and ground the other ingredients separately before mixing together in the alcohol where the KNO3 soakis into the others particles, Done properly the powder is just as good as commercial
Is the logwood being used in lieu of graphite or dextrin - to help coat the powder and deter static buildup? I realize you said it was mentioned earlier but I either missed that or can't find it. Awesome video though thanks - I haven't tried to make any yet but it's my dream to see if I can save some $ and be as self-sufficient as possible haha. The biggest concern I have is what I've read and heard about static causing ignition.
Logwood or, quebracho bark, is used as a thickening agent when making loose or grained powder as it helps make the grains more durable and yes, dextrin does the same thing but some feel, fouls worse. You really don't even need it if making corned or pressed powder. There are no guarantees when making powder but if you keep the batches small when making, 8 oz. or less, no blown up building or bad injuries should be possible. I and many others I know, have been making powder for shooting for many years without a single mishap. Just use common sense and keep the batches small. Thanks a ton for watching! Ben
this is a very good video series i enjoy your other works as well. thank you for taking the time to put it toether i am curious about the purpose of logwood and where to get it . also how is the shelf life of your black powder?
Thanks Joe! Logwood or quebracho bark, is used as a binder or thickener which helps make the grains more tough, which is good for several different reason when making BP. It can be purchase by various suppliers on Etsy. I've had my batches stored for several months now with no issues. As long as its kept dry, should stay good for years.
Black powder chemicals are a physical or mechanical mixture, not a chemical mixture. Powders properly kepr can last 100 - over 150 years and still be like the day it was made.
So long as you prime with BP, I've had no problem with a 100% Pyrodex in the bore. Goes bang right away, from either my flintlock, or my 1861 Springfield.
Mine burned slow. I used grapevine from the ridge, got a nice charcoal made out of it. Did all the steps like you did except I just used water. I milled for 18 hours. Do I need to mill longer? Should I try making different charcoal?
Try drying out your potassium nitrate and charcoal just prior to milling. Once done milling, go straight into wetting and graining. 18 hour should be fine on your mill time. Charcoal and PN placed in an oven on cookie trays for 30 minutes on 200 degrees should dry them out. Hope that helps. Planning a new video with all I have learned on making soon.
@@HoffmanReproductions just read down through the comments and saw this conversation with someone else. Thanks will do! Looking forward to another video. You can see my powder show burn on a recent "short" video I just uploaded Saturday to my channel
@@bkauffman0390 Did you dry out the charcoal as well? it sucks up moisture like crazy after its made if not instantly milled and added to the other ingredients after charring. Here is my check list for success. #1 use only 100% pure ingredients. #2 wood chosen for charcoal must be seasoned and not green. # Char wood on hot fire till no smoke comes out of char tin. Measure 6 oz. of potassium nitrate, 1.2 oz. of ground charcoal and .9 oz of Sulphur. #4 put all 3 ingredients in mill for 15-20 hours. Wet, grain & dry powder. If this was all done correctly, you should be getting powder that flashes every bit as fast as commercial BP. Please let me know if I can be of further help.
@@HoffmanReproductions this is a big help. 1, I used grapevine vine that I cut this spring, green. Oops. I got it to char clear through the pieces after 2 afternoons of the popcorn tin on the fire. It may have pulled moisture as I did this the end of March but had a son born, and I've been building a rifle in my spare time. Thanks a ton for responding in depth
I live in an rural agricultural community and as of February 2022 fertilizers have in some instances have doubled or more in price. I’m not sure if that includes the items included in your recipe or not. Just curious if you have experienced that?
I have heard of fertilizers are going up in price by a large amount as well. Have not seen it affect the chemicals I'm using yet but, I would think it will trickle down to them as well soon.
Is it possible to increase the power. I run a pistol as such there is limited space for powder and projectile. A typical 30g. Load would only be equivalent to about 18g with the homemade.
Great videos. Have you noticed how consistent each batch is with the previous ones? In other words, do you find the grains are the same for accuracy or do you need to make slight changes each time you use a new batch?
Seems like each time I make a batch, it gets better as I gain more experience and learn more. My last batch, has been the best yet do to good chemicals used, proper mill time and proper graining. Making good BP is 50% science & 50% art I would say'.
I am about to get involved in black powder muzzleloader shooting. Making my own gunpowder would make for an even richer experience. Is the homemade power sutable for hunting deer?
You should caution the public to the fact that this powder in the talcum stage can be set off from even static electric charges from your own body!! I have had it happen to me before in small amounts when experimenting with mixtures for powerful faster mixes!!
Here in york pa most places want $80-$85 for one pound of coex. When I do buy powder I get schuetzen for $35 one pound but yeah just better to make your own. I like the cedar charcoal and balsa wood charcoal. Good video thank you.
I bought my first black powder gun, a buffalo pistol, just in time for black powder and everything to disappear. So I'm going to try and make my own ffg and fffg powder, so I'll be covered when I get my first muzzleloader too.
That comes from sifting the finished powder through screens. Check out our other videos on the subject. It should answer any questions you might have. Thanks!
Say I use a screen and it turns out like 1f instead of my desired 3f.... Can I add the alcohol and water and remix it into the paste and start over or should it just use it in my big caliber gun and then use a smaller screen the next time? Does the screening process creat uniform granules or is it like a mix of 1 through 4f?
Yes Sir, you can wet it and re-mix. To get the best precise grains, its best to let it fully dry then run it through your desired mesh. As it dry's, I chop it up with a knife which gets the large clumps to bust up. My first screen catches 1 f, the next catches grains at about 2 1/2 ,what is left after this is dust which I save for priming.
@@HoffmanReproductionsgotchya. Thanks a lot. I bought a 25 lb case of GOEX 3F in August. I'm no fortune teller, just got lucky I guess. Thought I just was well start trying to make my own. Before I get low. I've been going though a pound every two weeks or so. I shoot a lot!
Where do I find screen mesh good for 2f or 3f size? Please be specific, because I see various mesh sizes available on fireworks supply websites, but they do not correspond to 2f/3f. And they cost over $30 so you want to get it right first time.
Could you take 100 grains by volume and weigh it on a powder scale and then take 100 grains for Goex and weigh it on a powder scale? I don't know for sure, but my guess is that Goex will be heavier by roughly 30%. (100 grains for Goex and 70 grains for your homemade powder)
@@HoffmanReproductions If you could just weigh 100 grains of yours by volume, I would appreciate it. i have weighed my commercial powder so know about what it would weigh. I am doing a rough comparison. I would really appreciate it. Thanks
Enjoyed the video. But the issue is twofold. First you have to maximize the charcoal surface area in contact with the nitrates. This best done by dissolving the nitrates and letting it soak into the sponge holes of the charcoal. This is the advantage of using the CIA method. Chemically speaking, it’s the carbon in the charcoal we’re trying to react with. I like to let the solution age wet for even longer than suggested to get the nitrate solution to really soak in. Sulfur is not water soluble so this component is dependent on good ball milling. While the CIA method uses water, I found years ago that DuPont used urine at this point. So I have used horse urine in place of water. I don’t know if this was done for safety or for performance improvement. How would urea affect this process? I don’t know. A second issue to speed improvement is density. Charcoal is a light porous and less dense material. So I made a brass die for use on my H press which is twenty tons. This lets me make very hard pucks which resemble rocks. These rocks are then broken up and screened into powder which is called Corning. It was once said that GOex was not as good as the stuff bought by the government. That they used “tailings” from the main process. This would make sense in how the Corning process works. My new house and shop and job leave little time to experiment. But what you all need to understand is that this stuff is dangerous. I wear a wrist band to ground and I will not allow any portion to come into contact with steel. Everything is brass or glass. Plastic has been known to hold static charges. Over the years, I am aware of two major explosions at the DuPont operation!!!! For years, they used steam engines as the fear of electrical explosions was to great! Just so you all know! The costs can vary. I have been able to get KNO3 in 50 pound bags thru my agricultural suppliers. Having to file a schedule F helps here. Also know that KNO3 had the side effect of keeping your flag staff down!!!! So wear gloves and avoid breathing dust.
If they get gun control to the point that they want to have it, you will not find gunpowder, primers or brass, and a cap and ball gun can be a viable option for hunting and self defense if the only other option is a knife or sharp stick. Also, modern revolvers, pump and double barrel shotguns, lever guns as well as the 1911 and Glocks will all function and fire with black powder, just don't try to use gas operated guns. like the AR-15 or the AK's.
With the poor sound quality on my computer and my hearing problems I'm unsure of the name of the name of the stuff you add for mixing. Can you reply here what it is and where to obtain it?
You are correct, that is a binder that some use for lift or fireworks powder. However when making this type of powder for shooting, dextrin causes very heavy fouling. The bark binds the powder well but eliminates the fowling issue.
@@HoffmanReproductions Awesome videos and am now subscribed! How did you figure out which screens to use to dictate grain sizes? Are some strainers labeled with a size or was it just trial and error and comparing your homemade BP grains to commercial?
Thanks so much! I just did mine by eye as I've been shooting bp for many years. However, I do believe you can buy the proper screen mesh online. science supply shops would be a good place to look. Window screen from Lowes or Home Depot works great and you'll get grains around 2 f.
They began a process called "corning" or high pressure pressing the powder into thin disks after wetting and graining. It produces a more dense powder which consequently, gives more power. Similar to how BP is made in commercial factories today.
VERY important! I learned the hard way, use a metal screen instead of the synthetic type. Also make sure the wholes are large enough for the granules to produce the right size. I ended up eventually #1 powder.
Couldn't the metal screen spark and cause havoc, I would think the synthetic screen is far safer ?
@@robspringborg2426synthetic can cause static sparks. The metal that most screens are made of won’t spark.
Well, today, I heard that GEOX is closing, don't know if there will be another company that will buy it out, but, great reason the at least to know how to make your own.
Heard that to. Not sure on their future plans but Folks are already rushing to load up and thus, powder shortages are coming soon. This home made stuff works as good if not better than commercial stuff. Its all I've been using this past year.
@@HoffmanReproductions your mini conon is so good.
Read/heard somewhere that BP for hunters/shooters/reenactors is a very small part of what Goex does for a living. Apparently, the US Army is still a big customer.
@@chuckaddison5134 yeah, US Army uses BP as the propellant for their artillery shells.
Great video. I have a couple of pointers to add if I may. I use a small basket I fabricated from a piece of chicken wire, dump your meal powder, as it's called, and media into that to separate the two, it'll only takes a few seconds. Put your water and alcohol mixture in a spray bottle. Spray your meal powder with a mist and then fold it into itself with an old credit card so you'll avoid getting it to wet. If it gets too wet, the KN03 will turn back into a crystal form when it dries and slow your burn rate. Continue that process until the powder is just wet enough to form a ball when you squeeze it in your hand. It'll granulate easier without clogging your screen.
The resulting granulation will be less dense than commercial powder, which means you'll need more in a firearm to accomplish the same velocities generated by commercial powder.
I love this stuff and it's a fraction of the cost.
Thanks for sharing!
I.was hoping you were going to continue this one, Ben. Good stuff! Looking forward to seeing it put to the test.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Brother, this was a really good series. I had always read about the different ways it was done back then, but never really thought about what it would be like in a modern diy sense. Well done! I'd love to try it, I just don't have a mill. But to learn the technique in a prepping sense could be invaluable. Thanks Ben!!
You are most welcome and glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
@James Sheppard Oh, I know, I just don't have one on hand. Last time I looked, the things were running a little on the expensive side. But that's what I'd use, too.
I've seen a lot of good videos on this but this series is EXCELLENT! Thanks so much!
Most kind! Thank you!
Perfect! Just getting into this sport and your help with the careful explanation of the process was great timing for me. I can’t find commercial powder anywhere!
Hey that is great! Thank you!
Great and simple and Safe instruction! Kind Thanks and Many Blessings! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania
Thank you!
You can increase the surface area of your granules by running them through mesh screens to -12+20 mesh size. That is equivalent to 4FA commercial bp, and roughly a third more powerful than -4+20 mesh, which is equivalent to 2fa.
Fantastic tutorial.
Thank you!
Great job! The best I've seen and easy to listen to.
Thank you Sir! Glad it was of help.
Chemistry, Composition and Combustion of Black Powder
The optimum proportions for gunpowder are: 74.64% saltpeter, 13.51% charcoal, and 11.85% sulfur (by mass). The current standard for black powder manufactured by pyrotechnicians today is 75% potassium nitrate, 15% softwood charcoal and 10% sulfur. A simple, commonly cited, chemical equation for the combustion of black powder is:
Very lightly dampened and pressed with 4 to 6 tons of pressure depending on ignition rate desired gives an extremely cleaner burning powder that is good for muzzleloader and cartridges.
The best wood for the purpose is pacific willow, however, grapevine, hazel, elder, laurel and even pine cones have been used with good results.
@Jason Bored yeah.....lol i watched part one at a later time.... i guess you can say it was one of them "DUH ya idiot" moments. I just never came back and took down this comment.
I figured it would possibly help give someone having a brain fart a little tickle of the brain and get the chemicals flowing again...😏
I left my potassium exposed over night (oops) and talk about messing up the weight of the ingredients. The batch made from it wouldn't hardly even fizzle....
As a re-enactor I have to agree with you. We use it for our cannons and muskets, does a great job
Excellent videos! I’m reloading.357 .44mag and 12 guage for my Cowboy Rifles. (Henry etc) it’s tough to find BP here in Canada so this is a cool option and will add to the period authenticity!
I like pt 2 of this and pt 1 very informative! David Back.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
I have always wondered how to do this. Great information to say the least. I just liked and subscribed, because videos like this are truly of great value. Thanks for taking the time, and educating those of us that can make good use of home made BP. My traditional muzzleloaders will definately benefit from this. Take Care my friend.
Thanks for the sub! Glad you like it and your most welcome!
I can smell that burnt powder from here. Can’t wait to get started.
"50 dollars for one pund is pretty expensive" and here is me in italy, crying looking at my 1 pound can of 2FF that i payed 63 euros and i traveled 300 km to find it... yeah, i think those videos will be REALLY usefull to me.
Wonderful!
Awesome! Concise presentation!
Thank you!
First rule : let country music play . Then nothing can go wrong..
I had some difficulties in making nitrate from chicken poo, but, I discovered you have to repeat the process, cooking down the fine organic waste, when they stick tougether and they lays down.. it was quite fascinating at the end with great outcome.Use brass insted lead,its better.
Great video 👍
to destroy organics (oils and fad) in the solution the give under the boiling process some Ca(OH)2 Caustic lime.
I have found that ball milling all the ingredients separately the screening them before mixing all parts together eliminates large chunks and makes for a better acting powder. Use of denatured alcohol just makes the process a bit faster due to evaporation. I have found 2 100' extension cords is a pretty safe buffer, if you have enough are to stretch them out. Good videos, Dextren is a problem with firearms, I'll try to find some of the red bark.
Thank you Ray!
Thank you for making these videos. One of my goals is to make my own for shooting and deer hunting.
Your most welcome! Yes Sir, this powder would work great for that.
I did this project a few years back, it worked well. If I were to do it again I would probably do the final process of wetting the BP and then pressing it into disks to dry before graining. I think the pressing of the mix would help force the molecules together and make a dense grain like that of Swiss BP.
Yes indeed. The pressed powder is more dense and therefor, more powerful. This type however does work well, just needs the powder charge upped a bit to compensate for a less dense mix.
Brilliant Ben , Thank you thank you , I have the sulphur and potassium nitrate already , I even now know how to make the charcoal , you have answered ALL my questions. I am a BP shooter in Northern Ireland I. And it is almost impossible to get it . So good Job Ben thank you again, Reg
You are so welcome and glad it was of help! Thank you for watching!
@@HoffmanReproductions thank you very much sir. I'm from India. Can you tel me one bye on chemical name and step by step details please 🙏🙏
@@premkumarprem67 The ingredients are, 75% potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal & 10% sulfur. I add quebracho bark as a binder. The bark powder can be bought on etsy. The rest can be bought from garden supply stores online. Thanks for watching!
Excelente tus cuidados y precauciones 👍👍
Awesome video! I’ve often wondered, but never researched the actual process. I’ve read historical accounts of home-brewed black powder being made on the frontier, and with the easy availability of commercial saltpeter (hey, you don’t even have to mine/leach bat guano!) this sounds like something I might try. Thanks!
Your most welcome! Yes the old boys most likely had many ways of making BP. It is fun to try and very liberating to not have to buy anymore. Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the upload. Very very interesting. Seems easy enough as long as care and caution is used. Helps to have at least a bit of property where you can do this outside. I see this being removed by RUclips one day, so I downloaded it. When done in small batches as you need it, it greatly reduces the risk of a large explosion. Make enough for a couple pounds then store the other components away separately to make more later. With Goex now maybe gone for good we just might have to go very Very old school for our old school firearms and make our own black powder right here in the good ol USA. Thanks again!
Glad it was of help. Yes caution & safety are the words when making powder for sure. Good skill to learn I've found. Thanks a bunch!
The commercial makers of BP have a few trick up da sleeve on mixing and compression of the liquid end product.
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks, I really need to try to make my own BP.
It works great! You would not be disappointed. Check out our newest vid on it called DIY Powder. Thanks! Ben
I live in an apartment complex and work 8 hours A-day so when I make my own black powder I mill down the charcoal and the sulfur by itself then I Dissolve the potassium nitrate in water on the stove boiling and then slowly mix in the charcoal Sulfur powder mix once I evaporate most of the water but leaving the powder still quite wet I crash out the potassium nitrate with ice cold acetone or ice cold alcohol and grain while still wet from the acetone/alcohol
Great video! Looking forward to the next one.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great info, I've been thinking about making some of my own BP lately, this helps for sure. 👍
Happy making! I've been pleased with method so far. Thank you!
Thank you it really suprised me how well it works
Welcome! it does a good job.
What do you think about the newer thinking on this. Harbor freight tumblers and alike are contaminating powder with rubber coming off the rubber barrels and the lead balls are also leaving lead residue in the powder as well. So just total contaminated powder. I am hearing people going to PVC barrels etc and brass balls, and getting much cleaning powder.
Yes that is true for a fact. I found the same thing happening to mine and lined the tumbler with sheet metal. We did a video on it called making cleaner powder. Also switched to brass media for the mixing balls.
@@HoffmanReproductions oh I see thanks
Really cool! Can you use the finish product in pistols?
Yes Sir. Works great in any type of black powder firearm.
Thank you Ben, good stuff!
Welcome! Thank you!
Excellent. Thanks.
Thank you!
I make and shoot my own powder.
This stuff is hardly different than Goex if you weigh out your charge. But volumetricaly it needs a bigger charge.
Soooo if you want to shoot from a limited space, such as a cartridge or a revolver. You do loose power. But if you shoot it with a muzzle loader. The power is the same by weight.
For sure. Check out some of the newer vids where we talk about corning powder to match commercial powders strength. Thanks!
It would be awesome to do a velocity comparison with a gauge that measures the fps of the ball . Thanks for the info
Please see our other videos as we did just that. Thanks for watching & your most welcome!
Great videos! Thank you so much for the clear and complete instructions.
Your most welcome. Thank you!
I have found that my powder is less dense than factory stuff....a pound barely will fit into a 1lb Schützen canister, so by volume yes you need more... oddly enough by weight it's about the same for the same ballistic result.... I get within 90% of factory powder, so an extra 10% on the charge volume is about right. I use it a lot in m shotgun shells as they use a lot of powder and the home made stuff is cheap...
Sounds like you have some good stuff your making there. Yes indeed, this type of powder generally needs the charge upped a bit. It is possible to "press" the wetted powder into pucks then bust up when dry. Makes for stuff as powerful if not more powerful than store bought. May do another vid on it at some point. Thanks for watching!
Thank you again, like part 1, this was also a very informative and entertaining video. I'm now subscribed. I feel that this is a dying craft and it needs to be preserved, along with the muzzle loading heritage, so thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm.
I apologized if I missed this or it is covered in another video, but after you dry your powder, do you want to sift it to a specific granule size? Does granule size matter, and if so how do you get it down to that granule size.
After in has been grained and dried from the first screen, I sift the powder through several different sized mesh screens to give 4,3,2 & 1F size. Small grains 3f is good for 45 and under calibers, 2 F is good for 45 and up. 1 F works good in muskets and cannons.4 F can be used for priming. Each gun is different, some work better with the smaller or larger size. Thank you for watching and glad you like the channel!
@@HoffmanReproductions Thank you, I appreciate that info.
@@prairiepatriot2162 Welcome!
Hi there, going to use swamp willow for charcoal and mill it for 48 hrs , have you ever used swamp willow or black willow.
@@richardrosell9114 Should work good. Have never used it but most any wood carbon source works well.
Have you ever milled kno3 for 12hrs if so did it make any difference on the powder.
@@richardrosell9114 I mill a minimum of 24 hours with 48 being better now a days. Hands down longer mill times make much better powder.
How do you "grain" it to 2F, 3F, and 4F size?? This will be my firt time and I will be shooting it in a flintlock. Very good details in your videos.
Check out our other videos, We go into detail about it. Thanks!
Good job! Thanks for info
Thank you!
I know sparks are from flintstone and steel, but would a brass screen and iron spoon not reduce the risk? I remember we used a large feather to mix dangerous chemical (much more dangerous, think phosphor)
Good video!
Thanks!
just found your video, i am having a problem with granulating, what is your thickening media. what is the wood powder you added?
@@johnfox511 It’s called quebracho bark. You can find it on Etsy. If you corn or press your powder, it’s not necessary to use.
Fantastic series Sir! I only have one question. Does home made powder require a larger charge in order to achieve the velocities of factory powder, or are the charges the same? For reference, I am using a Kentucky percussion rifle, which has a max load of 110 grains of 2f black powder.
Edit: ignore this post, i wrote the above message before watching the last segment of the video.
homemade powder has less desteny. Dont think you can fit 110 grains in your chamber because the volume is higher. Comercial powder is pressed with an 5 ton press or higher and the cake crushed and sived. Oh and if you press gunpowder be carefull it can have the same pressure like detonated ammoniumnitrate.
have you ever tried acetone as a wetting agent instead of alcohol?
No Sir. Might be worth a try though.
Instead of a ball mill would a brass tumbler with lead balls work for breaking down and mixing the materials?
Not sure, never tried it.
I dry the granules on flame stove 😂 10 mins and its done
Exactly what size was that screen mesh you used? Thanks so much, enjoy your videos
Hey G.C., check out part 4 of this series on our channel. I go into detail about size. Thank ya!
Oh shoot!!!! I just found that vid and started watching to find my answer. I went back to delete my post and you had already answered haha! Thanks again!
Oh and just subscribed, what a cool channel
The old method taught by the military dissolved the KNO3 in alcohol and ground the other ingredients separately before mixing together in the alcohol where the KNO3 soakis into the others particles, Done properly the powder is just as good as commercial
Yes Sir, some call that the CIA method and it will for sure make more powerful powder.
Is corn starch a Logwood ?
No, two different things.
Is the logwood being used in lieu of graphite or dextrin - to help coat the powder and deter static buildup?
I realize you said it was mentioned earlier but I either missed that or can't find it.
Awesome video though thanks - I haven't tried to make any yet but it's my dream to see if I can save some $ and be as self-sufficient as possible haha. The biggest concern I have is what I've read and heard about static causing ignition.
Logwood or, quebracho bark, is used as a thickening agent when making loose or grained powder as it helps make the grains more durable and yes, dextrin does the same thing but some feel, fouls worse. You really don't even need it if making corned or pressed powder. There are no guarantees when making powder but if you keep the batches small when making, 8 oz. or less, no blown up building or bad injuries should be possible. I and many others I know, have been making powder for shooting for many years without a single mishap. Just use common sense and keep the batches small. Thanks a ton for watching! Ben
this is a very good video series i enjoy your other works as well.
thank you for taking the time to put it toether
i am curious about the purpose of logwood and where to get it .
also how is the shelf life of your black powder?
Thanks Joe! Logwood or quebracho bark, is used as a binder or thickener which helps make the grains more tough, which is good for several different reason when making BP. It can be purchase by various suppliers on Etsy. I've had my batches stored for several months now with no issues. As long as its kept dry, should stay good for years.
@@HoffmanReproductions thank you
Welcome!
Black powder chemicals are a physical or mechanical mixture, not a chemical mixture. Powders properly kepr can last 100 - over 150 years and still be like the day it was made.
I wonder if a 50/50 mix with Pyrodex would be suitable for the main charge in a flintlock while maybe increasing performance a little to boot..
Not sure Mike. I've never really been a fan of pyrodex myself, but some love it.
So long as you prime with BP, I've had no problem with a 100% Pyrodex in the bore. Goes bang right away, from either my flintlock, or my 1861 Springfield.
Mine burned slow. I used grapevine from the ridge, got a nice charcoal made out of it.
Did all the steps like you did except I just used water.
I milled for 18 hours.
Do I need to mill longer?
Should I try making different charcoal?
Try drying out your potassium nitrate and charcoal just prior to milling. Once done milling, go straight into wetting and graining. 18 hour should be fine on your mill time. Charcoal and PN placed in an oven on cookie trays for 30 minutes on 200 degrees should dry them out. Hope that helps. Planning a new video with all I have learned on making soon.
@@HoffmanReproductions just read down through the comments and saw this conversation with someone else. Thanks will do!
Looking forward to another video.
You can see my powder show burn on a recent "short" video I just uploaded Saturday to my channel
@@HoffmanReproductions I dried the PN for .5 hr at 200.
Just tried that batch. No difference. Still slow
@@bkauffman0390 Did you dry out the charcoal as well? it sucks up moisture like crazy after its made if not instantly milled and added to the other ingredients after charring. Here is my check list for success. #1 use only 100% pure ingredients. #2 wood chosen for charcoal must be seasoned and not green. # Char wood on hot fire till no smoke comes out of char tin. Measure 6 oz. of potassium nitrate, 1.2 oz. of ground charcoal and .9 oz of Sulphur. #4 put all 3 ingredients in mill for 15-20 hours. Wet, grain & dry powder. If this was all done correctly, you should be getting powder that flashes every bit as fast as commercial BP. Please let me know if I can be of further help.
@@HoffmanReproductions this is a big help. 1, I used grapevine vine that I cut this spring, green. Oops. I got it to char clear through the pieces after 2 afternoons of the popcorn tin on the fire.
It may have pulled moisture as I did this the end of March but had a son born, and I've been building a rifle in my spare time.
Thanks a ton for responding in depth
When you buy sulfur is it granular or finer. I bought some really fine from a drug store and it was called flowers of sulfur.
I use fine ground. Just make sure its pure with no additive's.
what Logwood are you using ? Where do I get a thickening agent ?
Mine is powdered. Best place to find it is on Etsy.
Is maybe a stupid question? But if charcoal should have many pores! Isn't activated charcoal the best then?
Not stupid at all! Good point, I have tried it and it works about the same.
7:02, is it dextrine?
I use a bark powder called quebracho.
What other binders can you use? I heard flour glue works is this likely? Any other common household binders?
Not sure.
Try making blackpowder R 2 [ using water ]
I live in an rural agricultural community and as of February 2022 fertilizers have in some instances have doubled or more in price. I’m not sure if that includes the items included in your recipe or not. Just curious if you have experienced that?
I have heard of fertilizers are going up in price by a large amount as well. Have not seen it affect the chemicals I'm using yet but, I would think it will trickle down to them as well soon.
@@HoffmanReproductions
Great video series by the way!
Is it possible to increase the power. I run a pistol as such there is limited space for powder and projectile. A typical 30g. Load would only be equivalent to about 18g with the homemade.
Yes Sir, try pulling up corning black powder. Makes it as powerful as factory stuff.
Is it true that you can leave it in a liquid form till you want to use it then dry it out and granulat it
Can't say I have heard of that.
@@HoffmanReproductions their was a RUclips video floating around at one time showing that but I can't seem to find it now
Hey Hoffman, has anyone tried hackberry for charcoal, because we have a lot of them here in South Texas.
Not sure. I would say give her a try. May work great!
Question Hoffman does it matter if I used swamp willow it was fresh off the tree and I made charcoal what do you think.
I have a full size civil war mountain howitzer. what size screen would I need for for cannon powder??
thank you
Keith
1 F size Keith. I would say, buy a kitchen sifting set on ebay or amazon. It should come with one that would be close.
Great videos. Have you noticed how consistent each batch is with the previous ones? In other words, do you find the grains are the same for accuracy or do you need to make slight changes each time you use a new batch?
Seems like each time I make a batch, it gets better as I gain more experience and learn more. My last batch, has been the best yet do to good chemicals used, proper mill time and proper graining. Making good BP is 50% science & 50% art I would say'.
I just paid $61 for one pound of goex (powder, plus shipping and hazmat). Think it's time to learn to do this
Wow! Yes Sir, that is one major reason I got into making my own. Who knows where things will go as far as pricing.
What is the log wood thickening agent
Helps make for more dense grains. You can find it on Esty listed as quebracho bark.
regarding the quebracho....i see bark and extract....which one due you use?
I use the powdered bark.
I am about to get involved in black powder muzzleloader shooting.
Making my own gunpowder would make for an even richer experience. Is the homemade power sutable for hunting deer?
It is fun! Yes Sir, would work great for that.
You should caution the public to the fact that this powder in the talcum stage can be set off from even static electric charges from your own body!! I have had it happen to me before in small amounts when experimenting with mixtures for powerful faster mixes!!
Sorry calling BS on that one 😂
I prefer only adding water works great for my bp rockets ❤
Here in york pa most places want $80-$85 for one pound of coex. When I do buy powder I get schuetzen for $35 one pound but yeah just better to make your own. I like the cedar charcoal and balsa wood charcoal. Good video thank you.
Thanks for sharing!
I use virtually same process , only thing make sure of pure as possible ingredients. Powder hard to find , ability to make your own a plus
One question for you regarding the screen mesh used for graining. Does the mesh need to be plastic, or is aluminum also ok?
I used aluminum with no trouble.
God bless you and thanks. :)
Thank you too!
I bought my first black powder gun, a buffalo pistol, just in time for black powder and everything to disappear. So I'm going to try and make my own ffg and fffg powder, so I'll be covered when I get my first muzzleloader too.
Happy BP making & shooting! Thanks for watching!
Can this be mixed with commercial black powder to extend your supply of powder?
Never tried it Sir. I know commercial powder makers do not recommend mixing powders.
@@HoffmanReproductions Thank you.
I know this was a year ago but how do you go about getting the different grades such as 3F and 2f 4f?
That comes from sifting the finished powder through screens. Check out our other videos on the subject. It should answer any questions you might have. Thanks!
Say I use a screen and it turns out like 1f instead of my desired 3f....
Can I add the alcohol and water and remix it into the paste and start over or should it just use it in my big caliber gun and then use a smaller screen the next time?
Does the screening process creat uniform granules or is it like a mix of 1 through 4f?
Yes Sir, you can wet it and re-mix. To get the best precise grains, its best to let it fully dry then run it through your desired mesh. As it dry's, I chop it up with a knife which gets the large clumps to bust up. My first screen catches 1 f, the next catches grains at about 2 1/2 ,what is left after this is dust which I save for priming.
@@HoffmanReproductionsgotchya. Thanks a lot.
I bought a 25 lb case of GOEX 3F in August. I'm no fortune teller, just got lucky I guess.
Thought I just was well start trying to make my own. Before I get low. I've been going though a pound every two weeks or so. I shoot a lot!
Where do I find screen mesh good for 2f or 3f size? Please be specific, because I see various mesh sizes available on fireworks supply websites, but they do not correspond to 2f/3f. And they cost over $30 so you want to get it right first time.
Keneth, I just eyeball mine. I use kitchen sifting sets that you can get from most stores. Lets you sift from 1 F- to fine as dust.
@@HoffmanReproductions THANKS! :o)
@@kenethcollings2173 Welcome!
Could you take 100 grains by volume and weigh it on a powder scale and then take 100 grains for Goex and weigh it on a powder scale? I don't know for sure, but my guess is that Goex will be heavier by roughly 30%. (100 grains for Goex and 70 grains for your homemade powder)
Yes Sir, goex is corned so it will most certainly weigh more than this type of powder.
@@HoffmanReproductions I know it will. I was trying to get a data point on how much more. Thank
@@calvinmays5946 I get ya. Trouble is, I'm totally out of commercial powder. Only shoot my own now a days.
@@HoffmanReproductions If you could just weigh 100 grains of yours by volume, I would appreciate it. i have weighed my commercial powder so know about what it would weigh. I am doing a rough comparison. I would really appreciate it. Thanks
@@calvinmays5946 I'll see what I cam do.
What type of ammonium nitrate are you using? I can’t seem to find pure powder anywhere?
For making BP, Potassium nitrate is what folks typically use. Most online garden supply houses carry it as it is used for fertilizer.
Ammonium nitrate would be a nono that would be way to much pressure.
@@johnward9604 depends on what you are using it for. Lol
Can I run it in my percussion revolver as after running it though a strainer
Yep! Works good in them.
Cool
Enjoyed the video. But the issue is twofold. First you have to maximize the charcoal surface area in contact with the nitrates. This best done by dissolving the nitrates and letting it soak into the sponge holes of the charcoal. This is the advantage of using the CIA method. Chemically speaking, it’s the carbon in the charcoal we’re trying to react with. I like to let the solution age wet for even longer than suggested to get the nitrate solution to really soak in. Sulfur is not water soluble so this component is dependent on good ball milling.
While the CIA method uses water, I found years ago that DuPont used urine at this point. So I have used horse urine in place of water. I don’t know if this was done for safety or for performance improvement. How would urea affect this process? I don’t know.
A second issue to speed improvement is density. Charcoal is a light porous and less dense material. So I made a brass die for use on my H press which is twenty tons. This lets me make very hard pucks which resemble rocks.
These rocks are then broken up and screened into powder which is called Corning.
It was once said that GOex was not as good as the stuff bought by the government. That they used “tailings” from the main process. This would make sense in how the Corning process works.
My new house and shop and job leave little time to experiment. But what you all need to understand is that this stuff is dangerous. I wear a wrist band to ground and I will not allow any portion to come into contact with steel. Everything is brass or glass. Plastic has been known to hold static charges. Over the years, I am aware of two major explosions at the DuPont operation!!!! For years, they used steam engines as the fear of electrical explosions was to great! Just so you all know!
The costs can vary. I have been able to get KNO3 in 50 pound bags thru my agricultural suppliers. Having to file a schedule F helps here. Also know that KNO3 had the side effect of keeping your flag staff down!!!! So wear gloves and avoid breathing dust.
Thank you for sharing.
do you use your powder for hunting wild game
I don't but others I know do. Not much into hunting myself, just shooting.
What size screens and where would you get them?
Any kitchen size screens work. You can get them on ebay or amazon in various sizes.
If they get gun control to the point that they want to have it, you will not find gunpowder, primers or brass, and a cap and ball gun can be a viable option for hunting and self defense if the only other option is a knife or sharp stick.
Also, modern revolvers, pump and double barrel shotguns, lever guns as well as the 1911 and Glocks will all function and fire with black powder, just don't try to use gas operated guns. like the AR-15 or the AK's.
Flintlocks are supreme in that everything you need to run them comes from nature, albeit with some work.
Still you can make primer from matches, mixing heads with phosphor from the matches box.Very flamable, only in small quanties.Stay safe.
With the poor sound quality on my computer and my hearing problems I'm unsure of the name of the name of the stuff you add for mixing. Can you reply here what it is and where to obtain it?
Quebracho bark powder. Many places on etsy sell it.
What is the thickening agent called and where do you get it?
Quebracho bark powder. You can find it on Etsy or tannery supply stores.
It's called dextrin
You are correct, that is a binder that some use for lift or fireworks powder. However when making this type of powder for shooting, dextrin causes very heavy fouling. The bark binds the powder well but eliminates the fowling issue.
Ive seen no commercial grade for sale , and this is 4 months old .
Its hard to find right now.
how do you separate the grains into Fg, FFG, FFFG?
Kitchen strainers work well once the powder is dry. You can buy them in different sizes which gets the grains close to the correct 1,2,3 or 4 F size.
@@HoffmanReproductions Awesome videos and am now subscribed! How did you figure out which screens to use to dictate grain sizes? Are some strainers labeled with a size or was it just trial and error and comparing your homemade BP grains to commercial?
Thanks so much! I just did mine by eye as I've been shooting bp for many years. However, I do believe you can buy the proper screen mesh online. science supply shops would be a good place to look. Window screen from Lowes or Home Depot works great and you'll get grains around 2 f.
what happened to the process in 1812? what did they do differently?
They began a process called "corning" or high pressure pressing the powder into thin disks after wetting and graining. It produces a more dense powder which consequently, gives more power. Similar to how BP is made in commercial factories today.
@@HoffmanReproductions would my 50 ton hydraulic forging press and brass dies accomplish the desired effect i wonder?
I would think so but, its not something I could speak to any authority on as I have never tried that method.