Black Powder

[Rumba Rue]

I'm asking for my other half, Boats. He wants to know where he can get real black powder?

He's bought some that were "suppose" to be, but they fouled his gun up pretty bad and would not ignite.

The last time he went out to the desert a couple of months ago, he literally had to light the flash hole with a barbeque lighter in order to get rid of all the gunky supposed gun powder stuck in in his gun. The lighter worked, but he certainly doesn't want to go through that again.

He also has concerns about companies shipping black powder.

Any help from you very knowledgeable people would be great!

Thanks,

Rumba

[Red-Handed Jill]

What kind is he using? Real black powder does gunk up the works, which is why you should clean your gun after each session of use.

Here's a useful page about the various types of black powder, including synthetic:

Black powder page

Jack and I use Pyrodex and have found that it gunks up our muzzleloaders less than Goex does.

[Graydog]

Mail Order:

COONIE'S BLACK POWDER

Box 2062

Hobbs, NM 88241

(800) 713-6321; Fax

(505) 393-6060

Ask for Coonie, Patty or Sean.

They don't take Charge Cards, but do take M.O. or check, 25 pounds minium order (price over $12 a pound).

Note- if you order 25 pounds and you are going to keep it all (vs. doing a group order that you hand out right away), then you need to check with either your local Police or Fire to see how much you can maintain without a magazine. You can receive by ground shipment the 25 pounds no problem. The issue is local regulations for storage. The amount you can keep on site really varies by location in California, in some places its as low as one (1) pound!

(I am sure as soon as our state legislature finds out there is a loophole that allows 25 pounds of powder to be shipped directly to citizens they'll make this illegal. But for now, they haven't figured it out.)

Or you can order on line from:

Track of the Wolf

Or if you are in the greater Los Angeles area:

Martin B. Retting's

11029 Washington Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90232

(310) 837-2412

www.retting.com

(Will order powder for you)

or

Walker `47

95 E Orangethorpe Ave

Anaheim, CA 92801

(714) 871-8171

www.walker47.com

(Will NOT order powder for you. You are stuck with what they have on hand as to grade of black powder.)

or

DAVE'S GUN & ARCHERY

766 South Lugo Avenue

San Bernardino, California

909-884-5584

Info site, not a website

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/bytownresults.asp?ID=4021

(Will NOT order powder for you. You are stuck with what they have on hand as to grade of black powder.)

Price at each of the above local shops is around $20 a pound and they can't keep much powder on hand and can only sell you one (1) pound a day. That's per person, so go in a group.

[Rumba Rue]

Thank you so much Ransom and Graydog!

The information was quite useful and I think Boats understands more now.

[hurricane]

We get ours from the Maine Powder House. They allow you to order just 10 pounds if you want.

http://www.mainepowderhouse.com/catalog.php

-- Hurricane

[MajorChaos]

Another place that I've found, if you have any in the area... Outdoor World/Bass Pro shops. Here in Maryland, I pick up 3F powder for 19.99 plus tax at the Outdoor World.

[Rumba Rue]

Uh, that's what Boat's has and it clogged up his gun very badly, which is why he was looking for better stuff.

Unfortunately he doesn't need 10 pounds of the stuff, be he located a place in El Cajon here in San Diego that sells black powder, and I think he will be going there this Saturday to check it out.

[hurricane]

I use 2F for the prime and the charge. It's been a good choice here in the warmer climes.

-- Played with a bunch of it in the backyard yesterday for fun -- made lines of it, fuse like. Danged fun stuff, it is!

-- Hurricane