To the topic of drying blackpowder
As was stated in the other thread blackpowder is made through a wet process, so getting it wet does not destroy the powder. It can be dried and rescreened (if necessary) and used.
As to whether it leaches out some nitrates, that may be true but will not affect whether you can use the powder. The formula for blackpowder today is pretty well set, it was not that exact in the early days. Often Blackpowder from the same 'factory' would be of different composition for each batch or it may have depended where the powder came from how much of each component was used. Often, since how the powder was made was not a secret, people would make their own powder and add other ingredients (e.g. sugar) for more bang. The worse effect this could have is to make it more prone to fouling than was normally the case.
I would shoot several shots from your rifle or pistol at half load or less to begin with, see how it does and then work up your load from there.
As always when handling explosives, ammunitions or firearms, be careful. Then have fun.
Oh yea, rescreen before it drys completely, and make sure you use a nonspark generating screen (brass)
When you wrestle a 'gator, there ain't no good end!!
"Molon Labe!" Spartan General-King Leonidas
As to whether it leaches out some nitrates, that may be true but will not affect whether you can use the powder. The formula for blackpowder today is pretty well set, it was not that exact in the early days. Often Blackpowder from the same 'factory' would be of different composition for each batch or it may have depended where the powder came from how much of each component was used. Often, since how the powder was made was not a secret, people would make their own powder and add other ingredients (e.g. sugar) for more bang. The worse effect this could have is to make it more prone to fouling than was normally the case.
I would shoot several shots from your rifle or pistol at half load or less to begin with, see how it does and then work up your load from there.
As always when handling explosives, ammunitions or firearms, be careful. Then have fun.
Oh yea, rescreen before it drys completely, and make sure you use a nonspark generating screen (brass)
When you wrestle a 'gator, there ain't no good end!!
"Molon Labe!" Spartan General-King Leonidas
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thats what i needed to hear! thanks for the insight. i knew there had to be more to bp than i first thought. i confused modern smokeless with old bp. ive been schooled. 0 -
The powder in the rusting can was never outdoors.
It was only used to prepare a finer flour granulation (using only wooden tools) for the pan of a flintlock I had in the late '50s.
Any moisture in the powder came from humidity in the air whenever the can was opened. It was never really wet. I realize now this can had been closed for over 40 years. Like any salt the nitrate will try to absorb moisture and did. As the Captain suggested, some potassium nitrate may have leeched out and slightly weakened the powder. Recognizing all my black powder may have taken up moisture and degraded to some extent,
the issue here is to possibly take advantage of the low relative humidity in the heated house and reduce the moisture level in the black powder. I have a bunch of it. I would never use artificial heat.
Has anyone such experience?0
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