Black Powder

[Stringman]

I am a "do it with my own hands" kinda person, but seems this might be a good line not to cross. 

[Danzn Bar]

 +1 Scott .....I'm with ya there
DBar

[Thesquirrelslinger]

The brand name escapes me, but there is a stump remover that is 90 something percent salt peter.... Works great! A simple way to make a burning powder from it is to just add sugar. The ratios escape me but I know 50 50 works. It burns very hot. No clue if its good for guns, but I used to use it for rocket fuel, called it rocket candy.

That is called Sodium Clorate, it is a potent weedkiller.
Did you intentionally reference "rocket boys"...
it is mentioned there.
Works better if you mix 30 sugar and 70 clorate.
According to Homer Hickman's rocket boys.
it would probably only work for a rifle since it burns, not detonates.
never have tried making things that can go boom in a firey way... Don't want to cross that line. Generally you get hurt eventually.

[JW_Halverson]

Generally you get hurt eventually.

DuPont built his powderworks on the banks of the river.  Three very solid stone and cement walls with one flimsy wooden wall and a flimsy ceiling.  So when they went boom, and they all did at some time, they could quickly replace the missing parts and be back to work quickly.  He also was the first to offer "benefits" to employees.  If you died working for him, your widow had housing for life along with a small stipend, and your kids got free education and housing to age 18.  And you got a "trip across the river".

[sleek]

Sounds like a hellova nice guy.  And yes, I referenced rocket boys. I read the book long time ago and couldn't remember the name. I did have fun with the rocket candy mix though.

[JW_Halverson]

Sounds like a hellova nice guy.  And yes, I referenced rocket boys. I read the book long time ago and couldn't remember the name. I did have fun with the rocket candy mix though.

Where do you buy that stuff?  Or do you get a three finger discount???

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!   

[sleek]

I got mine from my high school chemistry teacher. And then had the cops called on me for making explosives at school... took months of counseling before I convinced the school I was only making a rocket and not a bomb. The teacher lost his job unfortunately... gadda be careful,  I almost became a felon because of a book I read and a nice chemistry teacher.

[turtle]

I made some a couple of years. Works fine in an old 32 gauge smoothe bore i have. I used spectracide stump remover ( 100% potasium nitrate) willow charcoal i made and sulfer from drug store. Mixed wet then grated thru wire mesh onto plastic sheet to dry. Never thought about checking laws as i figured if it is legal to buy it should be legal to make as long not selling it. Also with homemade thats not pressed it has less bang per volume than commercial made bp. If i remember right 80 grains by volume of my comercial made bp weighed 80 grains on my scale and 80 grains by volume of my homemade wighed between 60 and 65 grains on my scale.

[Marc St Louis]

My homemade BP was certainly good enough to hunt with.  I remember it would drive a 165 grain cast bullet in my 303 Brit through 4" of Spruce

[Japbow]

      JW...maybe you've been to the Hagley Museum in my
      hometown, Wilmington, Delaware. The DuPonts got
      their start there on the Brandywine River. It's funny
      you mention the three walls thing because I remember
      that very fact made a strong impression on me there on
      a school field trip when I was a young lad.

      Japbow.

[Dharma]

A few years ago, they had a couple explosions at the Goex powder plant. Even the experts have accidents, so I would be cautious making your own powder.

[sleek]

Small batches is key...

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Better yet- grind it remotely. There are remote-operation things... hook one to a ball mill. Problem solved...
I do find the method of testing used by hickman as hilarious. throw it in the water heater... and see how big of a boom it makes
I got the book from my English teacher.

[KrisDelger]

I only made a few batches... about 15 pounds in total but I prefer to just buy powder most of the time for legality and safeties sake lol

[Thesquirrelslinger]

wait... is it illegal to make your own gunpowder?