Schuetzen Reenactor black powder for shotgun?

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy gang,

I've bought some Schuetzen Reenactor black powder for my SASS scattergun loads.  I'd appreciate any experience you've had with it.  After I've loaded shot and evaluated some I'll report back here.

The stuff came at an attractive price and I'm thinkn' it'll take down SASS KDs.  The stuff lists at $10.20 per pound at Buffalo Arms
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Content.aspx?PAGE=Black%20Powder

Thanks in advance.

DD-MDA

[john boy]

Dick, I can't help you any other than here is the standard mesh ratios for cannon powder (Reenactor) and a Fg usually used for shotguns.

Powder Grade    pass screen,  holding,  stays on,    passing
Cannon            6 mesh        3%       12 mesh        12%
Fg               12 mesh        3%       16 mesh        12%

I'm sure it will go Bang and be real smokey.  If I was you, I would really compress the powder column to aid in the ignition

Here's some ratios for shotgun powder I've used:
Goex Skirmish Fg (Lot Mar 1989)
12 Mesh - 37 % Hold
14 Mesh - 25 % Hold
20 Mesh - 37 % Hold
30 Mesh - 02 % Hold
40 Mesh - 00 %

KIK Fg (Lot 3910)
12 Mesh – Trace
14 Mesh - Trace
20 Mesh – 99.9%  ... this mesh ratio puts it in the FFg grain ratio allowing for reduced charges ... and it is cheap!
30 Mesh – Trace

[Dick Dastardly]

Thanks John Boy,

I load my scattergun ammo on a MEC 600 Jr. Mk-V and use 80lb or more of compression on the over powder wad.  The fiber wad is compressed as much as possible without cutting it with the rammer tube.  Then, I drop in the shot, over powder card and close with a nice tight roll crimp.

I've shot Goex Fg and frequently find "fire" (sparks) inside my 97 when I eject.  Sure smokes great and takes down the KDs.

As I said, I'll report on the reenactor powder results as soon as I shoot some.  I'm not expecting velocities above 1000 fps.  Patterns???

DD-MDA

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Patterns

The slower the mv (less powder) the tighter the pattern due to less deformation.  I would also expect that using a slower powder would work somewhat the same way. Conversly, more Oomph = more spread.

Other things affect patterns too. Larger shot are more friendly, and conversly small shot spreads patterns.  Then, lighter shot loads have less shot deformation, as would loads with shot cups, whether plastic or paper. Harder shot and fillers also tighten patterns.  I'm sure there is more, but;  

Oh Yeah! Ever heard of the "Swedish wad"?  Over a 100 years or so back in the early days of pattern experimentation a double-cupped wad was tried.

Hear Endeth da Lessen

[Waddie Bill]

 
Dick,
 
  I've been using Reenactor in my shotgun (SXS) for a couple of years ,( 75 Gr, red wads, 1oz shot) knockdowns have been no problem.

  Two brothers have also been using it( one brother has even used it to charge his C&B pistols , worked OK ).

  Of course we are not in the running to win the "Top Gun" but YMMV.

  Good shooting,

  Waddie Bill
 

   
 

[Dick Dastardly]

Thanks Pards,

That's about what I expect to find.  I have no worries about pressure and patterns will be what they will.

DD-MDA

[Noz]

I've used SKIRMISH Fg with good success in my sxs.

Super for night shoots.

[john boy]

I've shot Goex Fg and frequently find "fire" (sparks) inside my 97 when I eject.

Dick, Goex has been known to not finely grind their charcoal and that's what you are seeing - glowing charcoal slivers

[Fairshake]

I was able to purchase some Diamondback powder for $8.50 a pound in 2F and 3F size.
The Back Creek Store in Winchester, Va. advised me that they had a mortar they fired in Civil War reenactments. When they used Goex they would fire the ball for a distance of 100 yards but could only receive a shot of 50 yards out of an equal amount of Diamondback powder. Problems with the charcoal, I suspect as they use some South American palm wood of some kind as it is growing locally.
I took the powder and added the 2F and 3F together in Equal amounts, pound for pound. It makes an excellent shotgun powder that produces plenty of fire, sparks and smoke and has not missed a single KD since I started using it.
The reason I posted this was to inform those who may have purchased some reenact or powder that is a shade weak. You can use another blend to enhance the burn rate, thus raising the power of your charge if found to be weak.
All BP burns the exact same and is the same in mix regardless of the rating given on the can.
Each grain of 1 F contains the same mix as a grain of 3F with the difference being it's size in diameter and also the amount of it's surface area.
It all burns from the outside in. A 3F grain of top quality sporting powder will burn much faster and produce more power than the same grain that is irregular in shape and not as refined. If you look at Swiss powder on a slide and then look at a grain of the same size Diamondback you will see what I'm speaking about. The Diamondback receives much less time being refined and thus will deliver less power.
Cannon grade powder is large grains that are very irregular and take a long time to burn. This allows the charge to burn at a slower rate and build the pressure needed to send a large ball down range.
You will find that all foreign made powders regardless of brand have much smaller grain size than our Goex. The Swiss 2F bis very close to our 3F and so on. That is why many persons make a huge mistake when comparing different powders. The smaller size Swiss will always come out on top. They also put a lot of time in making those grains as close to possible as being almost identical with smooth even surfaces which results in the top speeds that it obtains.
When Goex dropped it's top powders, it put us further behind the foreign made powders in all categories. I hope this changes so that we can stand tall again!! Take Care Fairshake