BLACK POWDER PATCHES, BALLS, AND LUBE. PART #2 (NEW SHOOTER SERIES)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ย. 2024
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT BALLS, PATCHES, AND LUBE FOR YOUR TRADITIONAL BLACK POWDER RIFLE OR PISTOL
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I am a bee keeper and use bees wax and tallow mix. The mix is what I’m working on moving forward
I keep bees as well and use a small percentage of bees wax in my lube. Thanks for the comment!
@@BlackPowderTV do you ever find that the bees wax gums up the barrel? What is the advantage other than keeping the bear grease from melting easily
@@kellyinterrante3884 only if I use too much in the mixture. I use just enough to keep the mix firmed up. That’s the only reason. I never use any more than 20% and I have no issues getting it out of the barrel during cleaning. I also for the most part use it in my smaller bore guns. My bigger bores usually like just bear grease or mink oil.
Since ammo is scare these days I have decided to get back into muzzle loading and that is how I came across your channel.
Your videos are very informative. I thank you for making them as you will no doubt help new shooters who are getting started in muzzle loading.
+1 Sub.
Peace.
Glad to hear you’re getting back into the obsession! Thanks!
The above comments apply to me as well.
Thanks for another great video. We think alike on patches and lubes. I use bear lard for hunting and a mixture of 2 parts water to one part olive oil at the range. I too, like my patched wet.
Thanks did not give that much thought. Great video
Excellent description on the lubes....and advising new shooters what direction to travel. Looking forward to the range fun!
Thanks Mark! The ‘New Shooter Series’ is starting to take shape. 👍🏻
Where’s part 3 of this series? You have done a fantastic job explaining this. It would be awesome to see a video putting this all into action.
I agree I only use one lube a grease lube or pure neatsfoot oil. Great video Bob, keep 'em coming.
Another outstanding video for a new to flintlock.
I did a A beef suet renders down 4 times and strained, then 100 percent bees wax a 50/50 mix. Wats your thoughts?
Lord knows thats the truth. As many lubes as shooters. Ive been using 2 parts beeswax, 1 part Crisco for a while, but ive recently swapped the crisco for olive oil and made 1 tin up to try with my revolvers. Definitely a never ending cycle though lol. Started using the beeswax base due to some notes in Army field manuals honesty.
I use 2-3p tallow 1p bees wax. Just enough wax to keep my lube solid in the heat for my rifles and similar to what you use for my revolvers. Thanks Pat!
Excellent videos Bob, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!
Thanks James!
I was fortunate to find some Balistol pre lined patches at Walmart. Since I’ve never done muzzleloader shooting before this will at least give me a starting point.
Another good one on an interesting topic! I'm starting to get the urge to dig out the gear and have a Black Powder Therapy Session at the Range! It's been far too long!
Thanks Marin! Get out there!
As always, I learned a little something.
Steven Bowen Thanks Steven. That’s all I can ask for. 👍🏻
Great info! Thank you, I'm new to muzzleloading and your videos are a HUGE help! And fun to watch, well done Sir!
Where's part 3!? :)
Dude these tips really helped. Really got into this and found your series. Thank you for doing this!!!
Thanks King! I appreciate the kind words! Thanks brother!
Thanks for sharing. Learned a lot for a new shooter
Thanks Ron!
I like to keep things simple. I use one lube for range and hunting. Since I'm a hunter and not a competition shooter it works. I like a grease type lube and don't use any petroleum products, all natural. I pre-lube my patch material. Enjoyed the presentation even though I'm an old hand. Thank you
Sounds like you do about like I do. Thanks Rich!
I also am an old hand and I recently began shooting my muzzle loading firearms again because I started making my own gun powder. It is very interesting and without posts such as this I never would have done it. The cost is low and the fun is high.
👍 hervorragend, dankeschön!
Again, another great informative video! Roll on!
Big John
Thanks John! I appreciate it!
If your at a rendezvous or club shoot where you simply load and and load and shoot and load and shoot, forget lube, spit patche’s work great and I never have to clean out the barrel until I go back to camp or home. Commercial lube just gums everything up and you have to swab the barrel every 5-7 shots. patch-ball size needs to be little more than what will keep the ball from rolling out. A fouled barrel will do the rest.
NOW for hunting, where the ball might be staying in the barrel for a few days, plus perhaps longer ranges then that might change everything. Your call.
awesome info Bob, answered a bunch of questions for me
thanks keep them coming
Thanks Steve! I appreciate it!
When I was a teen, built my TC Hawken, it was suggested to me to try Crisco/Spry, or motor oil, lol Since then, Now I have been using precut patches with bore butter, inside n out of patch, cover it edge to edge, seems ok, but I was always told to never leave a charge in it, to shoot it off on way out of the woods, then gotta clean it every night, before reloading it. Seems now i been doing alot of extra work, lol Godspeed
Lol. It’s the residue left behind when black powder is burned that’s so hard on your bore. I have two guns that have been loaded since my last deer two weeks ago and they have been done that way every year for the last dozen or so. That’s about as long as I keep them loaded. I’ll shoot them in the next few days, hopefully at a deer, clean them and reload them. Shiney bores all around.
Great video Bob! Thank you. I can't find video #3...can you help?
for years Bob I used bees wax and olive oil mix, it works good. lately I have been using my ticking soaked in ballistol then dried, when I load I spit on the treated material then load. I get patches I can use again if I have a mind to, and I get good accuracy. i have also used hog lard, works great, like you said Bob there is a million different ways. you have to find your own way,,,,,,,,,,,,
Yes sir. 👍🏻 Thanks!
Would you consider make a video of how you would soak a strip of pillow ticking to hang on your bag?
It's on my list for next week!
Well done
Thanks Dave! I appreciate the kind words!
I've only ever used spit or coconut oil. The coconut oil is melted, the patching (pillow ticking) is cut in 1.5" squares and then allowed to soak in the melted oil for a few moments then placed in a jar to solidify. These have worked for me but I'm not sure 100% coconut oil is my final choice cuz it has a low melting point. Thanks for the tips! Stuart
MrTaco250 Thanks Stuart! Another good recipe for guys to try out!
@@BlackPowderTV thanks! The nice thing about coconut oil is it makes a great skin moisturizer so if you get some on your hands, you can just rub it in. My wife also puts it in her coffee with honey for a "power coffee"
Keto Coffee my wife calls that! Good stuff.
I've had good luck with coconut oil myself because that's what I had in my house. It's a saturated fat so it's solid below 90 degrees, melts at very low heat and so far hasn't caused any problems with fouling.
I have two lubes one for hot and one for cold both a 50:50 mix with beeswax. one uses Crisco and the other olive oil. I just got a liquid lube to try that is supposed to be a sythetic sperm whale oil. for my 32 cal rifles I just use spit patches because I normally use a second spit patch to wipe the bore after the shot.
Good information, thanks
Great topic Bob been using soluble oil 10 to one with water at the range for years in cap and flint shoot one hole groups at 50 yards all day if i do my part Cheers from Australia.
Thanks Cliff! Water soluble oils work great. I use mixed Ballistol on occasion. 👍🏻
THANKS FOR THE VIDEO....... LEARNING A LOT!
I'm very new to all this I've only owned one flint lock and it's an old 1970's CVA mountain rifle. shoots well and is surprisingly accurate considering the FNG shooting it.
A bore cleaner that I found works well is a home brew that was posted on line forum
3oz water soluble cutting oil, 1oz murphy's oil soap, *4oz witch hazel, 8oz IPA 16oz distilled water
* I didn't add the witch hazel and don't think it really needs to be in there. Being a machinist water soluble cutting oil is in easy reach. it works very well and due to the murphy's has a pleasant sent.
As for my lube 8oz bees wax, 4oz pure neat's foot oil, 4oz Murphy's oil soap. Makes a bloody mess but also turns into a grease the consistency of butter. this can be thinned or thickened by the amount of bees wax.
I use the bore cleaner on my Shiloh Sharps rifle as well and it is a great between shots bore swab. That rifle only shoot paper patched bullets so zero leading.
Thank you for the great information. I'm going to try some of that flint lock lube just to give it a go.
Thanks KC! Most stuff works ok, it's finding the stuff that works best for the way you shoot! Stay away from petroleum products down the bore but besides that test away!
Why? It seems counter intuitive to someone who has used firearms for years but is new to black powder. Why stay away from oils? Seems strange to want all these water based products when it is petroleum based products that prevent rust?
Many things about BP is counterintuitive I find. There’s a long history of petroleum products glazing your bore or gumming up and being hard to remove because of its interaction with BP. Some folks have used some petroleum products without issue but the general consensus among competitive or longtime BP shooters is that it’s an issue.
Also, bp residue rusts/pits BP barrel steel very very quickly and water neutralized this effect which is the main reason water or a water based cleaner has always been used. 👍🏻
Okay, you sold me on the Bear Grease, now where do I find a Bear ???
In the woods.... JK, I buy my bear grease at longrifle shows or rendezvous'.
@@BlackPowderTV LOL, I expected the come back !! BTY--just learned about GOJO, lubes and cleans fairly good !! ( Plain-not the sandy stuff)
Great video but was just wondering if the wet patch during target practice and then you switch to grease patch is that going to make a difference On Target
Interesting point concerning the use of grease; a there are quite a few old guns with grease holes in the stock. Without really having much more to go on, I kind of favor the use of a more solid lubricant for this reason.
Lube with some body in it does work great most of the year here in the South (where the grease hole guns were made) and I tend to use that sort of lube most of the year. If it's below freezing I like a wet lube or pure bear or mink grease. Thanks Kevin!
@@BlackPowderTV Hey, thank you! Your content is excellent. I only recently learned how to shoot a southern rifle, thanks to your video. My gun has a far flatter buttplate, and it has never come up.
For range shooting I use detergent soap with water and it works well I can shot 40 rounds without having to swab my bore just clean the touch hole, the flint and frizzen.
Did you ever make the part #3 to this series?
Bob, have you (or anyone else reading here) ever had issues with pre-lubing breaking down the patch fabric?
I've never noticed it. But some of the guys on ALR have stated that pre-lubing large amounts of patching material and letting it sit can lead to the fabric breaking down and subsequent failure of the patch.
I’ve head that but never experienced it myself. I usually shoot my prelubed before it gets a month old. I do a strap sort of 3”x20” at the most. That’s about 30 shots or so I think.
good video Bob,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Thanks Olskool!
I used to spit on lof my patches shooting rendezvous I use grizzly lube on my great plains rifle 32 rifle 40 cal JP McCoy they work on all of it thanks for all the information
I use horse saddle wax/grease to my patches and bullets And on some I use old gun grease. Personally I’m not a fan of the “wet” lubes like spit, feels like the balls goes down easier with a good amount of grease
I don’t use wet either. 👍🏻
Great video! For me, I use bear grease for hunting and Leigh Valley for range shooting. I can’t see a difference up to 50yds. Leigh Valley is great if you are doing a lot of range shooting. Can shoot 3-4 times the amount without the bore getting tight.
Are they still making that stuff or did you stock up? I always liked Lehigh Valley. Good stuff. 👍🏻
They did stop making. I stocked up. The last I heard, Dave Keck at Knob Mountain and Dixon Muzzleloading shop still had some. But could be gone now. I can’t verify my next statement, but I heard Mr Flintlock is the “owner”, “producer” of Lehigh now. I haven’t purchased any to verify or compare similarities.
Gene Slodysko I thought they stopped but couldn’t recall for sure. Thanks for the info.
I buy my lube from mr flintlock George sutton
Good info! Experimentation is the key. I, like you, are more partial to grease even though I have wet lubes like Lehigh Valley.
Thanks US!
Planning on using my grandpa's TC New Englander, .50cal this year for whitetail. I like the idea of roundball for ammo, and I'll probably go for precut patches until I get more experienced. Would bacon grease work for a hunting lube? I also saw your video on powder, but I can't find a consistent charge amount recommendation, probably go for goex 2f. What am I missing? Thanks!
What are your thoughts on the "dry patch system" that Dutch Schultz talks about?
Shaun
Hey Shaun, his system is right on with his focus on 'consistency' but I prefer not to swab between shots and everything I do is focused on that. His system is not historically correct but then bench shooters do all sorts of interesting things including using teflon patches, etc. to get the tightest possible groups on paper. Give it a try, all guns are different as is what each of us is after and he gets good results.
It's greased or wet patches for me.
I was on another channel, and he was using a 50-50 mix of dawn dish soap and water. the patches were "more slimy, than wet". which seams rather odd to me. But, he shot 15 in a row without doing any kind of cleaning. (because he was cleaning with every shot) which seams impressive, but I would be concerned about the bore of my rifle. what is your opinion of that? I know we use soap and water to clean up after shooting. but what is the soap doing to that hot barrel? granted, it wasn't in the bore very long. but.....
Dawn dish soap and water mixture
Alox soaked and dried patches ok? What about Alox on conicals like the Lee REAL? Getting back into this and only ever used the paste type commercial stuff in a squeeze tube.
Received a percussion cap 50 cal. Bought the .490 lead balls and .015 dry patch. Saturated the patch and starting it was extremely tight. Is that normal? Last thing I want to do it create a barrel obstruction.
Can you use melted Crisco or lard? does it have to be beef tallow
Would you consider bore butter a range lube, or a hunting lube?
It seems like the pre lubed patches I've got have a healthy amount of bore butter on them.
Really interesting information. New to Flintlock but not to black powder. Learning something new with every video I watch .... working my way through your play list. Thanks for taking the time to put this content out.
Thanks for the kind words Kurt!
Where do you get bear grease?
😎
What are your thoughts on bore butter?
I think there are better alternatives but itll do in a pinch.
Apologize if this doesn’t fit in, but I’m beginning to put pieces together to reload my 410. Don’t have a press, so will be sealing my shell with a card wad over my shot. You mentioned mink oil, can I use the mink oil like I buy at Wally World? Thanks in advance
your opinion of "bore butter"? Seems to be most readily available but some controversy about it.......
I’ve tried it out. I didn’t find it terrible as a lube but cleanup was a mess. Gummed up a bit. I’d use it in a pinch but there are better options. Track’s Mink Oil comes to mind.
Good that you asked, but it's a running joke in most hardcore BP shooters' groups. There is no seasoning effect, that is total marketing malarkey according to men older and wiser than I. I understand quite well, as does anyone who cooks with iron, how the best seasoned skillet will also lose that seasoning (in the form of smoke) if allowed to get too hot. Methinks the burning of black powder is hot enough to remove any "seasoning" that could be achieved by any means inside a BP barrel. Others talk about the waxy stuff that is "chap stick" being the main ingredient and how that's not appropriate and can lead to other problems. I use bear grease with just enough deer tallow added to keep it from getting runny in warm weather, or pure NFO, or spit.
Over the summer I ran out of lube and went foraging in the kitchen. Guess what, canola oil works great. It will go rancid over time but still shoots.
Excellent bit of good info! Thanks John Boy!
I've been running some TC bore butter(I started with it long ago,trying to use it up) but mostly now I use straight deer grease.I'll probably try mixing it with beeswax later on.Can't wait to get home and get a bear on the ground so I can get that fabled bear grease finally.So many choices with lubes.
Vtmtnman42 I believe October Country has some bear grease in stock right now. Bore butter isn’t a terrible lube, I just find it a bit hard to clean up. I wouldn’t suggest more than 1 part in 5 of beeswax. Don’t need much more than that. Right you are. Lots of lube choices. Thanks!
Bought a case of 24 tubes of TC Bore Butter some years back at a going out of business sale. Still trying to use it up. Lol
when i first got my blackpowder rife i read that you should not use a petroleum lube as it builds up on the inside of the barrel. I have only used TC Bore Butter and find it works great for me.
Just wondering have you ever used square patches, some say there is no difference in accuracy using square, or round patches.
Thomas Gentry I have, but I didn’t see a difference in accuracy at all so long as the ball is fully wrapped. 👍🏻
Do you make your own bear grease? Or where can one purchase it?
I either make my own, pick it up from Kentucky Longrifle shows, or from hunting buddies who render it themselves. I usually get it by the quart. That said, I’m pretty sure October Country has it in stock now.
Thank you!
How well does synthetic motor oil do with black powder guns?
Good question. The consensus is to not use any petroleum products in BP guns as they leave a glaze that is hard to remove when mixed with BP residue. I’m not sure how synthetic oil would perform based on that. It might be worth a test.
Lots of helpful advice-thanks. What are your thoughts on frequency of wiping the bore when at the range?
For me, it’s a matter of what the gun is for. If it’s a squirrel gun (which i shoot a lot) my goal is a load and lube that allows me to not wipe at all while if it’s a competition gun I want to wipe each shot as I have the time and I want the consistency. 👍🏻
@@BlackPowderTV How well does synthetic motor oil work with black powder guns?
@@msharmony2001
I have been shooting muzzle loaders and an active reenactor for over 40 years. I would strongly advise you not to use any synthetic or petroleum based oil or grease in your black powder guns. When fired it leaves a hard residue in the bore ( not compatable) and makes for inaccurate follow up shots and is harder to clean you barrel.
For a cheap home made ever day or range cleaning, mix a 1 part water soluable machinist oil ( at auto parts store...NAPA) to 8 to 10 parts water.
Excellent cleaner or fast range lube.
Thompsons Wonder lube or Bore Butter(same stuff) store bought is an all natural wintergreen scent mixture using bees wax. It also not only cleans the bore, used as patching lube, it also seasons the bore much like you do with cast iron skillets. It also extends reloading between shots easier and acts as a bore protectant. Do not mix petroleum based products with either of the above suggestions.
Hope this helps you out.
@Denis Degamon Thank you. I will refrain from using synthetic lubricants. I have not tried it yet.
What about Crisco?
Where do you find bear grease
I buy mine mostly at the longrifle shows I attend and film videos of. There has been some for sale at each I've been to for the last few years....
Tc bore butter
Do you find that the pre lubed patch strips get slimy when it gets hot out? I like the idea of a patch strip because i have a .45 cal flintlock and a .50 cal caplock.
I use a homemade lube and it does soften when it hot but it doesn’t effect anything much. I do tuck it into my bag so it doesn’t pick up any dirt though. 👍🏻
What brand mink oil do you uses?
I get mine from trackofthewolf.com.👍🏻
Ok thank you the video are great and helpful
can you use shortening?
Sure. Some folks have reported good luck with it. I’d give it a go and see what you think. 👍🏻
I'm looking at a flint lock but I'm lefty and every thing I see is for a right handed. Should I just try to find a lefty or will I be ok with the right handed one
I shot right handed guns for decades lefty. Keep in mind left handed guns are harder to sell and are worth a smidge less. I switched to right handed shooting but there is no issue shooting a righty gun lefty.
Great video! I might have a silly question. Can a patch be to big? To get a patch size I started a ball, then cut the patch with a patch knife. I did this three times and got an average. Then I made a die to precut the patches. I thought having them all the same size would help accuracy. What are your thoughts?
Thanks Dwayne! I wouldn’t think you could get it too big doing it that way. The patch opens like a parachute the instant the ball leaves the bore. I’m not sure if you would get any accuracy disadvantage from the patches being different sizes but it makes quicker work of it by having them the same and it makes it easier to center the ball on the patch when loading if the patch is a bit larger (you don’t want it so large it wads up on top of the ball when loading.). Hope that helps.
@@BlackPowderTV Cool thanks!
Another direct to the point video! Ready for the range video now! The next best thing to making smoke yourself is watching someone else make smoke!
Is there a problem of having the patch folded up on top of the ball? Would it still open up parachute like?
Rodd Boyer Thanks Rodd. I’m not sure there’s a problem necessarily with the patch opening. It may not unwrap until it has affected the spin. Good question. I think the problem would be getting it started with a big ball of cloth on top.
@@BlackPowderTV I'm thinking that if you used square patches, there'd be the corners that would wrap back up on top of the ball. I've shot some 'cut at the muzzle' patched balls that had a 'tail' that didn't cut because it was near the edge of the cloth. I wonder if ramming the load home would embed the excess cloth into the lead ball and cause it to remain attached???? Nothing that hi speed cameras couldn't take care of!
They say you don't want a petroleum base or flammable lube,i tried some teflon pre lubes patch someone give me and that worked the best.my Hawkins seems to foul up easily.
That is true enough though low flash point flammables is what you want to worry about. Greases though they will catch fire, won’t used on a patch. Lots of competitive long range shooters use Teflon and swear by it. Excellent comment. Thanks.
Bore butter ok??
It works but I think you’ll find much better stuff. For me it’s not real slick going down and is hard to clean but there are no other drawbacks. 👍🏻
What's better, if may ask??
I bought big tube , little one. I'll have them rest of my life.lol
I use Precision Lube 2000 all the time.
Last night I lubed for the first time, I put some Wonder lube in a "Conferedate Zip lock" bag and rubbed the patches one by one... We wondered what's the smell in wonder lube, have the feeling I smelled that before somewhere... Anybody knows?
I tend to use bear grease all the time cuz it seems the most period correct. Using modern liquid seems to undermine the point of shooting flintlocks, if we use modern products, we might as well shoot modern guns, IMHO
Thanks! That’s basically how I see it Tim.
So, anyone know a good place to get bear grease? Also what are some preferred greases for inside the lock?
I get mine from Kentucky longrifle shows, and other rendezvous type gatherings. Trackofthewolf’s Mink oil is very similar. Inside the lock on pivot points I use RIG grease. 👍🏻
bvcolonialcrafts.com/about/ they have some unless you get some bear fat off someone who harvests a bear.
@@BlackPowderTV awesome, I'll check it out. I just bought some rig from track of the wolf last week, but couldn't find bear grease. I've always been around "civil war" type rifles, but I'm trying to learn more and get away from modern oils which I use to much of. I definitely appreciate your videos!
Thanks! I appreciate it! Feel free to ask any questions you may have. My email is bob@blackpowdertv.com
Scroll to the bottom of the page I sent
I aint spitting on nuttin I have cronic dry mouth
Where can I collect grass fed duck pee? Do the ducks mind?
So anything based on fat without any salt , out to the edges .
When you speak of lubes I have to say the best lube I ever used in my muzzle loading six shooters is crisco. It cuts the fouling allowing many shots before the pistol is to fouled for the cylinder to turn without assistance.
I like Crisco in revolvers as well. 👍🏻 Thanks again for the comments!
Thanks for the info . I'm fairly new to the black powder world and so far have only used spit and T/C bore butter . Don't care much for the bore butter , seems to foul up my barrel quicker . What exactly is the bear grease you talked about ? Thanks
It’s actual bear grease. The only part of Bear that isn’t controlled. I have a few friends in AK and occasionally pick it up at shows. I have the same thoughts on bore butter. Try the trackofthewolf.com Mink oil. It’s great stuff.
Scroll to the bottom of the page I sent.
I tried Bore Butter for patch lube and for some reason it didnt protect the patches. I got burned through and frayed patches and terrible accuracy. Bore Butter has a wax in it and its an excellent preservative and rust preventer.
I rub it over all of the metal parts of my guns before i put the guns in the safe. No rust issues at all.
Olive oil is vegetable and so is cotton patch material so it makes a good lube. It was being imported in the 1700s but i doubt that they saw much of it on the frontier.
Beeswax was also know and used.
There again maybe not so common on the frontier.
The most common thing would have been a rendered animal fat. Bear oil and hog fat are similar. Any kind of rendered fat would have served the purpose.
Ask ten experienced ml shooters get twenty answers... if you don’t give them more then a few seconds at answer. Give them a few minutes they will start to contradict each themselves.😊
That’s exactly right Jeff. The thing about traditional BP is true of many other things. There may be one 100% best way to load for a particular gun but there is also a dozen 90% best ways, and 100 60% best ways, so most people fall somewhere between 60 and 90%. That’s true of me for several of my guns. Only the most dedicated shooters will get to the perfect way and that’s only if they have a reason to get there. Competitive shooters, distance hunters, and squirrel guns in my experience are examples of that. I hope my approach on this video series has come across the way I meant it, which is to lay out a pathway for new folks to find their own way. Thanks for the great comment Jeffrey!
I know it is common today to call these firearms black powder firearms and the powder to be called black powder. Correctly it is simply gun powder and the modern propellants are smokeless powder. Just sayin.
Gunpowder/Smokeless Powder is a 19th century distinction necessitated by the creation of smokeless powder. In the meantime ‘smokeless’ is now the correct term for gunpowder. Much like automobiles were originally called horseless carriages to distinguish them from the types that need horses but now called something without that unnecessary distinction. Also the term ‘gunpowder’ is a term created and used by England, a culture whose only use for it was in firearms. Black Powder was originally, as it is today, used for many things besides gunpowder (read: mining, fireworks, and making small rocks from big rocks) so Black Powder is a more accurate term for early gunpowder when speaking today. IMO.
Great comment.