Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: RobD on March 23, 2013, 07:42:52 PM
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thinking of trying a different brand for the pedersoli flintlock, what's yer fave - goex, schuetzen or swiss? why?
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Goex has always worked for me. I do have a bunch of Graff's house brand, but haven't tried it yet.
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does anyone find a specific brand/granulation that delivers better or more reliable ignition?
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thinking of trying a different brand for the pedersoli flintlock, what's yer fave - goex, schuetzen or swiss? why?
I use Goex, and have been happy with it for many many years in all sorts of muzzleloaders and black powder cartridges,.... what are you using in your Pedersoli, and why are you thinking about trying something different?
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Goex only
, some guns like one or the other a little better,either 2F or 3F.
My CVA Mountain (.50 cal.) rifle does like 2F better and that is what was in my horn when I went to sight in the Pedersoli.
That's one of the fun parts of a new arm, learning and testing different loads to see what does best. Have fun!
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thinking of trying a different brand for the pedersoli flintlock, what's yer fave - goex, schuetzen or swiss? why?
I use Goex, and have been happy with it for many many years in all sorts of muzzleloaders and black powder cartridges,.... what are you using in your Pedersoli, and why are you thinking about trying something different?
good ol' goex.
... but the grass always seems like it might be greener o'er the next hillock ... ?
just wondering if i'm missing something with those other flavors.
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thinking of trying a different brand for the pedersoli flintlock, what's yer fave - goex, schuetzen or swiss? why?
I use Goex, and have been happy with it for many many years in all sorts of muzzleloaders and black powder cartridges,.... what are you using in your Pedersoli, and why are you thinking about trying something different?
good ol' goex.
... but the grass always seems like it might be greener o'er the next hillock ... ?
just wondering if i'm missing something with those other flavors. :laffing,..... you had mentioned "reliable ignition", so I thought you might be having trouble with that.
I doubt if any of the other brands are easier to "ignite" than good ol' Goex, but I've never done any actual experiments to see if such was the case.
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Been burning GOEX since back in the 70's. I see no reason to change.
I only use Ffg, but I don't shoot any of the baby calibers. When I get up to the big guns (8 and 4 bore) I switch over to Fg.
I tried Swiss but wasn't impressed enough to pay the extra price. Have tried some of the others, but didn't care for them enough to buy more of it.
I find the synthetic powders not worth shooting. With Pyrodex, I cannot help but get hangfires, even with musket ignition.
John
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Some say that Swiss is a cleaner birning powder. I have always used Goex and I gess I always will since I have plenty to last me the rest of my life.
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Some say that Swiss is a cleaner birning powder. I have always used Goex and I gess I always will since I have plenty to last me the rest of my life.
I suspect that's me too.
This is an interesting thread, simply because the Grass is indeed always greener on the other side of the fence.
I'm a fan of Goex, not just because I have a lifetime supply of it, but because I can't find a lot of fault in it.
Some folks do rave about the Swiss, and maybe rightfully so. Same with some other powders including Graf.
Others try to split some pretty fine hairs when it comes to their choice of BP, but I haven't been able to find those distinctions.
In fact, there was only one Black Powder that I have ever used that I felt was well below standard and that was a particular lot of Elephant FFg that I got In Golden, Colorado, at a Coor's Schutzen Match, about 15 plus years ago, I paid $20 for five 1# cans, and I ended up dumping every bit of it....Goex was about $7.00 a pound back then.
I have heard praise for modern day Elephant Powder but I haven't had the opportunity to check it out.
I have to think that any powder, being currently manufactured in today's market, has to meet a pretty high standard amongst the shooters, or it just won't sell, period.
Thanks to Captchee, Beaverman, and the guys at Green River Mountain Men, It will be a good while before I ever have to think about buying powder again...I still have several cans marked $8.95, but from there some goes to over $20.
It is $26.95 a pound at High mountain Sports, when they have it, and it's even more after driving 100 miles to find it in Wentachee or Spokane.
I don't think I would able to afford to shoot much at all, if I had to pay today's prices. In fact, I suspect I'm quite thankful for the little stash of powder I do have.
Uncle Russ...
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i just ordered another 5lb of goex from mainepowderhouse for $119/shipped ... nearly $24/lb, and you might think "too much!", but for me that's actually cheaper than i can get it in person (meaning, a long driving distance). gone are the dayze of the local gun store or sport shop within easy reach and all loaded with good reloading supplies. heck, none have any selection of commerical ammo as of this week. the times they are a'changin' ....
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i just ordered another 5lb of goex from mainepowderhouse for $119/shipped ... nearly $24/lb, and you might think "too much!", but for me that's actually cheaper than i can get it in person (meaning, a long driving distance). gone are the dayze of the local gun store or sport shop within easy reach and all loaded with good reloading supplies. heck, none have any selection of commerical ammo as of this week. the times they are a'changin' ....
I fear the price of ALL types of powder,.... will do nothing but "RISE" in the foreseeable future.
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I have never used Swiss, but it does burn hotter and the accuracy fanatic guys (translation, better shooters than me) say it is cleaner as well...
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I use nothing but Swiss... Tired Goex and Elephant and both were much dirtier than I cared for. The Elephant was unshootable. It was more the pan than the barrel that I had problems with. Have a large supply of Shutzen that I will get into when the Swiss runs low but that is going to be a good long while.
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I shoot Goex in my hunting guns, and Diamondback in my muskets for blanks.
Goex has one more advantage over the other powders..., it's not imported, and you never know what the UN will come up with when it comes to export/import of gunpowders, but inside the USA is more secure. I figure if the company goes under because I'm using all imported powder and everybody else does so too, if those supplies are curtailed then who will produce powder for the American market?
LD
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I prefer Goex, made in America, works good. I wish they'd produce a lot more and drive the price down.
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I prefer Goex, made in America, works good. I wish they'd produce a lot more and drive the price down.
:hairy
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I prefer an love goex. Still got plenty. The last order I got in is the Diamonback. Im one of the few that liked elephant an had good luck with it. From what I hear the diamondback is by the same folks just better stuff, or so I was told. Wont have to get into it for quite a while though
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I heard there as a time elephant was a good powder. Just had a rough patch.
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I can`t compare brands cause I`ve never used anything but Goex. I`ve always bought my powder locally and good ole Goex is the only brand I`ve ever seen any shop around here offer. I only know of one shop that still sells black powder anymore though and they`re gettin kinda pricey so I might be mail ordering some soon. Then I might give the different brands a try just to say I did. Most likely I`ll stay with Goex for the long haul though cause I`ve never had a problem with it and I like to use "American made" when I can.
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I shoot Goex .
I have tried most all the other powder to include most of the synthetics and still return to Goex .
Swiss is good . But like the others I don’t see enough performance increase to justify the added cost .
The last batch of powder I got from bear river , ran me 13.00 in the bag and 15.00 in the can .
Sure doest seem that long ago that it was 6.00 lb in the bag ????
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I started shooting Dupont back when it was $1.00 per lb. When they stopped production I used G-O or something like that - some of you may remember better than I. Next was Goex (which I like a lot), Elephant (when I couldn't get Goex) and now Jacks Battle Powder (made by Goex). When I started you bought your powder at the hardware store; nowadays if you went there and asked for bp they would probably call the cops on you.
Elephant worked fine for me but I preferred American made. Jacks Battle Powder, by Goex, is great powder and comparable to Goex 3F. It's cheaper, too. I must admit that if price becomes a problem I'd not hesitate buying Diamondback. Though a bit higher than Diamondback, JBP is my choice, period.
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... Jacks Battle Powder, by Goex, is great powder and comparable to Goex 3F. It's cheaper, too. I must admit that if price becomes a problem I'd not hesitate buying Diamondback. Though a bit higher than Diamondback, JBP is my choice, period.
jbp pricing looks might good (these dayze)!
seems like it only comes in 3F.
what calibers you using it with?
have you tried it for flintlock flashpan priming?
it'd be nice to only need one powder, say 3F, for both barrel and pan with .45 to .50 caiber rock locks.
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I use Goex 3f in just about every thing I shoot. I will use 2f in my 12ga, I also use the 3f as priming powder in my rock locks. IMO it works just fine. YMMV.
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i'm gonna hafta give go-ex 3f a try for both the barrel and pan ...
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That's what I use. Goex 3Fg in both pan and main charge.
I was told today that my normal outlet for powder for the reenactments isn't getting Diamondback right now..., no word when they will have it. BUT not to worry, as they now carry GOEX Reenactor Grade powder for 12.50 a pound, which is what we were paying for the Diamondback for making blanks ("Standard" Goex is $24 out here). AND..., this will support GOEX, an American Company. I've nothing against the imported powders, but if the price is the same and I can support an in-country business..., that's better (imho).
LD
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Going to JBP was no problem since I use 3F for virtually everything. I've even done a fair amount of priming using JBP with complete satisfaction - I'm basically a 4F prime dude. I still have a few lbs of Goex but will be using JBP for a good while as I still have a half case. When it's gone, I'll order more.
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I had never heard of this JBP before this thread.
I don't need any powder myself, but if I did I would certainly run out and get some JBP just to try it.
I would imagine such an affordable substitute among current Goex users would certainly be welcomed.
Little things, like the cost of powder, the price of a box of caps, the costs of flints, increased range fees, etc, etc, all has a major impact on our sport.
If there is product that will work just as efficiently, but cost less, I am all for it.
With today's economy and the cost of living at an all time high, we in the Muzzleloading community can use every little break we can get, and information such as this can go a looong way.
Uncle Russ...
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I prefer Goex, but Graf's is pretty good, too. However, it also depends upon what it's being used for. For all my MLs, either of those two works fine, but for bp rockets, you do not want to use commercial brands.
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I've been using KIK quite a bit since Hogdons took over Goex. That's some good powder.
Also have been shooting some the brand new Old Eynsford and this stuff is fast and clean.
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You know what I like about this thread? All the different powders that are available. I had no idea there were still that many around. It just gives me hope.
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i have never used anything but Goex and Kix,cant see any difference in them myself. course i'm just shootin' squirrels with'em.
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but for bp rockets, you do not want to use commercial brands.
Are you limited to using actual BP for your rocket work? I prefer R-Candy for fuel, but my experience is very limited. I have been asked to help with a Congreve Rocket Battery and demonstration for 2014, the 200th anniversary of the attack on Ft. McHenry and the writing of The Star Spangled Banner. Not actually an event at that site..., US Park Service frowns on actual projectiles downrange in many locations..., another park has asked for a static display, plus a demonstration firing later in the day. Don't know if we will actually do the firing..., Congreve rockets being overgrown bottle rockets and not very stable in flight.
LD
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My supplier is limiting a person to two pounds per purchase. :-(
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mainepowderhouse has a 5# minimum order and goes up to 50# - 25# ships for free, too. goex is $16/#.
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but for bp rockets, you do not want to use commercial brands.
Are you limited to using actual BP for your rocket work? I prefer R-Candy for fuel, but my experience is very limited. I have been asked to help with a Congreve Rocket Battery and demonstration for 2014, the 200th anniversary of the attack on Ft. McHenry and the writing of The Star Spangled Banner. Not actually an event at that site..., US Park Service frowns on actual projectiles downrange in many locations..., another park has asked for a static display, plus a demonstration firing later in the day. Don't know if we will actually do the firing..., Congreve rockets being overgrown bottle rockets and not very stable in flight.
LD
Actually, I had to use bp in my particular work, as it had to do with my original PhD studies (I am completely done now, having received my degree in February). I was familiar with rocket candy even back then, but just propelling a projectile was not enough, as it was the use of bp that was important (rockets streaking up into the sky was just a happy outcome). Commercial bp could not be used as it burns too fast; for that reason, it had to be made to burn slowly, which required custom-made. I compared conflagration rates of different bp (including commercial brands) and that went into my research.
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Always used Goex, goes boom every time. $24.99 a lb at Gander Mtn yesterday. ;)
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Greyhunter said:
Always used Goex, goes boom every time. $24.99 a lb at Gander Mtn yesterday. Ouch, I remember $6.00 a lb., seems like only yesterday.
You can still remember all the back to yesterday?!?
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Always used Goex, goes boom every time. $24.99 a lb at Gander Mtn yesterday. ;)
The over the counter price is gettin up there aint it
I paid a dollar less than that for the last pound I bought six months or so ago. Been thinking more and more about springing for a whole case through mail order to keep the cost down. Problem with that is I only go through on average two or three pounds a year and I like to buy from the only local place that still sells real powder. Used to be able to get it lots of places around here but they all quit selling it because no one bought it anymore. Had one place tell me they only sold two pounds of Goex in the last year they carried it and at that rate it wasn`t worth the money and hassle to stock it anymore. I can understand their situation completely but it`s bad for us folks that still use it.
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at $16 a pound for goex, 25 pounds will ship for free (no shipping and no hazmat fees) in the USA from mainepowderhouse.
get some guys together and make up an order. that's what i did.
$16 a pound sure beats $24 a pound.
and 50% savings is a nice thing today, even though you paid $6 per pound years ago. the way gun politics is going, flintlocks and black powder will be the idiot's next target. git it while ya can. just sayin', folks ..... no-brainer stuff.
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Powder Inc will ship in 5-10 and case lots.
Grafs will ship a minimum of 4 lbs,
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I know there`s places that will mail less than a full case of powder. What I`m saying I guess, is that I`d rather buy from local stores unless I need something not available locally. If the prices keep going up though I might have to give in and get some shipped in.
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imho, LGS support trumps mail order, even if i pay a bit more.
however, NONE of my LGS's have bp, let alone smokeless, to sell.
it's a changing gun world out there, we can all see it and feel it and it's not a good thing for us ....
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Absolutely if you have a local shop to get powder that is THE place to do it. In my circumstance the closest place that may or may not have it, and never the same brand twice ,on hand is 90 miles oneway, and in a direction I don't travel very often.
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Forgot to say that when i did purchase my Goex powder this last time, it came in one pound plastic containers. Thats a first for me, seemed a little cheap! Plastic and Muzzleloaders. :-O
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Forgot to say that when i did purchase my Goex powder this last time, it came in one pound plastic containers. Thats a first for me, seemed a little cheap! Plastic and Muzzleloaders. :-O
Oh my goodness. The past meets the present. I remember when Elephant changed over from metal cans to plastic one. I also thought it looked a bit tacky!!
Oh well, save your old cans and repackage them out of the plastics. Nobody will ever know.
John
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Forgot to say that when i did purchase my Goex powder this last time, it came in one pound plastic containers. Thats a first for me, seemed a little cheap! Plastic and Muzzleloaders. :-O
Haven't seen that.....yet.
But I figured it was sure to happen.
And you're right, it makes things look cheap, plastic has NEVER had a place around muzzleloaders.
Uncle Russ...
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That's ok, have lots of empty goex cans arount I can transfer this plastic lb. to. :rotf
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When Elephant first became available, it was terrible stuff. Very dirty and probably 25% or more less powerful than the comparable GOEX granulation. For some reason when they switched to the plastic containers, the quality of their powder increased markedly.
It actually became my go to powder for my big bore guns where I was using Fg. I guarantee you if a powder is going to foul the bore, 400 grains of Fg will do it in a heartbeat.
Ah, those were the days. Nothing like going out to the range for a session of recoil therapy. Yeah!!!!!
John
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That's what I use in both my .54 and my .40 for pan and main charge. Diamondback appears to have stopped for a while (or for good, don't know why) at my local, bulk supplier. So for blanks in the future I will be probably using GOEX Re-enactor powder for the blanks..., will probably add a few cans of regular GOEX 3Fg into the order for myself. I might even try a can or two of GOEX Express powder. It's a bit of a drive to pick it up, but even the most expensive GOEX from the bulk supplier is $7 a pound cheaper than from the corner gunshop.
LD
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Jacks Battle Powder is available from "Jacks Powder Keg". I found service to be excellent and swift. Mike Nesbitt did a bit of chronographing with JBP. In most loads it gave equivalent or higher velocities than Goex, though differences were not great. I have found (as Mike did) JBP to give the same fine accuracy as Goex. I did some weighing and JBP appeared to be lighter in weight than Goex by a very slight amount. My next trial is to chronograph it myself. It does only come in 3F which suits me fine as that's about all I burn regardless of gun. I can't swear it's true but I believe that JBP doesn't contain graphite. I have both JBP and Goex and didn't have to touch the sights when I started using JBP. It works great in the bore and in the pan. I still have a pound or two of Dupont 4F but it will be a long time before I'll have to get into it.
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Just use what ever you can find the cheapest.
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Just use what ever you can find the cheapest.
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(I am completely done now, having received my degree in February). I was familiar with rocket candy even back then, but just propelling a projectile was not enough, as it was the use of bp that was important (rockets streaking up into the sky was just a happy outcome). Commercial bp could not be used as it burns too fast; for that reason, it had to be made to burn slowly, which required custom-made. I compared conflagration rates of different bp (including commercial brands) and that went into my research.
Congratulations Doctor!
Any chance I can get a copy of your thesis?
LD
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(I am completely done now, having received my degree in February). I was familiar with rocket candy even back then, but just propelling a projectile was not enough, as it was the use of bp that was important (rockets streaking up into the sky was just a happy outcome). Commercial bp could not be used as it burns too fast; for that reason, it had to be made to burn slowly, which required custom-made. I compared conflagration rates of different bp (including commercial brands) and that went into my research.
Congratulations Doctor! :) It's possible--I sent you a PM.
T
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Another learned member of the TMA...
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I shoot Graf's powder - works fine for me - like Goex too - never tried Swiss
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JUST went through this thread. I am SOOOOO screwed!!! Ya see,besides 2 flinters(rifle and fowler) I also own/operate an original Sharps 45/110 buffalo rifle and a Shiloh Sharps 44/90 Sharps Bottleneck. I HAVE to buy my powder by the case. I go through a pound in one afternoon VERY often(Dang rifles are too much fun). I have been using KIK because it hydrates well and the fouling is easy to keep soft. I am one who believes that BP made without graphite glaze fouls less. Anyone else have that opinion????
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Just use what ever you can find the cheapest.
Pete,
The longer I am involved in this traditional B/P thing, the more I believe
your right. At least for myself, unless you really want to split hairs I find very little difference
as far as accuracy, from one brand to the other. If there is a somewhat advantage
it would be in cleanup from one to the other. For the last 12+years I have stayed with
3fff Goex exclusively because it is available,about as cheap as anything else around.
Oh,and one other thing when I mailed a letter asking for promotional items for my
local gun club,hats,patches, decals etc.....They were kind enough to send
a box of items. :shake
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Just use what ever you can find the cheapest.
Pete,
The longer I am involved in this traditional B/P thing, the more I believe
your right. At least for myself, unless you really want to split hairs I find very little difference
as far as accuracy, from one brand to the other. If there is a somewhat advantage
it would be in cleanup from one to the other. For the last 12+years I have stayed with
3fff Goex exclusively because it is available,about as cheap as anything else around.
Oh,and one other thing when I mailed a letter asking for promotional items for my
local gun club,hats,patches, decals etc.....They were kind enough to send
a box of items. :shake
Snake eyes, don't be offended if Wally don't get back to ya right away. He has done passed on to that great rendezvous yonder. In fact, if'n you DO hear from him,,, well, you might wanna make sure you got things in order...
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Riley,
Sorry to hear that
snake-eyes
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I too started with dupont then moved right along with the same powder as it changed hands. I bought 4 cases @ $3.95 a lb when GOI first came out and my wish was to live long enough to shoot it all up. I since learned to be careful what I wish for, I have several good years left but only have 3 cans left and cringe at the thought of paying $25 a lb.
Gearhart-Owen bought the black powder business from Du Pont in 1972. Initially the cans were marked GO. A few years later you see GOI. For Gearhart-Owen Industries. Then around 1976 Gearhart and Owens split. Once Gearhart and Owens parted company the parent company name was changed to Pengo Industries. About that time we see the name GOEX appear on the cans. For Gearhart Owen Explosives. Even though it was no longer Gearhart and Owen together.
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Did a bulk buy about 10 years ago from Powder, Inc. With hazmat and everything, figured out to $11.16 per lb for GOEX. Checked more recently and I think the best deal from them is in the 18.00 per pound range, for a 50 lb order.
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Just checked Powder Inc. web site
Goex is only 16.20 a lb in case lots, delivered.
Eysnford is 17.40 a lb in case lots delivered.
KIK is 14.10 by the case.
And apparently that would be the new prices with the higher transportation and product price increases
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All things considered, that's not too bad...it is true, though, shops sell it for over 20 per lb.