New Pan Powder Substitute

[Osprey]

Pulled this off today's Outdoor Wire, thought most on here would like to see it.  Don't see the point, but I guess if you can't find blackpowder to buy it would be an important option.



     "Colebrook, New Hampshire- BlackMag Industries of Colebrook, New Hampshire, makers of BlackMagXP muzzleloader propellant, a proven blackpowder replacement propellant, has introduced a new product to their powder line.

Called "FLASH," the new powder is the first blackpowder replacement specifically designed for the flash pan in flintlock muzzleloaders. Like BlackMag XP, "Flash" is non-hygroscopic, is moisture resistant and is actually recoverable after exposure to moisture, has a low ignition temperature to ensure faster, sure-fire ignitions and is non-fouling, is non corrosive, non-toxic and biodegradeable. The granulation size of "Flash," 40 to 50 microns in size, is comparable to FFFG blackpowder and is designed to optimize ignition in both old and new style flintlock flash pans with varying flash hole sizes. "Flash" is designed solely as a priming powder in flintlock muzzleloaders, and should not be used in the bore as a primary charge.

"We realize in today's muzzleloading market the number of flintlocks used is comparatively small," says Craig Sanborn, President and CEO of BlackMag Industries. "But it is an important and dedicated fraternity, and with blackpowder becoming increasingly difficult to find we wanted to provide a reliable and viable alternative."

The new "Flash" powder will be packaged in convenient 150-grain, waterproof speed loaders designed for field application.

For more information both dealers and consumers are invited to contact BlackMag Industries directly or visit the company's web site at http://www.BlackMagPowder.com. "

[Mike R]

...I have read that this flash powder works well as prime for the company's BP substitute powder in flintlocks without the need for true BP duplex loads--may just be advertising...but it is nice to know that a flint friendly substitute is on the market for those that cannot find BP locally--I have had trouble and it is getting expensive....but until BP becomes unattainable, I'll use the real stuff...

[biliff]

Saw it listed for sale on some internet sight. They sell it in 150gr tubes. The price worked out to over $400 a lb without figuring in shipping, etc..

[Gordon H.Kemp]

Well , I've read all their informationl ,  and overall they make it sound wonderfull , IF the smell of sulphur and the little extra cleaning needed to clean after using REAL BP  is ofencive to you then I guess it would have solved these problems. For myself , I'll stick with the reaj thing as long as possible. Looking at the price difference between Blackmag and Real BP it sounds like it is much more expensive .

[Trois Castors]

The price worked out to over $400 a lb......

Do you use less of this"stuff"by volume than BP and supposedly
get the same results?

[biliff]

The price worked out to over $400 a lb......

Do you use less of this"stuff"by volume than BP and supposedly
get the same results?

Don't know. It would have to be an awful lot less to even out, though. Even at 1 grain per pan charge, you're still talking 6 cents a shot just for prime.

[followed by]

I can't figure out the difference between the old style and new style flintock flashpan! LOL

[Gordon H.Kemp]

Can't remember for certain , but didn't some one market a flintlock with a modified pan and flash channel that was supposed to ignite the pills ?
when they first started marketing the pills it seems they had a small amount of real BP in the center.

[Mike R]

Are you sure about the $400/lb--the prices I saw were more like $40-50 /lb?  And I heard that you could use about half normal charge--so that equates to about $25/lb equivalent BP--still quite a bit higher than BP.

[biliff]

I'm talking about the flash pan powder not the main charge powder (which is what I think you're referencing at $40/lb).

They're selling the priming powder at $8.95 for 150 grains per container. That's 46.66 containers to make one pound X $8.95 per container = $420/lb. Yeah, it comes in its own handy plastic tube but still.....

[Mike R]

I'm talking about the flash pan powder not the main charge powder (which is what I think you're referencing at $40/lb).

They're selling the priming powder at $8.95 for 150 grains per container. That's 46.66 containers to make one pound X $8.95 per container = $420/lb. Yeah, it comes in its own handy plastic tube but still.....

OK, they are gouging you for the container--which I understand is the dispenser too--that is, it is its own priming device--of course being plastic it would not work too well for pre-1840 events...and priming powder lasts a long time--a pound would take me at least a long time to use up [say 3 gr per charge, 2333 shots per pound]. I have been working on using up a tiny plastic pill bottle sized ffffg amount for a long time now--a gift from a buddy who has cans of the stuff....

[Uncle Russ]

I am not familiar with this product at all, never seen it advertised, and have never read anything about it. However, I am glad to hear such a product may be available.

Here's why I feel that way...........
I was talking to two guys just before Christmas that have owned muzzleloaders for the past ten or eleven years, according to them, and both of them were surprised that I actually use real black powder....I guess surprised is not the right word, amazed is closer to the truth. Actually, they were totally amazed that real black powder even existed!!

Both of these young men (mid thirties) are from this area, and both of them thought that real black powder was a thing of the past....since they both hunt "once ever two or three years" with their muzzleloaders, they were told by "the guy behind the counter" that Pyrodex was all that was available and performed much better than that old fashioned black powder stuff....they took his word for it, bought a couple cans each, and never questioned him or anyone else.

The reason I mention this is because I got to wondering just how many more are in the same boat. They got their muzzleloaders so they could extend their hunting season, which was true about ten years ago, but that is a thing of the past.

Real black powder is from hard to almost impossible for some folks to come by, without driving a couple of hundred miles and most folks are just not up to that kind of thing.

Many of us have enough powder, real black powder, to last us for many years.
Others, like the two guys I mentioned, never really get into muzzleloading because the performance of their guns with the "powder" they have been talked into buying gives less than sterling results, so they never develop the guns full potential, and quickly loose interest....that guy behind the counter, especially in our large chain stores, can often do more harm than good, simply because he / she  has no clue.

See where I'm going with this?

If there is actually a product on the market that will help the faux powders perform even marginally better, I am all for it.
I feel fairly sure that my grandkids will not have real black powder avaible to them twenty years from now, seeing the way things are today.

Keep us posted on this product, it may be a God send, albeit in wolf's clothing because it is not "real", but it just may help in some small way to keep the sport alive.

Still yet, at the prices I'm seeing....no matter what the merits, it will never receive wide acceptance untill technology and competition brings that price down.

Sorry I got long winded, but some things seem to need a little more talkin than others.

Uncle Russ...

[Kermit]

I recently gave 4lbs of Pyrodex and 3 or 4 boxes of caps (been laying around for a couple of decades) to a young feller who shoots a pre-cussin gun and is struggling in today's economy.

Can't see any good reason to stop using the "real thing" until it's absolutely prohibitive. What's that? I can see paying $50/lb for black, even on my slim retirement income. BUT DON'T TELL GOEX!!!

And as for availability, you can still order it shipped in, no?

Maybe I should order up some more...

[Longhunter]

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[Gordon H.Kemp]

I have to agree with russ , IF the BlackMag will perform in a flinter and can be used volume to volumr basis like Pyrodex , it should keep the antis at bay for a little longer. Although I hate to admit it , I can invision the day when real bp sales to private individuals will be prohibited . As Russ pointed out , the price of this new sub will drop inprice as compition grows.
      I'm certain there are others here that remember when a person could buy from a few sticks to a case of no#40 dynomite at the area farm supply with very little paper work involved. No one then thought the day would come when , you would have to pass a security check, and have to attend classes and buy a license with large amounts of forms to fill out , But IT HAPPENED!  
       I think bp will go out the same way. So I would agree with Russ that it may be a God send if this sub. will really work as claimed and function in Flinters. I just hope they can through a handfull of sulphur in some for us old farts.