Underdog Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Men, my patterns have gone poop in all my front stuffers! Changed load combo's, wads and cards, nothing improves! What I have noticed is a change in recoil! An increase in recoil. Kranks medium powder but another bottle! Has any of you noticed a change from lot to lot in black powder performance? Thanks. U. Edited November 10, 2014 by Underdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 How have your patterns changed? Is there a gap or sparse area in the middle? I wonder if for whatever reason the new powder is producing more power and "blowing" the pattern. I had this with a Zouave carbine I had, whereby it was quite hard to get a good pattern. In the end I followed the old maxim of "Little powder, much lead - shoots far, kills dead". In other words, I worked the shot charge up a little and the powder down a little and it all came together. In that case though I suspect the problem was the product of the very short barrel not giving the charge time to burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 is it with one lot of powder ? in the nitro world, using less powder reduces the gas volume behind the shot, the pressure / gas volume pretty much done by the time its at the chokes (thats the end of the barrel UD) some of the high performance loads doughnut, due to the gas volume behind the wad, also maybe shot is in bedding in the fibre wads and the increased weight of shot + wad is punching a whole right through. as with "load" and "load" versatility, do what zapp says, reduced powder charge (nothing silly mind) and a good oomph of lead. try the 1,1/8oz lead with the 2-2.5 dram BP.(or the amount youd use to shoot just 7/8 -1oz of shot) its a front stuffer so will not respond as nitro would this approach has worked wonders for subsonics, although i could be talking out of my bottom. give it a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriBsa Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 Are there modern versions of the Eprouvette powder testers of old, or is it now assumed that with more modern production methods there will not be variations from batch to batch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 Thanks gents. Yes doughnut patterns. I always use less powder than shot and are familiar with using less to lead volume. It does improve below 3/4 volume of powder but I was concerned with velocity getting to low but that probably is a mute point! So are we saying black powder lots can be different? I have some of the previous batch, I need to test the theory don't I. I did notice something at the weekend with the double, not shot it for a while and it was more lively than before! U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 So are we saying black powder lots can be different? I cant say, as I use Pyro, but you'd certainly hope not. Presumably there is no visible difference in the coarseness of the powder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 I cant say, as I use Pyro, but you'd certainly hope not. Presumably there is no visible difference in the coarseness of the powder? No sir. The other chap mentioned a device. Was that a pistol type thing with a gauge on it? I vaguely remember seeing them , I wonder how important they were now!! U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Black powder is the most variable powder imaginable. Batch to batch, different brands and how it has been stored. Thats why they used to keep cartridges on the fireplace, and Im not joking! Almost a contradiction to say this but its also very unfussy and forgiving. Those powder testers are a gimmick, dont waste your money. If you are getting blown patterns I would start by looking at the wads. Edited November 10, 2014 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Black powder is the most variable powder imaginable. Batch to batch, different brands and how it has been stored. Thats why they used to keep cartridges on the fireplace, and Im not joking! Almost a contradiction to say this but its also very unfussy and forgiving. Those powder testers are a gimmick, dont waste your money. If you are getting blown patterns I would start by looking at the wads. Thanks, I did say I had tried all types of was combos! U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Powder shouldnt blow the patterns because its an in flight thing but the top wad can get in the way of the shot in flight and impede it, thats what I meant by checking the wads. The other cause of blown patterns is over chokeed barrels but thats not going to be the case with a m/l Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Powder shouldnt blow the patterns because its an in flight thing but the top wad can get in the way of the shot in flight and impede it, thats what I meant by checking the wads. The other cause of blown patterns is over chokeed barrels but thats not going to be the case with a m/l What you say should not does and is documented many many times.Making sweeping assumptions like that don't help and can cause a possibility to be overlooked. U :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 UD, the one thing that is pretty consistent is nitro, you may want to look into it ! and look to one of those guns that breaks open, and you put cartridges in. they really are a modern wonder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 UD, the one thing that is pretty consistent is nitro, you may want to look into it ! and look to one of those guns that breaks open, and you put cartridges in. they really are a modern wonder. Never catch on lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Your right! Incidently, you ever manage to do a Honker with your BP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Your right! Incidently, you ever manage to do a Honker with your BP? No gave up, besides got no house bricks to make the sauce with!! I did try another batch of powder today for a few shots and got a fox, two squirrels and a magpie. But they were very close so not conclusive, in saying that the gun seemed softer! No camera:-(. U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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