Which powder brand

[W7JRR]

Grew up primarily shooting black powder. At the time only used Goex. To give an idea of how long that’s been I’m just finishing up the last pound of a case of Goex Cartridge that I bought back then. I see most appear to be running either OE or Swiss now. Which do you prefer and why? Is there a compelling reason to choose one or the other?

[Don McDowell]

I prefer Olde Eynsford. I get excellent accuracy and velocity from it, and I find the fouling much easier to deal with in our dry climate here than Swiss. Being a good bit cheaper helps with the choice as well.

[Steve Anderson]

Haven't used enough Swiss to make a comparison but have had great luck with Olde Eynsford. I haven't had a condition that blow tubing didn't work. The Q in 95 degrees or here in Wyoming. Clean up is well under 10 patches.

[Kurt]

Grew up primarily shooting black powder. At the time only used Goex. To give an idea of how long that’s been I’m just finishing up the last pound of a case of Goex Cartridge that I bought back then. I see most appear to be running either OE or Swiss now. Which do you prefer and why? Is there a compelling reason to choose one or the other?

Welcome Jeff.

I go through quite a bit of powder and when Goex switched ownership and the old Express went out the door I went through all the different powders offered finding what I could settle with. The KIK was a very good powder but that is also out. It would be worth looking for some 2F.
The Olde Eynsford powder came around from the new Goex ownership and it is as close or equal to the Swiss powder that is used mostly by the a lot of the match shooters are locked on.

I get equal accuracy from either powers and I stock both 1.5 Swiss and 2f OE
But a lot of times the 2F OE has the edge over the Swiss.
It's best to get a mixed case and run some test's for comparison. It's good for trigger time anyway.

SK Kurt

[Gunlaker]

I'm the opposite of you guys :-).

I like both Swiss 1.5 and OE 1.5, and have done well with both, but Swiss 1.5 is usually a touch better for me in my rifles.

Chris.

[mherth]

Kurt, are you using a wad stack or grease cookie in your 45-90 loads? And how much do you compress the OE?

[Kurt]

Mike my load for the .45-90 is 84 gr of 2F OE.
A ice-cream bucket .037" wad on the powder compressed enough to get a 1/8" lube wad and another plastic with the .443 BACO PP patches to just above bore. It was the load I used on the last target at the MT 1000. The first three targets at the 1000 I used 83 gr of 1.5 Swiss with the same wad stack but it only hit 50% on the first three targets.
I had Carol get the few of the OE loads I had left when the Swiss did not do well at the 1K. It was the best test load here at home on the 200 but failed at the 1K.
Kurt

[Kurt]

Mike I might Add:
My chamber is very tight it will not except a bullet diameter seated in a fired case that is patched at .453" is a very hard push in a fired case and 89 gr of 2F OE is all that will fit the empty case. But I never found the need to use more then 83 or 84 grains for the long ranges.

[mherth]

Kurt, are you using a wad stack or grease cookie in your 45-90 loads? And how much do you compress the OE?

[mherth]

Thanks Kurt. I’m trying 95-100 with lube cookie in my 45-110. 444 BACO patched 540 gr bullet, Orville’s chamber. May get a 500 grain mould to duplicate the factory load. I’m using OE Fg with no compression. Wish I’d measured that group you shot at the MT1000 or got a photo of it, it still haunts me.

Still thinking I “need” a Shiloh 45-70 with straight grip.
Mike