Swiss, Schuetzen or Goex powder??

MarTay6 · #1 01-20-2015, 02:23 PM

Searched through previous posts here, didn't really see anything applicable. Given the choice of powders, which do you prefer- and why?
Live about 200 miles from Maine Powder House, and planning on picking some 3f up. Not sure which brand to go with.
Wes

Bob4BVM · #2 01-20-2015, 06:35 PM

Goex is what I use just because it is what's available around here most.
Have used the others too, they all seem to go boom reliably.

Any of the 3 are good choices, far superior to any of the artificial "PyrodTripl77PelletStuffers" out there, which might be OK for guns that look and operate like a CF. But the artificials have no place in a caplock and certainly NOT in a flinter.

my .02

rick/pa · #3 01-21-2015, 11:13 AM

Nothing but the real thing. I've only shot Dupont then later GOEX so I can't speak about the others, but from what I've heard Swiss is the best. I'm still shooting the GOEX I bought back in 95 which is supposedly better than the current stuff.

I met JR from the Maine Powder House when the NRA had its convention in Pittsburgh. Really nice fellow, ask him about the plus and minuses of the different powders. There is another brand, KIK, that seems to get good marks over on the cast boolit forum.

Back in 2004 I had the pleasure of meeting the Mad Monk, Bill Knight, at Dixon's Gunmaker's Fair. He talked to a friend and I for over two hours on powder production and its variables. Very interesting person. Here's some links to his writings along those lines.

http://www.laflinandrand.com/madmonk/WANO_Schuetzen.pdf

http://www.laflinandrand.com/madmonk/Swiss_Booklet.pdf

This link contains the above two and several others. Some of them require a download to your email.

http://www.laflinandrand.com/page3.htm

MarTay6 · #4 01-21-2015, 03:54 PM

Wow, a lot of very interesting, if not rather dry reading there. Thanks for the info, Rick- and to the rest who replied to my query. Who'd have thunk there was so much that goes into the making of B/P- and determining its characteristics??
Think I'll go with Swiss... the price, considering how long a pound will actually go- is not bad.
Wes

kwilfong · #5 02-01-2015, 08:03 AM

I like SWISS. it's noticeably cleaner than GOEX & a little faster.
I first tried it when I built a 45/70 to shoot black powder cartridges. Had a conversation with a customer who shoots long range BP cartridge competition & that was his recommendation.
Once or twice a year I order 25# from Powder Inc & share with a few friends.

4ster · #6 02-01-2015, 09:13 AM

If you shoot a flintlock, consider picking up a can of Swiss Null/B for pan priming. Its very fast priming powder.

In my pistol I just shoot 3F for both main charge and prime to make it easy but in my rifle the pan gets Null/B.

Most people report that they get higher velocities with Swiss for the same F rating. You may have to experiment a bit to find a charge of Swill that shoots best in your gun.

bucknball · #7 02-10-2015, 04:07 PM

I have shot all three. I prefer the Swiss for hunting and competition loads. Particularly in the FFF grade in my 50 cal inline and "traditional" rifles. For my 58 and 69 "traditional" I use Swiss 1.5F Swiss is more expensive but has plenty of consistency and power. For just banging away and plinking and kids shooting and celebratory blank shooting I use less expensive powder. The cheaper powders would probably be just fine for full power loads too but I just started using the Swiss way back when I couldn't get DuPont any more. Nowdays the Schuetzen, Black Diamond, KIK, Graffs or Goex should be about the same. Way back I used Elephant as my cheaper powder. Just my opinion, your results may be different. BnB

Pete44ru · #8 02-11-2015, 11:48 PM

.

In my area, it's buy/shoot whatever you can get, or don't shoot at all.

I bought plenty of Goex because at the time it was all that was available; but when I next needed to buy powder, my buy was Swiss ( Goex was no longer hereabouts).

I liked both, but needed to reduce the Swiss charges about 10% from the Goex charges I had been using .

OK with me, since each pound of Holy Black just goes a little further.

I've long been using FFFg in ALL my cap & rock lock guns (aka: K.I.S.S.)

.

cznut · #9 02-21-2015, 04:45 AM

Swiss 3F for everything, much cleaner and faster burning

Crestwalker · #10 02-21-2015, 10:43 AM

Swiss fffg over the other two. Less flashpan buildup and lighter crust-ring to bust through when seating patch and ball.

gifford · #11 02-23-2015, 01:34 PM

I shot Goex for years and still do in my rifles. However, I switched to Swiss for my .32 caliber inline percussion target pistol a couple of years ago. And yes, it's much cleaner (as others have said) however I have no comment on 'being faster' as I do not have a chronograph to test the relative velocity. I will likely use it in my Ruger Old Army revolver this upcoming shooting season.

Ckeshen · #12 02-23-2015, 05:55 PM

I you want the "best", just go for the Swiss 3F. It is more expensive, but you can reduce your Goex loads 10-15% by using Swiss. It is hotter by volume.

Cleanup is also very good with Swiss. It is what the serious competition shooters in Europe use. It is extremely consistent load to load. If you want to use the best, use Swiss.

That is not to say that the other 2 powders are not good. Many people have used them for years and trust them.

Also, I sometimes use Hodgdon 777. It is priced about the same as I can get Swiss delivered to my door (about $30/lb. in 5 lb. lots), but is available at my local Bass Pro. I use identical loads to Swiss with it and the cleanup is also very easy. I consider it equal to Swiss.

bn12gg · #13 04-08-2015, 05:12 PM

I'm half way thru a pound of Kixx (3F). fwiw, it goes boom just like the Goex for me. Lancaster flinter, target pistol flinter -- 3F in the pans. No difference.

.02

David

TenTwentyToo · #14 04-08-2015, 09:35 PM

I have about a dozen blackpowder firearms, all either flintlock or caplock. All but one of them like Fffg (3f) powder. In those I use Jack's Battle Powder. Jack's is manufactured by Goex and then repackaged by Jack. It is a slightly less refined/processed version of their 3f powder and is not graphite coated. It shoots just fine in my rifles, pistols and smoothbores and is less expensive than Goex, Swiss or Schutzen. It also seems to leave less fouling in the barrel.

I have one .54 caliber rifle that likes Ffg (2f). I shoot Goex in that one.

NHcollector · #15 05-12-2015, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarTay6

Searched through previous posts here, didn't really see anything applicable. Given the choice of powders, which do you prefer- and why?
Live about 200 miles from Maine Powder House, and planning on picking some 3f up. Not sure which brand to go with.
Wes

I'm within 40 miles of MPH. I emailed them to make sure they had a storefront and weren't all mail order, no reply after several days. Can you or someone else affirm that they do walk-in business?