What's the Deal with Wholly??

[Cemetery]

When it comes to deposits from shootin', what's the differences between smokeless and black magic?

I notice that when I shoot smokeless, I get carbon deposits in the chambers of the cylinder, a smokey residue on the face of the cylinder, and lead fouling in the forcing cone.

But when I shoot black, black seems to burn all of this residue up.

So that after a wipe down of windex and vinegar, it's squeaky clean and shiny.

Is it because the heat and flame generated by wholly burn everything up?

[Noz]

Isn't it obvious that smokeless powder is a fad and sooner or later all shooters will come back to the one true "gun powder"?

[Blackpowder Burn]

Smokeless powder and black powder have an entirely different chemical composition, and thus produce different combustion byproducts.  "Holy" Black produces combustion byproducts that are soluble in water, and thus are far easier to clean.  The downside is that sulfur is one of the three primary ingredients (charcoal, potassium nitrate and sulfur).  Thus, sulfur is present in the deposits and will absorb water from the atmosphere and form sulfuric acid.  That is the reason it is necessary to clean guns fired with black powder relatively soon after use.

It is still easier to clean and maintain guns used with "Holy" Black, IMHO.

[Dr. Bob]

+1 

[Dick Dastardly]

Black Powder ammo and heathen fad smokeyless ammo doesn't play well together.  The fouling from one is poison to the other.  That's a generality, but most often true enough to be considered law.

One exception is duplex loads.  They are whole nuther ball of wax.

Keeping black powder guns running on and on is a hallmark of Big Lube®LLC bullets.  Their copious quantity of lube keeps the Holy Black soft so that it blows out with the next shot.  Thus, your second and your last shot encounter the same amount of fouling.  Continuing accuracy and function are thereby assured.  And, cleaning after the match is even easier than ever.

DD-DLoS

[Dr. Bob]

AMEN!! 

[Professor Marvel]

Black Powder ammo and heathen fad smokeyless ammo doesn't play well together.  The fouling from one is poison to the other.  That's a generality, but most often true enough to be considered law.

One exception is duplex loads.  They are whole nuther ball of wax.

Keeping black powder guns running on and on is a hallmark of Big Lube®LLC bullets.  Their copious quantity of lube keeps the Holy Black soft so that it blows out with the next shot.  Thus, your second and your last shot encounter the same amount of fouling.  Continuing accuracy and function are thereby assured.  And, cleaning after the match is even easier than ever.

DD-DLoS

Ah My Dear Monsiuer Dastardly - I see you are back with your magnificent ability to turn a phrase!
Is it by any chance possible to get 2-hole molds for the Big Lube bullets? Beside being cheap frugal I have a peculiar affinity and affection for 2 hole molds over the larger flavours...

yhs
prof (peculiar) marvel

[Cuts Crooked]

Donno Perfesser,

But y'all might look up Fox Creek Kid. Seems I reccomember him findin' some feller that made a four holer based loosely on a big lube design. Been a while since I talked at him though.....

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Professor,

Please send me an emule at rrhody@spwl.net and I'll answer it from there.  I don't want to shanghai this thread.

Thanks,

DD-DLoS

[Professor Marvel]

Why thank you Cuts and Dick -

we now return you to the original topic:

Real Black Powder is technically classified as an "explosive" (as is smokeless); if I understand the nomenclature correctly, they are "low explosives" rather than "high explosives" due to the burn rate. (They "deflagrate" rather than "detonate"; I believe the difference is the speed of the wavefront of the expanding gases - supersonic expansion = high explosive).

Black burns at a *much* higher temperature than smokeless which the operators of a Henry will confirm as they have to wear a glove due to  barrel heat. Because of the high temp, Black will scorch the dickens out of any number of petroleum based lubes and there are some lubes than black will burn into a glaze that is incredibly difficult to remove.

However, if one stays with well known and publicized "BP" lubes (some of which are documented in stickies here) the fouling will clean up with little effort. 

Another interesting aspect of Real Black Powder is it's excellent low-pressure performance in long rifle barrels. Several of our esteemed members have obtained excellent velocities and performance out of Henry's, 66's and 73's at remarkable distances that are often difficult to replicate with smokeless powders without exceeding safe pressures ranges.

yhs
Prof Marvel

[Steel Horse Bailey]

A great source of info and a wonderful reply as usual, Perfesser! 


Cemetery, all the info posted here is good regarding the Wholly Black!

Learn it; Love it; LIVE it!  That's what I say, any-hoo! 




PS - I reserve the use of the word "Holy" for God, Jesus and my religious views, but that's just me.  I noticed you do, too - but it's nothing against my MANY pards who use the other spelling.