Long-Lasting Black Powder.

[Brazos John]

I found some Swiss and some Graf's BP at a gun shop.

I'm buying a flintlock rifle, and need 4F powder for the pan (the proverbial Flash in the Pan).

A pound will last me the rest of my life, so which powder do you think would last longer - Swiss or Graf's?

I know that keeping it dry and cool is important.

Swiss is pricier than Graf's, but is it that much better than Graf's, and will it last longer?

Thanks, y'all.

Brazos

[Bailey Creek,5759]

If i remember correctly Graft's powder is made by Goex.

To save on cost you could Buy locally.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

No, each will last about the same time under the same conditions.
Actually BP improves with age.
Swiss is "better" if you are target shooting at longer range.

For the kind of stuff the average shooter does, Grafs is fine, and the additional cost of swiss isn't justified by what we do.

--Dawg

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

The old Graf's powder was actually Schuetzen packaged in Graf's own bottles. Made in Germany by Wano, the same people who make Schuetzen. They use a better grade of charcoal.

 

As of 2020, Manufactured for Graf & Sons by Goex Powder Inc. Grafs powder was made by Schuetzen in the past

 

--Dawg

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

Unless your name is Methuselah, it won't matter.  Probably wouldn't matter even if it is.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

BP doesn't have a "Best bye Date" or a "Sell bye Date."  BP has been shown to be viable for at least 300 Years when kept in a dry environment.

 

I can't really provide an "What is better" answer.  I'll shoot whatever I can get my hands on.  It ALL goes BANG when stored and loaded properly.

 

Fret not.

[Goody, SASS #26190]

1 hour ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

No, each will last about the same time under the same conditions.
Actually BP improves with age.
Swiss is "better" if you are target shooting at longer range.

For the kind of stuff the average shooter does, Grafs is fine, and the additional cost of swiss isn't justified by what we do.

--Dawg

Yep. If just for priming the pan I would go with the least expensive. You might even find someone within the shooting community that go halfsies with you or trade you some balls for some 4F.

[Snakebite]

IMO Swiss is the better powder. I'm not saying it will last longer, but since you are buying a lifetime supply, a whole one pound, why not just get the best. I've used 50 yrs old powder without any problems. 

 

Snakebite

[Kid Rich]

For pan priming I would use the cleanest that I could get.

kR

[Howlin Mad Murdock SASS #4037]

Better yet, just use 3f in the barrel and the pan, no need for 4f.

 

All those paper cartridges fired by all those Armies over the decades used the same grain, and it wasn't 4f.

[John Boy]

Dawg, I have black powder made in modern time, even DuPont and Meteor made in the 50’s and the 70’s. Chronographing these reloads over the years, they do not improve with age