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I'm heaving myself into event-participation mode for the first time in, mayhap, fifteen years. What is a reasonable blank charge of ff- or fg black for use in a .58? I last did infantry at the 100th Bull Run in 1961, Lord help me, being artillery since.
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David Fox -
Re: blank charges
60-70 grains. I'd go with FFF of FF, F tends to be a bit to large and can lead to misfires.Ryan McIntyre
124th New York State Volunteers
Founder of the Squatting Bullfrog Mess & the "Leave your politics at home" Mess
"the Doctor says that I have got the Knapsack complaint that is I cant carry a knapsack that is a disease of my own getting up for I can lift as much as eney[sic] of the boys"
Joseph H. Johnston
March 16th 1863
Camp Convalescent
"It takes twelve men and a corporal up there [brigade headquarters] to take care of a few trees and salute the officers as they pass these are all the orders we have, but it is military I suppose..."
Henry M Howell
March 8 1863
In camp Near Falmouth -
Re: blank charges
Hallo!
60 grains is NUG considered "standard."
(Some events actually (strive to) limit the uppermost end.)
FF or "2F" is also standard for "musket." Although some lads use FFF because it is "louder" and fouls at a slower rate.
F is essentially cannon powder.
FFFF is fine "flintlock" priming pan powder and should never be used as a main charge due to breech pressure dangers.
CurtCurt Schmidt
In gleichem Schritt und Tritt, Curt Schmidt
-Hard and sharp as flint...secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.
-Haplogroup R1b M343 (Subclade R1b1a2 M269)
-Pointless Folksy Wisdom Mess, Oblio Lodge #1
-Vastly Ignorant
-Often incorrect, technically, historically, factually.Comment
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Re: blank charges
I use about 70gr of FFF in my blanks. Nice and fairly loud and it does not foul quite as quickly as FF.Pvt. Rudy Norvelle
20th Maine Vol Inf Co. G
Third Brigade, First Divison, Fifth Corps
Army of the PotomacComment
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Re: blank charges
My thanks. I'll be rolling my own during tonight's Panthers game, and hope to see some of you Bunkies at Nash Farm next weekend.David FoxComment
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Re: blank charges
I've used both FF and FFF and have found that I do not like FFF since it seems to have a slower burn rate but I am by no means an expert on such things. All I get is a "poof" rather than a "bang". Maybe it's just me. I will never buy FFF again. Hope it helps.Paul Wolbeck, Captain
33rd AL Inf
Pvt. Ezra Walker
36th OH, Co G Salem Light GuardComment
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Re: blank charges
Hallo!
IMHO...
Something else is going on with your gun.
The finer the granulation, the more surface area is exposed- so finer powder
ignites and burns faster than larger (also generating more breech pressure).
A given weight or volume of FFF will generate more pressure than the same weight or volume of FF (which is why FFFF is dangerous when incorrectly used as a main charge).
CurtCurt Schmidt
In gleichem Schritt und Tritt, Curt Schmidt
-Hard and sharp as flint...secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.
-Haplogroup R1b M343 (Subclade R1b1a2 M269)
-Pointless Folksy Wisdom Mess, Oblio Lodge #1
-Vastly Ignorant
-Often incorrect, technically, historically, factually.Comment
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Re: blank charges
As I remember, Curt... that Elephant Black Powder (the old stuff) came in FFF, FF, F and "Cannon". We used to use the F at The Citadel for the salute cannon we fired at football games/reenactments in the mid-1990s, but I once remember that Elephant brand came in one grade called "Cannon". Anyone remember that? How did it differ from F only?
Black powder is getting difficult to obtain in my neck-of-the-woods where I live. Heck, "strike anywhere" matches are getting impossible to find here.
I only use FF for my P53 Enfield at events now. -JohnnyLast edited by Johnny Lloyd; 08-30-2009, 03:42 PM.Johnny Lloyd
John "Johnny" Lloyd
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"Without history, there can be no research standards.
Without research standards, there can be no authenticity.
Without the attempt at authenticity, all is just a fantasy.
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Proud descendant of...Comment
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Re: blank charges
1. Cannon grade is coarser still than 1F.
2. David, see you at Nash Farm. My son and I will be covering the event for Civil War News. With whom are you falling in?Last edited by Craig L Barry; 08-30-2009, 05:21 PM.Craig L Barry
Editor, The Watchdog, a non-profit 501[c]3
Co-author (with David Burt) Suppliers to the Confederacy
Author, The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy
Member, Company of Military HistoriansComment
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Re: blank charges
I dunno. I'm to be that much-dispised creature called a 'walk on'. I'm an honorary member of the local western N.C. grunt unit and hope they'll adopt me. I'm also toting C.S. and U.S. artillery togs in case a gun's short a crew member. Look forward to saying "hey".David FoxComment
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