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Torso Targets Survival Primer Website has made these (upper & full) torso targets available for downloading.

Yitzhak sent us this eMail - This website contains numerous links to e-books written around the 1900's era, mostly by US Military personal. They cover three main topics: firearms, military, and history. Hope this helps!  {Thanks, Yitzhak!}

Blackpowder Weapons

Firearms in 1876: Firearms—Muzzle-loaders —Breech-loaders —Rifles —Revolvers —Shot-belt versus Pouch—The better Plan for cleaning Guns. Excerpt from: "At Home In The Wilderness" By John Keast Lord, 1876; Chapter 10

Cap & Ball Revolver Basics The open framed Colt Army and Navy models were the most popular percussion revolvers used in the Civil War. Although the Colt is still a favorite with many casual shooters and reenactors, competitive target shooters prefer Remington or Rogers and Spencer six-guns, which have solid topstraps with rear sight grooves. The latter guns provide a better and more consistent sight picture than that offered by the Colt's hammer notch rear sight.

Rifle Muskets In February I had an interesting conversation with a gunsmith who works on rifle muskets returned for repair to a major importer of Italian-made black powder guns. When I asked him what the most common problem he encountered with the returned muskets was, he looked me straight in the eye and answered, without hesitation, "the people shooting them."

Spencer Carbines - Part 1 The Spencer repeater was one of the two most advanced firearms to see service in the War for Southern Independence, the other being the Henry. In spite of the fact that the mechanism was patented just before the war, the first general issue of these weapons was not until January 1863.

Spencer Carbines - Part 2 Part One presented the rather considerable obstacles faced by the Spencer Rifle Company in getting orders and starting production. This is only part of the story. The new repeater's field service deserves a look as well. There were other repeaters in use by mid 1863, notably Colt's revolving rifle and Henry's magazine rifle. The latter began the long line of lever action Winchesters that continues to this day. However, Spencer's weapons were the first repeaters to see action in significant numbers.

Spencer's Repeaters In 1863, two guns that literally changed the course of firearms history were first delivered to the U.S. government. These are the Henry and Spencer repeaters. These arms were among the first to use rimfire cartridges. The Henry was not actually designed as a military weapon. Some were purchased by the Army due to the emergency of the war. The Spencer, however, was specifically intended for military service.

Spencer Repeaters, Part II With the introduction of substantial numbers of repeaters to front line units, a change in the style of command, and the types of commanders, rapidly took place. Officers with unusually large amounts of bravado (and possibly disregard for the welfare of their troops) began to succeed using tactics that heretofore would have been near suicidal.

Combat Musketry, Accuracy Everyone who has had the unfortunate experience of being in a firefight knows that excited soldiers tend to fire high. Hunters faced with the need for a quick shot often display similar tendencies, and I would guess that most missed shots at game are high ones.

Ordnance Questions & Answers Since I began this column several months ago I have been queried both in person and via correspondence on a number of Civil War arms topics. Several of these queries on the historical and modern use of Civil War guns have wider import, and I'll try to answer a few on ammunition in this month's column.

Shooting the Rogers & Spencer Revolver The Rogers & Spencer is an improved Freeman, with a less severe grip style, a heavier frame and a stronger octagon barrel of identical 7 1/2" length. Interestingly, the Rogers & Spencer design is eligible for N-SSA competitions because the contract was consummated before the end of hostilities. The current reproduction of the Rogers & Spencer Army Model Revolver is produced in Italy and available from several merchants who deal in blackpowder pistols.

Shooting the Remington New Model Army the Remington New Model Army Revolver, known to civil war enthusiasts as "the Remington," and sometimes referred to by it's patent date as the "Model 1858." The Remington is an excellent workhorse of a revolving pistol, capable of delivering round after round in a single day, which makes it great for skirmishing, as well as Cowboy Action Shooting. The Remington outnumbers all other types of revolvers on the line at both types of shoots, by more than 2 to 1.

Black Powder Shotgun Basics Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) When you mention black powder shooting, most people assume you are speaking of black powder rifles, maybe black powder pistols, but rarely black powder shotguns. The rifles get all the glory, and shotguns are relegated to the background. That's too bad, because a more versatile and enjoyable black powder gun doesn't exist than the shotgun.

Shooting the .45LC Henry The .45 Long Colt was developed as a blackpowder cartridge and was first introduced in 1873. Together with the .38 S&W, which is five years younger than the .45 Long Colt, it is the only blackpowder cartridge to have commercially survived to the dawn of the 21st Century. A trip to any local gun shop will in all likelihood reveal a box of either .45 Long Colt or .38 S&W ammo (or both) in stock. And, you would have found them in stock in the 1920s, the 1940s, the 1960s and the 1980s. Sure, specialty ammo dealers might recently begun to have stocked ammunition for Cowboy Action Shooting in .38 Long Colt, 32-20 or .44-40, but they weren't being stocked 20 years ago. The .45 Long Colt has always been in stock. And always will be. It is a cartridge for the ages.

Shooting the Maynard Carbine Dr. Edward Maynard was the inventor of the Tape Priming Mechanism that bears his name, and which is found on thousands of U.S. martial arms manufactured in the 1850's. Dr. Maynard was a prolific tinkerer in arms design, and the Maynard Carbine is a result of that inquisitive search. Maynard frequently assigned his patents to industrialists to manufacture, and collected a fee for use of his patent rights, and so it was with the carbine that bears his name.

Navy Arms Smith Carbine New Jersey- based Navy Arms Co. started out a quarter-of-a-century ago providing reproduction black-powder revolvers to history buffs who wanted an inexpensive alternative to shooting costly, and perhaps unsafe, original weapons. Today, the Navy Arms catalog includes Henrys, Muskets, Sharps Rifles and Carbines, and LeMat Revolvers, as well as the well-known Smith Carbine.

Shooting the .69 Smoothbore Shooting the 1842 is a lot of fun. The mass of the arm keeps the heavy load from bothering you, and it is surprising how well they really shoot when used properly. My lock needed a little timing to reduce the trigger pull for marksmanship, but the trigger pull was not too excessive for reenacting. See also: .69 Smoothbores

Burnside Carbine - part 1:History Ambrose Everett Burnside was born in 1824 and graduated from the U. S. Military Academy in 1847, being posted as a Lieutenant of Artillery to Mexico that same year. He arrived too late to see any action, but continued to serve with the Artillery in the newly acquired territories in the Southwestern United States. Official Army documents record that Burnside was wounded in a skirmish with Apaches in 1849, but saw no other action under fire. His last post of duty in the military service was at Ft. Adams, in Newport, R.I. While stationed at Ft. Adams, in July 1853, Lt. Burnside requested permission from the Secretary of War to have the Springfield Armory construct a model of a firearm of his design, obviously for the purpose of satisfying the "working model" requirement of the U.S. Patent Office. With a working model, Burnside established his first company, Burnside & Bishop, which was destroyed by fire in late 1853. With the insurance money, Burnside then formed the Bristol Firearm Company in January 1854. See also: part 2:Shooting and part 3:Rebuilding.

Combustible Paper Cartridges for Revolvers The combustible paper pistol cartridge is not new. They are listed in Army records dating back to before the Civil War. I have seen original, unopened packages of Colt paper cartridges at gun shows, in history books and even an antique store. I have found a combustible paper pistol cartridge to be easy to use and load, and using them has allowed me to practice more, which has improved my miserable pistol performance to where today I am almost mediocre!

Historical Black Powder firearms. If you are interested in marksmanship and history, the last decade has seen the rise in a type of firearm you'd find most interesting: the historical reproduction. These are exact, functional replicas of significant firearms. Not only can you purchase these without hitting the astronomical prices that an original commands, you can also take them out, fire them, and experience their strengths, and their drawbacks.

In-Line Muzzleloading Rifle Guide We are serious and experienced hunters. Let us help you select an in-line muzzleloading rifle suitable for the game you hunt and your hunting style.

Extensive faq information about modern black powder muzzle loading rifles suitable for hunting. Information included can benefit both the novice and the experienced hunter that uses a muzzle loader.

Cap-n-Ball Basics Cap-n-ball revolvers are some of the funnest handguns around to shoot. Modern day handguns may pack more of a punch, but nothing feels more powerful than these old revolvers. Even if you shoot only the latest fast shooting, hard hitting semi-autos, you will get a thrill out of a big, heavy .44, bucking in your hands. Everything about these guns says they were made for power – their size, their weight, their bullets. When fired, they let out a deep-throated cannon like boom, and fill the air with a white pungent cloud of smoke.

Buying A Muzzle Loader Since the modern muzzleloading era started some 35 years ago, there have been several million muzzleloading firearms sold in this country. This makes buying a used one a real possibility. First, try to find a company that is still in business so that parts and service will be more readily available. Even with a company such as C.V.A. that is still in business, it may be difficult to find parts for their early models.

Traditions; Buckskinner And Pioneer Rifles Hank Strong Black Powder Journal It was the first of August when Art stopped by to chat about Kentucky's early muzzle loading season in October. Like myself; he hunts solely with a muzzle loader throughout deer season. During the conversation he mentioned that he was looking for a new rifle. Ironically two carbines had just arrived from Traditions for testing. Art is a small framed person and was looking for something that would fit him in a .50 caliber rifle with a fast twist barrel.

Long Range Hunting By Hank Strong Black Powder Journal "Any load's accuracy depends upon more than where then were the hammer is located. Sidelock rifles demonstrated that they were just as accurate as the inlines and in some instances more so."

Building A Muzzleloading Rifle From "SCRATCH" By Rick Kindig Black Powder Journal The students began arriving early for the first day of class, loaded down with all the materials needed for their lessons. The excitement level may not have matched that day long ago when they went off to the opening day of first grade, but the adults attending the first Gun Building class at the Log Cabin Shop were obviously more than ready for the experience of hand-making their own rifle from component parts.

The Green Mountain Carbine Barrel Black Powder Journal Hank tests the Green Mountain drop in barrel. By Hank Strong Marksmanship and the Long Rifle are synonymous. In our minds and in our country's development, the two are inseparable. This is reflected in our early military history and continues in our present day muzzle loading matches. But the Long Rifle has draw backs. In close quarters or heavy brush it is awkward to handle. If the barrel were shortened, improved handling and reduced weight for the rifleman would result.

The Knight Inline Rifles Black Powder Journal A test of Knight's inline muzzle loading rifles. By Hank Strong The Knight rifles have been around since 1985, and during that time they have developed a following that is akin to the popularity the Hawken rifle gained in the mid 1800's. Why has this rifle taken muzzleloading hunters by storm?

It's All In The Barrel Black Powder Journal Improve your sidelocks accuracy with a drop-in barrel. By Hank Strong Drop-in barrels offer dramatic improvements for modern sidelock muzzle loading rifles.

A Guide to Muzzle Loading Accuracy By Ozzie Black Powder Journal Many beginning black powder shooters find they are unable to achieve the accuracy they expect from their muzzleloading rifles. Here are some areas to check out.

Shooting the Flintlock Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) The time of the flintlock on the world stage has come and gone, but a rich history of their use in both peace and war remains. Many modern black powder shooters find shooting them a fascinating pastime, and interest in them seems to be increasing. This FAQ will consider some aspects of shooting flintlocks which I have come to understand in the twenty-five years since I bought my first.

Sighting-In the Black Powder Rifle Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) How sweet it is to be able to put shot after shot into the bull, shoot those small groups we all admire so. How do we set up the sights on our rifle to make that happen, though? This discussion will consider some basics in accomplishing that, shooting your favorite load, at your favorite distance and target.

Percussion Lock Terminology Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) Well done photographs with pointers and numbers delineating the various parts.

Trigger Function and Terminology Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) The sights settle in on the target, you tighten your finger ever so gently on the trigger, and the gun fires. A solid hit! If the gun is set up properly, you were probably totally unaware of the functioning of the trigger, but if it hadn't worked well, that hit may have been a miss. What exactly happens when you pull that trigger? As with so many other things...it all depends.

Some Thoughts on Gun Fit Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) Many factors are involved in shooting any long gun accurately. One which is not well understood by many shooters, and to which too little attention is paid by most of us, is the fit of the gun to the shooter. Since we don't usually have an opportunity to choose between different stock configurations, but must accept the gun as it was built, we tend not to give much thought to what is involved in gun fit, we just shoot what we have.

The Kentucky Rifle Song Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) After the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1814, the last battle of the War of 1812, a popular song was written by Samuel Woodworth to celebrate the feats of the men of Kentucky who had taken part under the command of Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson. The tune became the campaign song for Andrew Jackson's successful 1828 bid for the presidency and was popular throughout his two terms. It is generally agreed that one line in this song is the basis for the name applied to the longrifle, still used today, the Kentucky Rifle. Kentucky rifle, because it was used by Kentuckians, not that it was made or developed in Kentucky, since it never was.

Flint Lock Terminology Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) Well done photographs with pointers and numbers delineating the various parts.

Basic Lock Function Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) How many of us understand the detailed workings of the lock on our black powder long gun or pistol? Not as many as should do so, even among experienced shooters, I suspect. Since such an understanding is central to the consistent and efficient functioning of our guns, and also has significant safety considerations, a discussion of basic lock construction and function seems appropriate.

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Blackpowder Technique

The Mathematical Shooter The sport of black powder shooting, whether hunting or competitive, exposes the shooter to the need to understand some simple mathematical equivalents, formulae and relationships. This is true no matter how casual our shooting, and we will enjoy the shooting more if we understand a few of the basics. Charles Winthrop Sawyer, who wrote the book _Our Rifles_ early in this century, expressed this well when he said, "Rifled arms are the delight of mathematicians and scientists, affording never ending allurement in the attempt to make them do what they often fail to do and yet are theoretically capable of doing." One need not be a mathematician or scientist to understand that challenge and that allure.

Sighting-In the Black Powder Rifle How sweet it is to be able to put shot after shot into the bull, shoot those small groups we all admire so. How do we set up the sights on our rifle to make that happen, though? This discussion will consider some basics in accomplishing that, shooting your favorite load, at your favorite distance and target.

BLACK POWDER If you are going to shoot black powder guns you really need to know what black powder is, how to select the right black powder for you gun, and understand the differences between real black powder and the black powder substitutes that are now available.

Blackpowder 101 As skirmishers and shooters, we all use blackpowder as a propellant in our shooting irons. But, how much do we really know about blackpowder? I wonder if, at times, we just don't take blackpowder for granted.

Clean as a Whistle Nothing is more important to a shooter and skirmisher as cleaning his or her weapon properly after each use. Whether you are shooting a $2,000 original or a $100 reproduction you purchased used; whether you are reenacting with a repro or an original -- nothing is more important then knowing how to clean each weapon completely and properly. No single cause is more prevalent in the early demise of serviceable weapons then inappropriate attention spent cleaning that weapon.

Care of Breechloaders The following article on the care and cleaning of breechloaders was originally printed in a Company Newsletter in a style which creates a Civil War era for the reader. However, all of the methods mentioned for cleaning etc. are proven modern, safe methods.

How Old is Too Old? There are as many old wives tales about the shelf life of blackpowder as there are old wives, so it was hard to separate the wheat from the chaff in developing this article. Some skirmishers say if it's older than a couple months, don't use it. Others point out that antique cartridges like .44 Russians and .45 Colts can still be fired 100 years after they were manufactured, which is true. Just what is the story with the shelf life of blackpowder loads; how old is too old?

Lock Timing A polished lock benefits anyone who uses a civil war musket or carbine - even breech loaders can benefit from a timed and polished lock mechanism. In a standard Springfield or Enfield lock there are six major bearing surfaces which will benefit from polishing. These surfaces are: the mainspring and plate surface; the tumbler and plate surface; the tumbler and bridle surface; the bridle and sear surface; the sear and plate surface; and the hammer and external plate/stock surfaces.

Pistol Patterning & Barrel Soaker I think this type of patterning is useful, whether you are shooting individuals or team targets. First, patterning helps you develop a good load, and then proves that it works. Second, it identifies your best shooting chambers, if you are inclined to only shoot those chambers in individual competition. And third, it means more practice, and practice is only going to make you a better shooter. The idea behind the barrel soaker concept is to submerge the barrel in liquid to loosen the debris in the bore. It also helps loosen rust from exterior pits and gouges.

Lock, Stock & Barrel A musket or carbine has three main subsystems which together form the whole, and they are: the lock, the stock and the barrel. The barrel provides the chamber for holding a load, and ignition, as well as providing the best platform for sights. The stock provides a framework for mounting the barrel and necessary hardware to ignite and propel the load, as well as the means by which the entire weapon is assembled. The lock ignites the charge. Of the three components the lock is the most complicated, but it also ranks highest in importance. A barrel is either good or it isn't. A barrel has only two parts - breech and barrel. Understanding the barrel and how it works is a simple matter.

One Gun For All Seasons Hank Strong. Black Powder Journal "What I am thinking of? Shooting at 600 pounds of charging boar with a muzzle loading rifle!"

How To Avoid Muzzle Loading Problems Rick Kindig Black Powder Journal A chronic malfunction.... the frozen bolt syndrome is becoming ever more common.

HOW TO: Work Up A Black Powder Load Cooper Jerret Black Powder Journal I have been shooting black powder guns for longer than I care to admit. The one question that I have heard repeatedly is, "What is the best load for my gun?" If you hang around black powder shooters for any length of time you will find that there are more answers to that question than grains in a can of powder. Or as my side kick likes to say, "It depends." So if it depends, then perhaps I can help with what it depends on. The first thing that it depends upon is whether you are target shooting, and this includes plinking, or hunting. The difference is really obvious. You never have to worry about a target running off, and targets taste terrible no matter how you cook them.

Alberta BLACK POWDER Blackies Kathy Butts Black Powder Journal "I had every confidence in my gun, but why was I so dog-gone nervous? Guess I remembered ........ just how aggressive these bears can be."

Hunter's Moon Brent Abbott, Stickwalker Black Powder Journal It was Thursday, five days into the Iowa early muzzle loading deer season, as I prepared for the afternoon hunt. The meat-pole at camp sagged under the weight of four nice white-tails, and I couldn't suppress an envious glance toward all that tagged venison as I quietly walked out of camp and into the woods.

Center Fire to Black Powder - English Style Graham Williams Black Powder Journal "Ex center fire shooters who are giving up completely in the belief that black powder is second best are missing the chance of a lot of fun."

BLACK POWDER SAFETY Black Powder Journal Black powder and muzzle loading firearms require attention to safety issues that may differ from those applicable to modern smokeless powder arms. If new to this discipline you should obtain appropriate instruction from those experienced with black powder and muzzle loading arms. Click on the above link to see additional safety information.

A Little Math Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) The sport of black powder shooting, whether hunting or competitive, exposes the shooter to the need to understand some simple mathematical equivalents, formulae and relationships. This is true no matter how casual our shooting, and we will enjoy the shooting more if we understand a few of the basics.

My Smoothbore Loads Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) I can never decide which I enjoy more, shooting ball or shot. It has been great fun and very educational working up loads for both types of shooting. Being a muzzle loader makes it easy to custom load each and every shot, of course, depending on the situation at hand.

One Ball, One Trajectory Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) When we shoot at a target, we are aware of the firing of the gun, and, most times, of the impact of the bullet on the target. Because what happens in between those two events occurs so quickly, it is beyond our ability to detect directly. A lot happens, though, and over the last three centuries or more it has been brought to light by the efforts of many investigators, working in many disciplines. We as shooters are the happy beneficiaries of those studies, but what, exactly, is it that we have learned? What does happen in that invisible interval between muzzle and target? Simply put, the bullet flies in an arching curve to the target along a predictable path called a trajectory.

Basic Ballistics Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) As shooters, we are all interested in where the bullet goes once we have fired the gun. The ability to place the bullet where we want it is vital to any accurate shooter, and an understanding of ballistics is necessary to accomplish that in a consistent and reliable fashion. The body of knowledge as to the factors effecting the flight of the bullet from the instant it leaves the muzzle of the gun until it strikes the target is termed External Ballistics, and that's the subject of this discussion.

Making Fire With Flint and Steel Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) Until the second quarter of the 19th century, then, more primitive means of striking fire were necessary, and the most common of those was with flint and steel. Little detailed description of the methods used by our forebears has come to light, although it was surely a common skill. Skills similar to, if not identical with those used then have been learned by modern man, and are widely employed in the reenacting community.

Practical Hunting Trajectories Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) The perfect rifle would be one which shot a bullet in a perfectly straight line to all distances, so that all one had to do was point and shoot. Not even the most powerful, high velocity smokeless rifle shooting a scientifically designed bullet can do that, of course. All bullets travel to the target in a looping arc, first rising then falling toward the target. Because of the relatively low velocities and poor flight characteristics of the projectiles used in black powder rifles, the problem is compounded for them. Ballistics coefficients (BC) for all black powder projectiles are low, which is simply a way of saying they are poor at forcing their way through the air toward the target. High drag causes them to slow quickly, and this results in an exaggerated looping path to the target. This is true of conicals, but especially of roundball.

Flintlocks in Wet Weather Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) Wet weather has been a problem for flintlock shooters since the lock was invented in about 1610. Those of us us who favor that ignition system in today's world are faced with the same difficulties, and it seems that many of us never overcome them. That's too bad. It is a real disappointment to have gotten in position to take a nice deer or elk and fail to do so because the pan is full of slush, instead of the good dry prime we need. Disappointing, but almost totally avoidable. Wet weather flintlock shooting is a learned skill, and we can overcome the problem with the application of a little thought and effort.

Shots Ordinary and Extraordinary Bob Spencer (Bob's Black Powder Notebook) Nothing pleases a shooter more than having conditions just right for that important shot, whether it is at game or a target. Most of the time, the situation is close enough to ideal that we can get the shot off without undue concern that factors outside our control will cause a miss. It seems worthwhile to consider those times when that isn't true, when unfamiliar factors work against us. Several sets of conditions fit into that category, among them wind, altitude, incline angle and gun position.

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Online Mags

Muzzle Blasts OnLine Magazine. Some of the best muzzle loader articles on the web – and it’s all free! These guys deserve a lot of praise and perhaps a donation or two!

The Black Powder Journal. The only on line magazine for the Black Powder enthusiast.
Total Free, No Cost, No Subscription. Only available on line. Great articles. Give these fine folks a standing ovation!

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Black Powder

Explosives - Black Powder - 24 pgs; Author Unknown

Field Expedient Preparation of Black Powders - 18 pgs; Author Unknown

How to Make Black Powder (& other explosives) - 7 pgs; Author Unknown

The story of Blackpowder adapted from "A chronology of Black Powder" by Richard D Frantz: You should also read the original wider-ranging monograph, if you can find it.

Make Black Powder or Gunpowder Watch Out For Pop-Ups Black powder is used as a propellant for bullets, as well as for fireworks and rocketry. Use these instructions for history, not practical application!

vk2zay's Gunpowder Blackpowder was the first explosive mixture man ever discovered. For many hundreds of years, it was the only material known that could be used as a propellant in rockets and firearms, or as an explosive for mining and war. It has a special kind of charm, being fairly easy to make but very difficult to master.

GUNPOWDER, an explosive composed of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur. Very few substances have had a greater effect on civilization than gunpowder. Its employment altered the whole art of war, and its influence gradually and indirectly) permeated and affected the whole fabric of society. Its direct effect on the arts of peace was but slight, and had but a limited range, which could not be compared to the modern extended employment of high explosives for blasting in mining and engineering work. Bad scan results in multiple errors in this text.

Gunpowder From ancient times throughout the known world men had used incendiary mixtures for warlike purposes. They were well-acquainted with saltpetre (potassium nitrate), the most potent of the three ingredients of gunpowder, its effect when burned with charcoal and sulphur, the other two, as well as with other substances. That someone would eventually chance upon a mixture which exploded when ignited was inevitable.

Chapter 1, Section 1 BEFORE we describe the works necessary for the taking of a fortified town, or treat of the manner of its defense, it is proper to give an account of the arms or machines necessary for such undertakings, and the manner of using them, which is the subject of this treatise.

Black Powder Manufacture A lot of people ask which is stronger, Black Powder or Flash Powder... or if Black Powder can be used in Salutes (exploding fireworks). In short, there is no comparison. Flash Powder is a high explosive, a shattering explosive. It converts to a gas so fast, that objects near it, and containers that hold it cannot move out of they way (or vent) fast enough to release this gas, so they are destroyed into fragments. Black Powder is a low explosive, a heaving explosive. It converts to gas much more slowly than Flash Powder, and generally pushes things as opposed to fragmenting them. If Black Powder is used in a small Salute like an M-80, it will just make a loud "pop", and push out the end plugs. Flash Powder in an M-80 will make a loud explosion and fragment the tube into small pieces. Flash Powder burns so much faster than Black Powder that in larger Salutes, it doesn't even matter if you've got end plugs on the tube at all, it will still detonate and fragment the Salute, even with 2 open ends. You can NEVER substitute Flash Powder for Black Powder or vice-versa. If you were to use Flash Powder to launch a shell out of a tube, or a bullet out of a gun, it would barely move the shell or bullet, and completely destroy the mortar or gun, most probably injuring the operator.

How to make Black Powder Gunpowder or black powder is one of the oldest of all explosives. It was used by the ancient Chinese, Arabs, and people of India. Gunpowder is not used as much as other explosives today. Modern gunpowder, usually called black powder (BP), is a mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate usually makes up 75 per cent of the mixture, charcoal makes up 15 percent, and sulfur 10 percent.

The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives

Æ Aeragon - Black Powder It is unclear where the first use of black powder, also known as gunpowder, occurred. Black powder was known as gunpowder until its replacement by smokeless powder. After that, smokeless powder began to be called gunpowder and black powder began to be known as black powder.

Pyrodex® Pellets. INTRODUCING PYRODEX® PELLETS. THE PERFORMANCE OF PYRODEX IN A CONVENIENT, PREMEASURED CHARGE. Hodgdon Website

Using Hodgdon's Pyrodex Pellets For Cowboy Action Handloads Every once in a while there comes along an invention that is so simple it just doesn't seem like it would work. That's what I first thought upon seeing Pyrodex Pellets for the first time.

The use of Pyrodex pellets seemed to make cap and ball revolver shooting less messy, faster and much more consistent than any previous method of loading. Pyrodex pistol pellets are offered for .44/45 caliber handguns in a pellet equivalent to 30 grains volume of FFFG black powder and are sold in a convenient jar type container of 100 pellets. I recently took a jar of pistol pellets to the range, and found them a pleasure to work with in my Navy Arms Remington reproduction.

Hodgdon has been producing Pyrodex pellets equivalent to 50 grains of FFG black powder for use in in-line muzzle loading hunting rifles for some time. After my revolver experiments, it occurred to me that both revolver and rifle pellets might have useful applications for other Civil War era arms.

Instructions for the Manufacture of Saltpetre. Instructions for the Manufacture of Saltpetre. By Joseph LeConte, 1823-1901. This pamphlet is issued with the view of supplying information to those who may be inclined to engage in the production of saltpetre.

GUNPOWDER, an explosive composed of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur. Very few substances have had a greater effect on civilization than gunpowder. Its employment altered the whole art of war, and its influence gradually and indirectly permeated and affected the whole fabric of society. Its direct effect on the arts of peace was but slight, and had but a limited range, which could not be compared to the modern extended employment of high explosives for blasting in mining and engineering work. Lots of misspelling in this 1911 Online edition article of ??? encyclopedia - but still interesting stuff.

How To Make Gunpowder Interesting old-style English used in this article leads me to believe it was copied from some book or other. Beware the truly annoying pop-up and fly-by windows.

Making Gunpowder Excerpt from Foxfire Book - Volume 5. Best "survival method"

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Bullet Casting:

Bullet Casting Use care when casting lead bullets. Use in an adequately ventilated area, and protect yourself. Notice in the photo that the caster is wearing leather gloves. Molten lead can splatter up to a foot away from the pot. Always wear shoes and long pants when casting, too. The last variable in the scoring equation is the bullet. A good sight picture, well developed and measured powder charge, and good shooting habits can all be wasted by shoddy bullets. Improving your bullet just might improve your score.

Building Better Bullets One key ingredient to consistent competitive performance is the Minnie Ball. Named after a French Ordnance Major, the evolution of the hollow cavity projectile in the 1850s increased the efficiency of rifled muskets to the horrific levels of our Civil War. The hollow cavity in the base of the bullet expands under ignition pressure to firmly grasp the barrels' rifling, which permits the Minnie Ball to be undersized for quicker, easier loading under combat conditions. Modern musket and carbine shooters shooting Minnie Balls need soft, pure lead projectiles to effectively employ the original principles of the Minnie Ball.

Casting REAL Bullets The first few bullets came out misshapen. The mold wasn't filling properly, probably because it wasn't hot enough. I told him to keep casting, and bright, shiny bullets were soon falling on the table. Those bullets, when they come out of the pot, are hot and soft. I drop mine on a piece of cloth so they don't deform hitting the table. Joey got his rhythm and before long, it was time to add more metal.

Black Powder Bullets Replacing Casting with Swaged Bullets ~ Casting uses molten lead, pouring it directly into a mould. Swaging uses room temperature lead, from a spool of wire or a pre-cast cylinder (core) made to fit into the swage die easily

Should you cast bullets? Yes. No. Well, maybe Should you cast your own bullets? The answer is a definite "it depends." I hear most cast-bullet shooters buy them. I understand. Life goes on at a frenetic pace nowadays. On the other hand several reloading equipment manufacturers say their bullet mold sales are high.

NSSA: Northwest Territory Suggestions for Casting Bullets: Magazine articles and the instructions that accompany electric melting pots and bullet molds provide basic information about casting lead alloy bullets. However, the information is written about casting small bullets and is inadequate (or incorrect) for the needs of many black powder shooters. Many black powder shooters cast bullets in the 400 to 500 grain weight range that are more difficult to cast than light weight bullets. Minie bullets are particularly difficult to cast well.

Casting Bullets - Topic Powered by The North American Hunting Club

The Shootin Iron If you have found reloading to be for you, the next serious consideration is whether or not you will start casting your own bullets. It is a big step. A very big step, in that there are serious safety considerations. I want you to know that casting bullets is very labor and time intensive. We are dealing with very hot molten metal. That hot lead can burn you. Very seriously!. If that is enough to say you want no part of it; you not need read much further. You will still be able to do your reloading, as there are many makers of cast bullets in just about every style, size and weight that are needed for our applications.

Casting Lead Bullets A collection of tips.

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