Anyone make home made BP?

mrappe · September 30, 2010, 11:13 PM

Years ago I was into Hi powered rocketry and made some BP for my own BP motors. I was following a book put out by Teleflite at the time but the guy that wrote the book told me that you could not make BP with the tumbler/mill that I had that would be equal to what we use in our BP guns. I was wondering if anyone has tried it?

Andy Griffith · September 30, 2010, 11:22 PM

I wouldn't recommend trying it unless you had a place you could do it by remote control.

There is a reason that every single manufacturer of BP over the years had some "mishaps."

There was a mill over on the Chattahoochee River just below present day Helen, Georgia that during the early 1800 made gunbarrels and black powder...

It exploded two or three times killing many, and after the last time no one rebuilt it. Must have had a hard time finding employees.

B. Lahey · September 30, 2010, 11:43 PM

I have not, but others have...

http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/2...ian-space.html

arcticap · October 1, 2010, 03:39 AM

The comprehensive thread below about making black powder is a sticky on The High Road forum.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=347898

bedbugbilly · October 1, 2010, 09:35 AM

Years and years ago I did for a Chemistry class "project". I, of course, did not have the Internet in those days to research it so I was limited to what I could find in those "old fashioned" things called "books". Of course I didn't tell the Chemistry teacher what my project was . . . or my parents. I concocted in our basement workshop . . . after all . . . how hard could it be to combine sulphur, charcoal and saltpeter? Well . . . it did work. BUT . . . my Chemistry teacher was not happy and my parents were even more unhappy! I got an A on the project . . . as well as a good lesson from all of them about the risks, the potential danger of making it and about "common sense". As Forrest Gump said . . . "stupid is as stupid does". Now I'm not calling anyone stupid here who has an interest in it . . . that is there business whatever they wish to do. But . . . years later . . . when I worked Rescue & Ambulance service . . . . I had to pick up a young boy who as attempting the same thing. He was DOA. It is just my personal and humble opinion . . . but somethings are best left to the "professionals". For myself, I would rather pay the price of a can of GOEX, store it safely and shoot it safely . . . . than put myself or anybody else . . . loved ones included . . . at risk just to prove I could make blackpowder. Again . . . just my humble opinion . . . . . respectfully, bedbug

Rangefinder · October 1, 2010, 09:41 AM

Yup, I tinkered with making BP years ago. It turned out pretty good, and worked just fine for the most part. Wasn't reliable enough to equal commercial grade by any means, but I didn't expect it to be--just wanted to see if I could do it, and did.

And for the record, it's not the "Oh-my-god, you're going to blow a smoking hole a mile wide in your neighborhood just for thinking about making BP" that seems to get thrown about. I can think of quite a few things that are much more dangerous to work with. Make in small batches, and pay close attention to detail. It's really not that big a deal.

mapsjanhere · October 1, 2010, 09:55 AM

Making black powder is easy. Making black powder into a long time stable reliably burning gun powder is the trick.

zxcvbob · October 1, 2010, 10:57 AM

I've done it. My misadventures are in that THR thread linked above. It actually worked pretty well even though I was using poor grades of sulfur and KNO3. The biggest problem I had was with the grains falling apart once they were completely dry. Next time, I'll add a little wallpaper sizing or shellac or dextrin or something as a binder before I screen it. And try to find a little better grade of saltpeter than using stump remover. (90% sulfur is probably just fine.)

The most important ingredient is the charcoal.

Lemmon · October 1, 2010, 11:55 AM

I guess I was lucky. As a young kid I tried to make BP to use in fireworks. I never got the formular right. Yes I used charcoal, sulfer and saltpeter. Nothing happened.... Gave up

Lemmon

hagar · October 1, 2010, 02:34 PM

I made my own bp and stuffed it in a couple of 12 inch long pipes when I was 14. Tested a few successfully, made an enormous bang!

Then I blew up a garbage can at school, and it was shredded and all twisted up, did not get caught.

Decided that long time use could be dangerous to my health, especially after my father, a biology teacher, lectured me about how dangerous the stuff is to make and the slightest spark could set it off.

**Bud Helms** · October 2, 2010, 10:22 PM

Some of you have been on internet forums long enough to know that there are some things you don't need to share, no matter how long ago it was.

September 30, 2010, 11:13 PM	#1
mrappe Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 255	Anyone make home made BP? Years ago I was into Hi powered rocketry and made some BP for my own BP motors. I was following a book put out by Teleflite at the time but the guy that wrote the book told me that you could not make BP with the tumbler/mill that I had that would be equal to what we use in our BP guns. I was wondering if anyone has tried it?

September 30, 2010, 11:22 PM	#2
Andy Griffith Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2009 Location: Macon Co. NC Posts: 591	I wouldn't recommend trying it unless you had a place you could do it by remote control. There is a reason that every single manufacturer of BP over the years had some "mishaps." There was a mill over on the Chattahoochee River just below present day Helen, Georgia that during the early 1800 made gunbarrels and black powder... It exploded two or three times killing many, and after the last time no one rebuilt it. Must have had a hard time finding employees. __________________ Barney Fife: "Nip it, nip it, nip it!" Andy Griffith:"Oh now Barn'...." Last edited by Andy Griffith; September 30, 2010 at 11:27 PM.

September 30, 2010, 11:43 PM	#3
B. Lahey Senior Member Join Date: March 17, 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,857	I have not, but others have... http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/2...ian-space.html __________________ "A human being is primarily a bag for putting food into; the other functions and faculties may be more godlike, but in point of time they come afterwards." -George Orwell

October 1, 2010, 09:35 AM	#5
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	Years and years ago I did for a Chemistry class "project". I, of course, did not have the Internet in those days to research it so I was limited to what I could find in those "old fashioned" things called "books". Of course I didn't tell the Chemistry teacher what my project was . . . or my parents. I concocted in our basement workshop . . . after all . . . how hard could it be to combine sulphur, charcoal and saltpeter? Well . . . it did work. BUT . . . my Chemistry teacher was not happy and my parents were even more unhappy! I got an A on the project . . . as well as a good lesson from all of them about the risks, the potential danger of making it and about "common sense". As Forrest Gump said . . . "stupid is as stupid does". Now I'm not calling anyone stupid here who has an interest in it . . . that is there business whatever they wish to do. But . . . years later . . . when I worked Rescue & Ambulance service . . . . I had to pick up a young boy who as attempting the same thing. He was DOA. It is just my personal and humble opinion . . . but somethings are best left to the "professionals". For myself, I would rather pay the price of a can of GOEX, store it safely and shoot it safely . . . . than put myself or anybody else . . . loved ones included . . . at risk just to prove I could make blackpowder. Again . . . just my humble opinion . . . . . respectfully, bedbug __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

October 1, 2010, 09:41 AM	#6
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 2,017	Yup, I tinkered with making BP years ago. It turned out pretty good, and worked just fine for the most part. Wasn't reliable enough to equal commercial grade by any means, but I didn't expect it to be--just wanted to see if I could do it, and did. And for the record, it's not the "Oh-my-god, you're going to blow a smoking hole a mile wide in your neighborhood just for thinking about making BP" that seems to get thrown about. I can think of quite a few things that are much more dangerous to work with. Make in small batches, and pay close attention to detail. It's really not that big a deal. __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

October 1, 2010, 03:39 AM	#4
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	The comprehensive thread below about making black powder is a sticky on The High Road forum. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=347898

October 1, 2010, 09:55 AM	#7
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	Making black powder is easy. Making black powder into a long time stable reliably burning gun powder is the trick. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

October 1, 2010, 10:57 AM	#8
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I've done it. My misadventures are in that THR thread linked above. It actually worked pretty well even though I was using poor grades of sulfur and KNO3. The biggest problem I had was with the grains falling apart once they were completely dry. Next time, I'll add a little wallpaper sizing or shellac or dextrin or something as a binder before I screen it. And try to find a little better grade of saltpeter than using stump remover. (90% sulfur is probably just fine.) The most important ingredient is the charcoal. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

October 1, 2010, 11:55 AM	#9
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	guess I was lucky I guess I was lucky. As a young kid I tried to make BP to use in fireworks. I never got the formular right. Yes I used charcoal, sulfer and saltpeter. Nothing happened.... Gave up Lemmon

October 1, 2010, 02:34 PM	#10
hagar Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2000 Location: Colombia, SC Posts: 745	I made my own bp and stuffed it in a couple of 12 inch long pipes when I was 14. Tested a few successfully, made an enormous bang! Then I blew up a garbage can at school, and it was shredded and all twisted up, did not get caught. Decided that long time use could be dangerous to my health, especially after my father, a biology teacher, lectured me about how dangerous the stuff is to make and the slightest spark could set it off. __________________ I don't have time for busy people

October 2, 2010, 10:22 PM	#11
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Some of you have been on internet forums long enough to know that there are some things you don't need to share, no matter how long ago it was.