Cowboy BP 8 & 10 loads

[StubTwist]

Originally Posted by Forrest Grilley

I have a Ferguson breech loading flintlock rifle that I have experimented with Swiss powder. At 100 yards switching from 3F Goex to 3F Swiss will raise the point of impact of the ball by 9 inches. I need to borrow a chronograph to find out what the actual change in velocity is, but just going by trajectory, it is significant.

9" change in point of impact is pretty significant I'd say too! I'd be curious how much increase in velocity you are getting with Swiss compared to Goex.

I did some searching to no avail regarding pressures but I did find this. To give credit where credit is due, I found it here http://blackpowderblog.blogspot.com/

One thing to bear in mind is that most folks believe that current-day blackpowder, Goex in particular, is significantly weaker than mass-produced blackpowder of the 18th and 19th centuries. this article notes 1250 fps as the velocity of a minie ball fired from a Civil War musket imported from England. If you were to use an equivalent charge of Goex 2F to propel the minie ball, velocity would likely be <1000 fps. The difference in powder strength is attributed to the charcoal used in the manufacture of the powder. Even today, no one disputes that Swiss powder, which is constructed of a different charcoal from Goex, produces higher velocities (and more recoil) on a weight-to-weight basis than Goex. So ... it would seem that there is some basis for the argument that blackpowder was originally stronger than what we have today. but I digress ....

[Hammer Fan]

Originally Posted by Frank Cronin

9" change in point of impact is pretty significant I'd say too! I'd be curious how much increase in velocity you are getting with Swiss compared to Goex.

I did some searching to no avail regarding pressures but I did find this. To give credit where credit is due, I found it here http://blackpowderblog.blogspot.com/

One thing to bear in mind is that most folks believe that current-day blackpowder, Goex in particular, is significantly weaker than mass-produced blackpowder of the 18th and 19th centuries. this article notes 1250 fps as the velocity of a minie ball fired from a Civil War musket imported from England. If you were to use an equivalent charge of Goex 2F to propel the minie ball, velocity would likely be <1000 fps. The difference in powder strength is attributed to the charcoal used in the manufacture of the powder. Even today, no one disputes that Swiss powder, which is constructed of a different charcoal from Goex, produces higher velocities (and more recoil) on a weight-to-weight basis than Goex. So ... it would seem that there is some basis for the argument that blackpowder was originally stronger than what we have today. but I digress ....

Outstanding find, thank you! That goes right along with what I have been led to believe as well. After learning about the properties of the antique sporting powders, I am much less apprehensive of using the so called "fast" burning 3F Goex. I need to do more experimenting/learning before I take the leap to heavy loads of 3F Swiss, but the results may put my modern 3" duck loads to shame. Which the Goex loads I am already experimenting with are pretty close to doing as it is. My old fashioned blackpowder and card wad 10 ga loads already pattern tighter and more uniformly than any of the bismuth loads I have been able to load up in my Ruger Red Label.