Thread: Black Powder 1000 years old. Nitro 140 years young

Just putting it out there that some people seem to think that Black Powder is pretty scary stuff and might not be safe to use in modern or vintage guns

Black Powder ( BP) is thought to have started being used in the 9th century
BP is thought to have been uses in weapons from the 10th century.
So it was pretty well the only option for One Thousand Years

Nitro cellulose smokeless powder aka Nitro was invented and brought to the market in 1884 so has been around for a mere 140 years !

So I'm just saying BP isn't the scary thing some people seem too think it is

We are very lucky to have an expert commercial BP Powder maker in NZ who's product and service is superb.

Recently I have been accused of being "a dangerous person too know"
( That isn't dangerous as in blowing up guns either )

More to come

Used to love playing with the blasting powder variety. Came in the size of small gravel. Nothing like walking back to a log you have blown into three or four pieces with the smell of pine resin and black powder mingled together

Our club is looking at introducing black powder in cartridge comp. Thats why I've been looking as casting projectiles.
Can I change from black powder rounds to nitro with xtp's as long as I clean the barrel between changes or am I missing something.
xtp's have no lube and cast rounds use loads for lube.

Flintlock ignition era was from early 1500s until 1850 so lasted around 350 years

Percussion ignition was a pretty short era from 1840 for a mere 40 years

Originally Posted by XR500

Used to love playing with the blasting powder variety. Came in the size of small gravel. Nothing like walking back to a log you have blown into three or four pieces with the smell of pine resin and black powder mingled together

I have a bag of this that I acquired not sure what to do with it

Originally Posted by Padox

I have a bag of this that I acquired not sure what to do with it

You ain't got no trees for starters

Post holes in rock got plenty of those

Get a full size 8 pounder cannon