[Grizz]

I was wondering how good those black powder kits that are sold online? I see some simple ones enough for 1lb and they say no ball mill required and there are these other ones that make about 10lbs of BP but say they use red gum if you don't have a ball mill. Are any of these kits worth it? I don't have a ball mill right now so just looking at my cheapest options. I called around and no one carries actual BP in my area, only substitutes.

 

[Hawg]

You can get a rock tumbler from Harbor Freight that makes a good mill. Use lead or preferably brass balls in it to do the crushing but not iron or anything that will make a spark. You can get the chemicals from Skylighter and other places. http://www.skylighter.com/mall/chemicals.asp KNO3(potassium nitrate) can be bought cheaper at any place that sells fertilizer. I've never made any but I know some guys on other forums that have. Brushhippie has a youtube vid on making it. Homemade is faster than Swiss but dirtier than Elephant.

 

[dcriner]

II don't have a ball mill right now so just looking at my cheapest options. I called around and no one carries actual BP in my area, only substitutes.

In Colorado? Surely, BP is sold there. Go to gun shows or gun ranges, and ask around of those into BP. By a long shot, your "cheapest option" is to buy commercial black powder - I get it for about $15, or less, for a 1-pound can, in Illinois.

 

[jim brady]

At first I thought this was going to be a question of blackpowder rifle or pistol kits.

My, My! The times they are a' changeing. It used to be, and not very long ago, that if anyone asked about making blackpowder themselves there would be heard a chorus of "You are asking for TROUBLE with a Capital 'T".

Don't know what happened, but I guess I'm just brainwashed into accepting that. I'm not sure if I'd want to risk life and limb (and my house) to make blackpowder. It is still available on the market. Even here in New California (Colorado).

Folks, I'm at the end of my computer-age posting. Grizz, if you still want to try this, I really do wish you luck. I'd hate to read someplace how Ole Grizz and his house were last spotted obiting the moon.

 

[Hawg]

As long as you grind the chemicals separately and mix them wet there's not "much" danger. I would do it away from the house tho.

 

[polishshooter]

People much less knowledgeable or "modern" as we are made Black powder safely for CENTURIES. And MOST of them survived, even if maybe a few of them without all their limbs...

My poblem was while Sulfur and Charcoal may not be that hard to find or make...scrounging outhouses for the nitrates knda turned me away from making my own....

(Unless any of you happen to have your own "Bat caves" to use guano....that's where you can get it....}


But while you ponder that, consider that the Confederacy had an entire department of their government simply visiting outhouses to recover nitrates to make BP....

...and they not only made ENOUGH Black powder to cover their uses for the entire war, they had a lot left OVER at the end....


If we have an alternative to scraping the outhouse "inner walls and containments" to get our "Saltpeter" I might be interested again in "making my own...."

 

[David13]

Yeah.
Hopefully you are far from your neighbors and also you don't have a homeowners association.
Even a lot of people with 5 acre lots do.
I live in the big city. And it is readily available to me. At a reasonable price. So, ...
I do work on my own cars and motorcycles, tho'.
There are those who think I am nuts for doing that.
dc

 

[Hawg]

If we have an alternative to scraping the outhouse "inner walls and containments" to get our "Saltpeter" I might be interested again in "making my own...."

Saltpeter=potassium nitrate=KNO3. KNO3 is readily available as fertilizer and some stump removers or you can get it from online chemical dealers or even ebay.