Re: MtMan-List: Black Powder

[Dale Nelson <dnelson@wizzards.net>]

RR1LA@aol.com wrote:
> 
> JD, iirc (if i recall correctly) powder was not originally packaged by
> fineness grades, but did change as it was carried around and ground itself
> down.  

The powder in my horn doesn't "grind itself down"

The coarser stuff was used down the barrel; the finer in the pan, as it
> ignited faster.

Who screened the coarse from the fine?

The British Brown Bess musket was about 12 balls to the pound, or about
.75 caliber. They used a paper cartridge.  I DO NOT RECOMEND THIS, but
in combat the soldier tore the bottom off the paper, primed the pan,
closed the frizzen, poured the rest of the powder down the barrel
followed by the ball, paper and all and rammed it home while the gun was
PRIMED AND COCKED, but then soldiers tend to get hurt in combat so that
might be some justifaction for doing it that way.  The point I'm trying
to make is they primed with the same powder as the charge.  I'm thinking
that they probably had a better quality powder than we do.  My Dixie
Gunworks repo brown bess won't fire primed with FFg, and the gun sparks
real good.  I can prime with FFFg and it works fine though.  I wonder if
in those days they had the same granulations of powder that we do today?
			Dale Nelson