The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

1066 wrote:to be honest nothing compares with good quality black powder for accuracy and it's all I use now.

Absolutely!

However people seem to need to find out for themselves, I've got to the point where I've stopped advocating black due to the negative response I usually get for substitute shooters, most of whom have never tried the real stuff.

I know what I know and that does for me, devil take the hindmost to the rest.

I do have some black however it is donkeys years old. I will dig it out and report back.

When I was using my Rogers and Spencer (also Euroarms) for competition, I used 15gns of Swiss No. 2, topped off with Sainsbury's semolina (other semolinas are available. Just not as good!) and a smear of tallow or similar over the ball. A modest load and easy on the pocket but very accurate - regularly in the 90s, even with this buffoon behind it...

ovenpaa wrote:I do have some black however it is donkeys years old. I will dig it out and report back.

Age has nothing to do with it, I am using up my Curtis's and Harvey's stash from the 1960s at the moment, excellent powder, as pokey as Swiss, little fouling with a bit of compression and what there is is lovely and soft.

I have a 1/2lb tin of C&H fffg powder from the end of the 19th century and it is as new condition. So long as it has been kept relatively dry it keeps and keeps.

It is black powder fouling that is hygroscopic not the powder itself.

Just checked and I have a couple of unopened tubs of Col Farquharson's Favourite Sport Black Powder grade C. I wonder if it even exists these days or did in the first place. It would have come from Broomhills and may well have been their own brand.

Stick with Hodgdons loads as far as 777 is concerned. Adam is right, pressure spikes can occur when used outside of the factory developed data. 777 is not a black powder substitute but a nitro powder that can be used in muzzle loading arms, is the best description I've been given.

Co.l Farquarson's BP was, I think WANO (German). Peter Starley sells an equivalent and it is close to or the same as Kranks.
Fred

You will then need a Victorian urchin with a brush to climb up and down your barrel and chambers.

Well it worked. We headed out rather later than planned and proceeded to get caught up in various discussions once were at the range. Anyway, it went bang, hit the target and I managed to hold a 6" ish group at 25m which I am OK with given how long it is since I shot pistol (Denmark, SIG210M from memory) Interestingly I soon got into the swing of single hand deliberate and quite enjoyed myself.

On the subject of enjoying themselves the Viking had grabbed a couple of Marlin 1894's chambered in .357Mag plus 100 rounds which she assured me would be ample. She came away with an empty ammunition box and a big smile although it is fair to say I did help a little in using them.
Yes I know it is out of focus, blame the person taking the picture

Glad you had fun.

That looks really smokey or is it just the photo?

When I shoot a gun for the first time, especially pistols I always put the first dozen or so shots through it rested.

This gives me a measure of the load and gun as a benchmark for offhand shooting, all load development is done rested just don't set the sights for offhand shooting from the rested position especially if you are filing down the foresight.