Colorant for BP Smoke

[Happy]

We have an event coming up that requires a little bit "extra" in the smoke department.  A shotgun salute with Black Powder.

Does anyone know what I need to do to add color to the smoke?

 

Been reading the comments below and THANK YOU for the guidance.  This is a one shot celebration event and not something I plan on doing on a regular basis.  I think the idea of lots of smoke may just be the ticket so I'll be lookin for a couple pounds of 1F to load up and well, test :-)

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

Many use the colored chalk that is used in chalk lines.

Blue and red are the two primary colors.

[JackSlade]

Maybe rit dye powder? Not mixed in with the propellant, but in front of the powder charge.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

Just remember, if the wind is blowing back on you, many of those color ingredients are going to be much worse to breathe than just plain BP smoke.  Same issue with various glitters and other small items that have been added into shotshells in the past, you dont want those little things getting into eyes,

 

I did hear tell of a pair of womens panties getting shot at a target once as a joke, apparently that one came off hilariously well.

 

 

 

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

Yeh, chalk, especially red will ruin cloths and bad for the lungs.

[Beartrap SASS#57175]

Want more smoke? Use more powder!

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

4 minutes ago, Beartrap SASS#57175 said:

Want more smoke? Use more powder!

And 1Fg or Reenactor BP will make the most flame as well!

 

I agree with being very careful with additives.  Many have gotten away with no problems, but...others have had problems!  

 

To add; if this is just for a salute and not for targets, just fill up the whole hull with powder, no shot (a blank).  

[Rip Snorter]

Here is something you may not have come across https://www.firequest.com/G12-033.html

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

51 minutes ago, Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 said:

Just remember, if the wind is blowing back on you, many of those color ingredients are going to be much worse to breathe than just plain BP smoke.  Same issue with various glitters and other small items that have been added into shotshells in the past, you dont want those little things getting into eyes,

 

THIS.  A good enough reason not to do it.  Besides, what's wrong with the white or gray smoke produced by subs and real BP (with flame)?  A nice loud BOOM is good enough for a salute.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

1 hour ago, Rip Snorter said:

Here is something you may not have come across https://www.firequest.com/G12-033.html

Those look interesting.  At $2 per shell, a bit pricey.  Seems like it wouldn't be too hard to make shells with streamer confetti.  The first noisemaker blanks I made years ago were about 60 or so grains of BP and then stuffed pieces of toilet paper on top until I got a decent crimp.  Lots of shredded confetti!  One local shooter uses toilet paper in his smokeless shells, as a filler.   He does shoot out some confetti but never been a problem.  Mostly we laugh at him, and tell him to make sure he uses new stuff.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

In smokeless loads, you can get away with larger pieces of paper confetti, streamers, I've even heard of chicken feathers.  Dont want to do those in BP, because things tend to burn when emerging from a fireball.  Also, those can make a mess on your range.

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

Above statements have solid merit regarding the use of other substances in BP shotgun loads.

However, the OP states a special event which would lead one to believe a one off situation.

Another idea is to chop up some fourth of July sparklers and add some on top of the powder.  Or, in a location where vertical flight fireworks are sold, take some apart and use the powder that make the colors.

 

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Remember that the show is really for the peanut gallery.
You won't really see it.
I have been known to scrape the dried powder slurry off of sparklers, and add it to the BP in shells.
That & using 1Fg powder gives a lot of flames/debris/colored sparkles out of the shotgun.

If yer gonna use feathers, put them on top of the shot, not in with the powder.

--Dawg

[Blackwater 53393]

53 minutes ago, Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104 said:

Above statements have solid merit regarding the use of other substances in BP shotgun loads.

However, the OP states a special event which would lead one to believe a one off situation.

Another idea is to chop up some fourth of July sparklers and add some on top of the powder.  Or, in a location where vertical flight fireworks are sold, take some apart and use the powder that make the colors.

 

 

I DON’T  recommend using sparkler material!!  It’s made of magnesium and sometimes phosphorus.  It’s bad for your barrel and is extremely hard to extinguish once it gets going!!

 

Colored streamers like those that come in the little hand held poppers will work very well!!  Be sure to safely dispose of the rest of the popper!

 

You can tightly roll strips of crepe paper in any color and put it in the shot cup. I have short shot cups that can be used with an over powder card. This will allow you to use the crepe paper AND load shot as well.  If you don’t have such a thing, you can use the over powder card and remove the shot cup from your regular wad. With the crepe paper under the shot, it acts as a cushion.

 

I/we have made up shells with the effect portion of regular fireworks in the past and it was really fun until someone wasn’t careful enough and set a range on fire while nobody was there to stomp out the little flames which quickly became big flames!!  I don’t recommend that anyone do that anymore.

 

DO NOT USE GLITTER!!  You can barely see it, if at all, and it gets into everything, especially peoples’ eyes!!  If you MUST use something flashy, use mylar sequins! Make sure to use fairly large ones.  They DO get everywhere, but they are large enough that safety glasses will prevent them from getting in your eyes!

 

All of these should be used over smokeless powder. As others have mentioned, most, if not all of your stuff will be consumed in the flame from Black Powder!  If you do it right, the effect will be good enough that no one will think less of your effort.  If you MUST HAVE Black Powder smoke, fire them out of one barrel of a double and your BP load out of the other!

 

And as the Dawg said, put your stuff in with the shot, not the powder.

 

At one time, several years ago, I was pretty well known for shooting weird stuff out of my guns.  I’ve set hay bales and dried grass on fire at several ranges, but I always warned everyone and we prepared for it.  HELL! I’ve set the range on fire with just a big Black Powder load on more than a few occasions!  Make sure that EVERYONE knows what you’re doing and that it’s approved by the Match Director and the host club!!

 

BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN!!

[July Smith]

1fg or reenactor grade powder are both really smokey.  I would not add anything to the powder it self.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

...If you MUST HAVE Black Powder smoke, fire them out of one barrel of a double and your BP load out of the other!...

Regardless of what you are shooting, for the most effect always pull both triggers!  Blanks don't hardly recoil 

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

As of September, 2011 "Pyrotechnic Loads" are banned from Wartrace. Dont ask.

 

Imis

[Shooting Bull]

3 hours ago, Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 said:

. Dont ask.

 

Why?🤔

 

 

😁

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

45 minutes ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

Why?🤔

 

 

😁

Refer to the post from Blackwater and think copycat. 

[Moses, SASS #5964]

               When I was loading shotgun blanks for an extra effect I would add confetti on top of the card over the 

         black powder charge with another card on top to hold it in. Glitter works also but very much of it will 

         reproduce the recoil of a live round.

                                             Moses #5964 life

                                          

[Shooting Bull]

7 hours ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

Refer to the post from Blackwater and think copycat. 

I was just joking. He told me not to do something so I had to do it. 😁

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I Fill the Cartridge right to the top .

And Squeeze the bullet on .

There is so much smoke and I shoot s.l.o.w ! 

It fills everything with smoke and you can't see anything  let alone breath lol .

I love it .

I will never be a top shooter. 

I'm usually last or next to last .

But everyone remembers the day they could not breath at a Cowboy Shoot 🤣😂🤣

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

On 6/28/2025 at 11:14 AM, Shooting Bull said:

 

Why?🤔

 

 

😁

 

Because..

 

On 6/26/2025 at 4:47 PM, Blackwater 53393 said:

 

I DON’T  recommend using sparkler material!!  It’s made of magnesium and sometimes phosphorus.  It’s bad for your barrel and is extremely hard to extinguish once it gets going!!

 

Colored streamers like those that come in the little hand held poppers will work very well!!  Be sure to safely dispose of the rest of the popper!

 

You can tightly roll strips of crepe paper in any color and put it in the shot cup. I have short shot cups that can be used with an over powder card. This will allow you to use the crepe paper AND load shot as well.  If you don’t have such a thing, you can use the over powder card and remove the shot cup from your regular wad. With the crepe paper under the shot, it acts as a cushion.

 

I/we have made up shells with the effect portion of regular fireworks in the past and it was really fun until someone wasn’t careful enough and set a range on fire while nobody was there to stomp out the little flames which quickly became big flames!!  I don’t recommend that anyone do that anymore.

 

DO NOT USE GLITTER!!  You can barely see it, if at all, and it gets into everything, especially peoples’ eyes!!  If you MUST use something flashy, use mylar sequins! Make sure to use fairly large ones.  They DO get everywhere, but they are large enough that safety glasses will prevent them from getting in your eyes!

 

All of these should be used over smokeless powder. As others have mentioned, most, if not all of your stuff will be consumed in the flame from Black Powder!  If you do it right, the effect will be good enough that no one will think less of your effort.  If you MUST HAVE Black Powder smoke, fire them out of one barrel of a double and your BP load out of the other!

 

And as the Dawg said, put your stuff in with the shot, not the powder.

 

At one time, several years ago, I was pretty well known for shooting weird stuff out of my guns.  I’ve set hay bales and dried grass on fire at several ranges, but I always warned everyone and we prepared for it.  HELL! I’ve set the range on fire with just a big Black Powder load on more than a few occasions!  Make sure that EVERYONE knows what you’re doing and that it’s approved by the Match Director and the host club!!

 

BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN!!

 

He said so.  😊

[Rip Snorter]

I wonder if fireplace color chemicals would work, NOT a suggestion, a question.

[Blackwater 53393]

Just now, Rip Snorter said:

I wonder if fireplace color chemicals would work, NOT a suggestion, a question.

I thought of those, but they require a flame and the chemical colors that flame!

 

I also considered trying the stuff from military smoke grenades, but that stuff has to have a flame to support it as well.  
 

I ain’t quit figuring on it…. 😜

[Sedalia Dave]

Unless there is a good breeze at your back DON'T add anything to shotgun shells. Doesn't matter if their Black Powder or Smokeless just DON'T.

[Scarlett]

22 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

I was just joking. He told me not to do something so I had to do it. 😁

There’s ALWAYS one!! Not surprised it was YOU! I was gonna do it if you hadn’t! 😂🤣🥰

 

Hugs!

Scarlett

[CASS, Singing Hills Ranch]

Thumbnail size amount of 0000 steel wool over the 4.0cc charge of reenactor powder then red wad and 1oz shot. 

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

OK!  Now I am impressed.

 

I shoot in Illinois.  Hot and humid right now.  No fire danger.  We have a practice before the next match.  Hmmmm?

 

Chancy

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Nice Pic!

[Mad Dog McGee]

I've shot some real BP loads loaded with aluninum filings . It was like a flash and smoke . Looked cool.