Got imitation black powder???

[Smoke_pole62]

Am fairly new with being a total smoke pole convert. Long story short over time I have aquired about 3 lbs of imitation black powder. I know it is very available in my area and tho I find it a hassle to clean the cost/availability vs shooting the real stuff has gotme wondering about staying with the fake stuff. Any advice or direction on brand or type of propellant?

[Bigsmoke]

Since you are posting this in the flintlock section, I am guessing you are going to be working with a flintlock?
Long answer short, the fake stuff won't work in a flinter.  Reason is it requires a hotter spark than the priming charge can provide.  It is for percussion guns.
So, back to the real stuff.
Also, there are several businesses that will ship minimal amounts of black powder, so local availability is not really an issue.
Welcome to the TMA.  It's a good place to hang your hat.
John

[amm1851]

Goex is my preferred powder.  Avoid Elephant brand powder if you can. It is dirty stuff. Never used the fake stuff, so I can't speak to it.

[Ohio Joe]

What Bigsmoke said, if you're shooting a flintlock it has to be real black powder. Welcome to the TMA.  

[Muley]

Use the real stuff. What gun do you have?

Here's a good source.

Black Powder & Cannon Fuse - Powders & Primers - Graf & Sons

[rollingb]

Smoke_pole62,.... you can still use up the 3 lbs. of fake powder that you have, by using a duplex load load consisting of 15 grns. of real black powder, followed by 40+ grn. main charge of your fake powder.
This will add an additional "step" in your regular loading process (powder-patch-ball), but it is a good way to use up the fake stuff to get rid of it.

ALSO,.... real black powder is an absolute must for priming the lock's pan for anything resembling reliable ignition (you'll never get the fake powder to ignite with sparks).  

Any brand FFFG real black powder will work for the duplex (starter) load, as well as for priming your pan.  

[Eric Krewson]

Another thing; that fake stuff is a lot more corrosive than the real stuff and requires about the same if not more careful cleaning than the real stuff.

A friend shot the fake stuff for years, he thought his cleaning procedure was adequate. He said his gun was shooting poorly this year so I gave it a test drive, poorly was an understatement.

This what his fake stuff (pyrodex) did to his barrel;

[Muley]

Doesn't look like he cleaned at all.

[Eric Krewson]

That is all rust and corrosion, I took the picture is after I scrubbed the barrel out with oil on a scotch bright pad. I sent the barrel to Bobby Hoyt and had it rebored to .54. The barrel came back a tack driver. I gave my friend some 2F and told him to ditch the pydrodex.

[Muley]

Hopefully, you gave him a cleaning lesson too. BP will still cause rust and corrosion.

What did Bobby charge to rebore? I'm thinking of poking my .54 out to .58 for bear hunting.

[Eric Krewson]

$145 return shipping included.

My friend was cleaning properly but not drying out the bore as well as he should have. The gun was in regular use for 30 years.

[Muley]

Ok, thanks.

[Smoke_pole62]

I have a couple of caplocks but i am really wanting to eventually get a flintlock. So i guess i will use up my pyrodex in my caps and cover to goex when i get my flintlock. Thanks for info

[Hawken]

See if this photo gives you a clue:

100yd by Sharps Man, on Flickr

Click on the photo to read the text! KIK 2F powder with Goex 4F in the pan!

[tuscarora]

I'll probably get tar and feathered for this, but I had a can of FF triple7 here, and thought I'd do some experimenting.  I first put 10 gr of 3F goex down the tube followed by 60 gr of the triple 7...Shot both a flinter and a sidelock percussion. Both fired flawlessly numerous times. I was using hornady conicals made for 1:66 twist.

 off the bench at 60 yds....accuracy was pretty impressive, but probably not as good as plain 3f goex.  My cap lock will shoot a tight cloverleaf at that range if I do my part with goex fff...But even with the triple 7 they shot very well.