Diamondback Powder

[Noz]

I'm getting low on black and will be ordering soon.

Does anyone have any experience with Diamondback? The price difference makes it interesting.

[Sgt.Jake]

  Noz   Wanted to order some last year with a few other pards. At that time you had to order a minimum of 25 lbs.,in a plastic bag no one lb. cans available. Don't know if they have straightened that out or not,this was of last fall, for the price I would like to give it a whirl but not 25 lbs. at a time in a bag.     Adios  Sgt. Jake

[john boy]

I got into this about 2 to 3 months ago with Diamondback.  The Diamonback I tested clocked in around 100 fps slower than some 2005 GOEX in 80- grain charges in my .50 cal. rb rifle.  I told the Diamondback people that much had changed since the glory year of Elephant.  That being the 25/99 production run... Dutch Bill (2009)

Howdy - we are sure glad to be here ... finally available to start talking about Diamondback  Powder ... new shipment in stock arrived in Tamaqua PA last week ... now available in sporting 1Fg, 2Fg, and 3Fg ... real mechanical black powder ... crafted with very special care ... beautiful consistent sized grains ... great flow when pouring ... burns super clean (shot 20 shots in a row myself many times without cleaning) ... and very well priced ... all in a handsome looking can too ... and with respect to what everyone is asking about ... yes, it is made in Brazil ... but this is not the old Elephant powder ... different location, different management, different staff ... now made by a major explosives manufacturer with a passion for things that go boom ... a great story for one of these nights around the fire ... bottom line is this powder has great quality at a great price ... buy it ... shoot it ... love it! I will be walking around the Shot Show in Vegas if anyone wants to meet up and talk about genuine mechanical powder ... the real thing! Check out the website www.diamondbackchemical.com ... Rodney@Diamondback Jan 2010

Might want to call Powder Inc directly and talk with Jerry.  Believe they are now allowing purchase of Diamondback less then the full case.  Heard this somewhere but call to confirm!

[Montana Slim]

I'm using thier 3F...good value powder, I'd order again.

Regards,
Slim

[hellgate]

I need cluing in: What is diamondback powder? I know of the URL below. Last april was $11/lb shipped in 25 pound lots in 1 pound cans. The 3F  is (I believe) repackaged 5FA which is a lifting/blasting powder that is equivalent to FFFg but I don't believe it is graphited. I can't tell the difference in performance from regular 3F Goex.


http://www.jackspowderkeg.com/

[Noz]

Here's Powder Incs link.

http://www.powderinc.com/cgi-bin/bpstore/perlshop.cgi?ACTION=thispage&thispage=orderDB.htm&ORDER_ID=787591010

[Lucky R. K.]

This sounds like the powder I bought at the Fall Nationals at Friendship, Indiana.  It was sold in a single plastic bag, weighed 25 lbs. and was called Ledeiu? The powder came from China I think . It did not shoot as clean and was not as powerful as Swiss or Schutzen(Wano) but it turned out to be perfect for Cowboy Action shooting.  I have used almost half of the bag and it has done the job.  When using a bullet with plenty of lube for the rifle and pistols(Vaqueros & ROA) you can shoot a five stage match without cleaning.  I also use a lubed fiber wad for the shotgun and you can shoot it all day with this powder

I had been using Schutzen for Cowboy shooting since I started because of the price but I will probably buy another bag of the Chinese powder when I run out.  I prefer it to Goex and it is a bit cheaper than Schutzen.  I did re-package the powder into one pound cans when I got it home.

Lucky R. K. 

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Lucky,

Yer lucky.  Get some more of that powder if you can.  It'll serve you well in your scatterguns and pistols.  For your rifles you may want something cleaner.  I suggest Schuetzen.

Good luck and keep on smokin'.

DD-DLoS

[Lucky R. K.]

Good morning Mr. Dastardly,

The Chinese powder actually does quite well in my '73 Uberti.  It took some experimenting to find the load but I can usually shoot a five stage match without cleaning.  Depending on temperature, humidity, etc. I will give it a shot of Balistrol/water after four stages.

What works for me is a heavy bullet with a big grease groove and a full case of powder.  I know I don't have to tell you this but the heavy load seals better and greatly reduces fouling.  I currently use a 250 grain Elmer Keith bullet from an old Ideal mould.  One of these days when I can sell a hog or two I hope to put one of your "Big Lube" rifle moulds to work.  I have one of your Pecos Pete moulds for my ROA'S and it is great.

Lucky R. K. 

[Pony Racer]

Diamond Back powder is made in South America.  The company had Scheutzen help them out with ensuring equipment and process were up to similar standard.

I have bought it from the gentleman who sells in Winchester Va and supplies a good deal of powder to the NSSA crowd.  The Henry shooters in the NSSA love the stuff.

I have tried 2f in shotgun and pistol calibers with no noticeable difference in shooting or cleaning experience and i have been shooting scheutzen for over a couple years.

Other pards in VA have tried it as well and I know of at least one fellow BP shooter I shoot with often who shot it and had same experience as me.  He ordered a full case from powder inc.

You can get it in one pound cans that have a picture of the snake on it.  Once my scheutzen is depleted I will most likely switch over to Diamond Back. I have never seen it sold in bags.

PR

[Ellsworth MacDoogle]

Glad to hear people like it. Just this morning ordered the 25lb case from www.powderinc.com (comes in 1lb cans, not loose). Couldn't resist the $10.15/lb (includes shipping & hazmat, plus no sales tax!). The 10lb of Goex I ordered from them lasted 2 years, so I'll have plenty of BP for awhile 

Have 1 can of Goex left so should be fun to do a side-by-side comparison.  For me it doesn't really matter if it's dirtier or less powerful (as I've heard the old Elephant powder was). Just need some real BP for the weekly early (7:00am) Saturday morning boom, smoke, and flames at the gun club pistol range. 

[Dick Dastardly]

I'm always happy to see competition for the products and equipment we use in our chosen sport.  Keeps prices fair and supply running.

Good on Diamondback for their entry into the market.

DD-DLoS

[john boy]

Good on Diamondback for their entry into the market.

Dick, a no truer statement was ever spoken!  Especially with Goex jacking the price up in 2009 to the tune of 22%

Rant On ... Looks like Hodgdon who owns Goex is squeezing every last dollar out of us BP shooters ... Rant Off

[Dalton Masterson]

I am glad to hear its a decent powder too.
How does it compare to Kik and the Skirmish that they used to carry? I had good luck with the Kik and decent use with the Skirmish in my shotguns.
DM

[john boy]

Dalton, CAS loads are Skirmish Fg for shotgun and KIK FFg for all 45 Colts ... no complaints
For BPCR, the best I can do for you is:
Caliber:  50-70
70gr Skirmish Fg -  1043 fps (SD - 32)
70gr KIK FFg - 1221 fps  (SD - 12)  
Both using a 457 gr bullet

Now, dig this for comparisons ... with the same bullet in the 50-70:
70 gr Goex Express FFg - 1222 fps
70 gr Swiss FFg - 1263 fps
70 gr Swiss 1.5 - 1272 fps
These powders had SD's respectively of 5 -13-15 and 14

And how did the Skirmish Fg shoot?  Here's my 'Famous Miss' on a spinner sitting next to the 1000 yd target.  Spotter said it was doing about 150 mph when whacked

[Dalton Masterson]

Thanks for the info JohnBoy, but I am a user of Kik and Skirmish too. Its good stuff, I agree.
I was wondering how the Diamond Back compared to them. I dont think they carry Skirmish anymore, and am getting low on it, and the 2F Kik is unavailable now too.
DM

[Noz]

Skirmish, that I used for shotgun is no longer available. I have been told that the plant that made KIK is closed. When I order, I will order Diamonback.

[Ellsworth MacDoogle]

Tried out a can of DB yesterday and like it. The can has a goofy pop-up plastic spout, but the powder is good stuff.  It's a bit shiny/less black in color compared with Goex, but granules seem a bit finer and more consistent.  At the range had good groups at 15-20yds, didn't notice it as any dirtier (or cleaner) than Goex ... overall good boom, flames, and smoke  

Many forum posts talk of hatred for the old Elephant powder.  DB is made by Elephant (in Brazil), but have read it's a different plant and management than the old (basically a different company).  Also read the old Elephant powder had inconsistent production runs, so I either got lucky, or they've solved that issue. Guess the YMMV disclaimer applies  

Didn't do any velocity tests...suppose someone doing 1000yd muzzleloading competition would need to do, but don't see any need to get my Chrony full of soot for simple target shooting  Seems like it would be fine powder for CAS, SASS, etc...

Overall opinion: a good product, and at a 30% discount to Goex, it gets my vote  

[Pony Racer]

TBK - the new management brought the germans in from Scheutzen, had them go over plant, and how powder was being made and wala nice good consistent powder.

To me it compares very well with scheutzen.  I have only shot goex a little due to the price of scheutzen being cheaper.  I found goex to be fine, maybe a little "dirtier" than scheutzen but had no issues with fouling.

Now DB is even cheaper than goex and scheutzen - now if'n they keep it up - I am sure over time it will come up in price and be level with scheutzen.

That being said I have like 10 lbs of scheutzen still and will use all the 2f before ordering more DB.

The NSSA Powder guy inWinchester knows much more than me about DB.

PR

[Wildcat Will]

I got a lb from Poney Racer and loaded up enough for a match.  I shoot full load (fill the case of a 45LC) and push a 250 Big Lube boolet on top.  I use it both in the RVs, Marlin and the sxs.  It made good Smoke, Fire, BOOOOOM and Stink.  The cleaning didn't seem any different that Goex.  I ordered 25lb but haven't started in on it quite yet.  I had to finish off the Goex.  I plan on using it from this point on as it is significantly cheaper and I only get around 200 rounds from a lb.

Smoke on!!!!!