BLACK POWDER, GOLDEN POWDER, CRIMSON POWDER - Not for the colour conscious:

 There's a phrase "There's more than one way to skin a cat".

Governments of all flavours fully consider that they - and their wealth would be safer and stronger if NOBODY other than themselves had guns .. This is a "UNIPARTY" commonality where they adopt the political 'middle ground' while accepting $$ legal bribe donations from weird minorities in exchange for preference.

'Guns are BAD unless they are OURS. All shooters will have to be government approved or government employed.'

Nitro based SMOKELESS POWDERS are what propels most bullets to the target from modern cartridge guns.

But - for some 500+ years before these modern powders, - society mixed saltpeter with charcoal and sulfur - using this MIXTURE for many years in the "new" self contained cartridges that greatly facilitated rapid firing and multiple shot firearms.

But - there were and are other mixtures that work to produce high pressure gases that will accelerate bullets out of a barrel ..

There's all sorts of dodgy stuff used in explosives - fireworks and rocketry that personally don't interest me much, - as life is too short anyway .. but slings, bows and arrows and guns do appeal as tools for independence.

GOLDEN POWDER is a 60:40 (or 64:36) blend of POTASSIUM NITRATE with ASCORBIC ACID (vitamin C).

CRIMSON POWDER is the same stuff modified by adding some 5% ferric oxide- RUST red oxide.

I have NOT made this but read that the technique is simply to add the ingredients to water in a pan and boil them evaporating the water until the fluids turn gooey and change colour from grey-white to yellow tinged - remove from heat - cool & break-up. Link to them that do cook it:

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?464557-My-homemade-Golden-powder!

This stuff has been produced commercially as a Black Powder Substitute but not currently that I know of. One BIG PLUS is it doesn't foul like BP and is not corrosive in barrels .. BUT it is hygroscopic and clumps into a cake when carelessly moist. - GP/CP is less powerful by volume than the best BPs but is usefully adequate while simple to make and CHEAPER. The guys report that GP/CP is as powerful as Blackpowder measured by weight and while it is clean & non-corrosive to STEEL - it is bad for your brass.

This Golden Powder works better than United Kingdom's NUCLEAR DETERRANT TRIDENT missiles burping from their rusty submarines .. Do the British submarines have to be close off the Florida coast so that the Pentagon can release their nuclear arming system?

I did buy a book from U S some years back 'WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE REAL GOLDEN POWDER by Skip Kurtz - a personal tale of intrigue and criminality from the American capitalist jungle that casts flickering light on shady dealings .. a sort of low level corruption story much like the High Level world of  U S Banking-Sex-Blackmail-CIA-Mossad-Politics-Corruption & Power/ Epstein-Maxwell-Clinton - Assasinations, Ukraine-Israel Slaughter type existance that we tolerate in this Century ..

Imagine the world's "most powerful nation" being offered the choice of criminal dotards Biden or Trump - to rule over all in the land of the free ...

There is a further propellant that I won't mention - known widely as CANDY PROPELLANT - made from a mix of Potassium Nitrate and Dextrose/Sucrose  65:35 ratio. I don't know much about it's features ..

Marty K.

The book is still offered by Amazon whereas Golden Powder author Skip is departed ..

Police Behaviours Regarding Lawful Firearms Owners - CORONIAL INQUEST:

RNZ National announced midday Tuesday 20th February that the Government of Finland was to build 40 new rifle shooting ranges to train their population defensively and had contracted to buy new "Single Shot Semi-Automatic Rifles" from a Finnish Arms Company ..

Expert Journalism.

https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/ourcode.pdf

In his Commissioners Comment to the online version of NZ Police CODE OF CONDUCT Andrew Coster refers to integrity, trust and confidence. - I confidently assure the Commissioner that some 250,000 FIT AND PROPER Lawful Firearms Users have lost any trust and confidence in NZ Police Management as the result of having been treated as outcast scum by them - they have repeatedly accused us of being irresponsible, careless, dishonest associates of criminal gangs - and of being the root cause of violent acts of terrorism. - This despite us having been certified by police as Fit & Proper Persons to own guns.

How many of New Zealand's 10,549 sworn officers are themselves fit and proper ?

Both the CODE OF CONDUCT and Commissioner Coster avoid use of the words FUTILE - DECEPTIVE - INAPPROPRIATE - MISDIRECTED - WASTEFUL - INEFFECTIVE - & FALSE PREMISE.

The multiple murders of Australian BRENTON TARRANT in March 2019 were followed by heavily controlled statements designed to demonise gun owners and to overlook police neglect in granting TARRANT his firearms licence. We citizens were forbidden any access to anything this killer said .. and no public trial was held. - Police ran BUY BACK 2021 demanding that a range of legally owned guns be surrendered for destruction at a cost exceeding 100 Million Dollars with zero benefit on violent crime figures.

Harsh new NZ Firearms Regulation and Licensing requirements have been piled on top of fee increases - with complicated and time consuming application documentation. A new but pointless Puna Kōrero mō te Pū gun register has been established to discourage and limit lawful gun ownership - this is reported to be costing us a further 1 Million Dollars every Week.

There is a strong case here that such expenditure is a further MISAPPROPRIATION OF POLICE FUNDS - diverting essential police resources away from crime prevention into an area of political spin and attempted social control.

A recently received NOTICE OF SHOOTING CLUB / SHOOTING RANGE INSPECTION - instructs members to refer queries to a dedicated "clubs and ranges team' at clubsandranges@police.govt.nz."  - this informs of further useless police expenditure by a dedicated team misdirected towards a grouping of exemplary law-abiding, non criminal 'Fit & Proper Persons'.

______________________

The First Phase CORONIAL INQUEST into the Christchurch Masjidain Attack was completed on 15 December 2023. - Deputy Chief Coroner Brigette Windley reserved her findings.

There remain outstanding & unexamined the 3 most important of the 13 Issues regarding Police Responsibility, - perhaps to be examined at an undetermined future date.

- COLFO was to have a representative/observer at the INQUEST. 

- ANY COMMENT OR OBSERVATIONS?

Shooters have voted one representative into Parliament - Nicole McKee - and she is making her voice heard .. BUT WHERE ARE THE SHOOTERS ORGANISATIONS?

For decades these Clubs, Groups and Controlling Bodies have been taking membership fees from sports people to represent our interests - only to DO NOTHING to stop this victimization, other than to send a few easily ignored letters - while the police spokespersons have repeatedly misrepresented the facts, and pointed the finger of blame at FIT & PROPER firearms owners ..

Membership of sporting shooters clubs is falling. 

The number of legally Licensed FIT & PROPER gun owners is falling.

Control of feral pest animals such as pigs & possums is falling.

Firearms Licenses are being withdrawn for Driving offences.

No Licence is required for Police to use restricted firearms as weapons.

Police numbers are falling as they are recruited to Australia ..

Violent Crime is rising.

Criminal Gang Membership is rising.

Distrust of Government is rising

Common Sense is draining away as fast as Wellington's sewage and piped water does, into the grimy streets.

Marty K.

Ukraine and BLACKPOWDER Use By Today's Military:

 "You cannot explain to a fool that he is a fool - because he is a fool." Dunning-Kruger effect according to Andrei Martyanov ..

ONE reason that BLACKPOWDER - or might it be more acceptable to call it 'Antique Propellant'  - is becoming ever more expensive and hard to find - is that the Military-Arms Industry has a prior requirement for it's manufacture and supply ..

Yes they still use tonnes of it for BIG Caliber artillery and in aircraft EJECTION SEATS, and their bulk orders take priority over the needs of civililian shooters. - How many different reasons does anyone need, to learn how to self-supply neccessities?

The ongoing slaughter in Ukraine has, to date, conservatively cost taxpayers in Europe 300 Billion Dollars - but the U S is in for 14 TRILLION DOLLARS ..  (according to Col Douglas MacGregor) .. not to forget the more than 500,000 DEATHS and more than 500,000 terribly maimed Ukrainian casualities. - Plus a still awful but lesser number on the Russian side of this conflict - possibly 50,000 dead ..

How many more lives will depart from that theater AND - how many of us around the world are going to be killed by the insanity of Israel and Palestine - before that GOVERNMENT slaughter ends?

Antique ball propellant has for some 700 years been produced by fairly ordinary folk as a "Cottage Industry' - Naturally accidents have occurred from time to time resulting from careless handling or from unknown cause. Black Powder or Gun Powder is a LOW Explosive .. but it is explosive.

Petrol is explosive, Gas is explosive, kitchen knives are sharp - bulls, stags & stallions are dangerous. Do not walk in front of moving buses or trains - nor eat any possum or rat poison.

Provided a careful educated approach is adopted at all times with particular care to mix only small batches while religeously avoiding all iron and steel tools & containers, problems will be avoided .. WOOD IS GOOD and glass is class .. Don't mix it or store it in your home or close to dwellings as insurance companies will object - not to mention paranoid politicians and their armed servants.

Do not break the laws of the land ..

If you don't know what you are doing, - don't do it.

Marty K.

Please support your local Gun Shop in any way possible

PEPPERBOX Pistol - 'Southall' of England?

 Richard SOUTHALL Jnr was known as a Gunmaker in Birmingham England, listed 1820-1845.. (John Southall Snr 1769-1817) .. possibly also of London.

Above .. A nice looking 'Signed' Southall Pistol at an Auction House

- But this one below is mine.

I think my old banger may likely have originated in the same workshops .. wouldn't it be great to discover how this antique shooter travelled all the way to New Zealand?

- Nicely engraved 'German Silver' frame .. this has no real silver, it being a brass-like alloy with copper/nickel & zinc, typically 60/20/20.

My Pepperbox Is Of the Same Pattern For Sure ..

Mine Being Worked On ..

Someone earlier had re-drilled the axis off-center

Honestly, I'm not complaining .. but to-date every antique pistol I have bought has been badly "adjusted" by someone before me - Sure I bought them for lower prices because they were tatty - fully knowing they might need to be improved. Bought at auction by postal bid, this antique piece had no nipples / cones and the action worked something like an erratic old "HIT'n'MISS" engine. 

- Described in the auction as an 1840's English made gun, with Birmingham proofs.

"English Guns" have a reputation for high quality craftmanship .. but I must say that the inner workings under the engraved body & cover of this unit were RUBBISH .. crudely cast, unfinished and non-functional. - GREAT Britain at it's best.

This size smooth bore is described as 9 mm, .36 inch caliber or gauge - or sometimes as 100 bore (- that is, 100 balls of this size may be cast from one pound of Lead) 

http://www.fourten.org.uk/shotgunbores.html

I had passed the old pepperbox to fellow pistol club shooter & gunsmith "Z" for a one week check-up and rejuvenation to it's previous youthful vigor ... Well he's been a busy lad - while the planet spins on it's tilted axis for several moons.

He's done some good machining .. maybe it'll work again some time ...

Fascinating stuff eh ..

Marty K.

Cooking Whatever-It-Takes to make Smoke:

I'm qualifying to join the kiwi RAINBOW Community .. Well I'm eating as many different coloured vegetables & fruits every day as I can, for a diverse & healthy diet. - I told my Doctor that all he's got to do is keep me going, on my pension, for the same length of time that I worked and paid taxes - 50 years. (I think he's worried now).

Would you like to meet 'Fly' - 'Boz330'- and 'atom73' - These guys are the most OK Black Powder Propellant cooks you'll find anywhere in North America-Canada?

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?103852-My-homemade-black-powder

Some excellent directions and clear photos of one powder process - the CIA method on page 3 .. with lots of fun commentary on how to d.i.y make propellant without upsetting your wives, or otherwise endangering yourself - advice and banter to follow .. I know that I've said it before - but I have liked every American that I've got to know .. in contrast with so many miserable old gits I've worked with in England .. but they, poor buggers, - have suffered permanent ill effect from a lifetime wasted in that damp miserable dump.

BLACK POWDER .. The Expedient CIA Method:

It seems this method was typically just stolen by the CIA from The Frankford Arsenal who had published it in 1967. - It involves dissolving the potassium nitrate as a saturated solution in boiling hot water, mixing the sulfer & charcoal together in a little hot alcohol then stir it all together and 'flush it' with very cold alcohol from the freezer to precipitate out the KNO3 into intimate contact .. There is much less milling required and you are safely mixing it all wet .. read all about it here ..

https://www.skylighter.com/blogs/how-to-make-fireworks/cia-black-powder-deja-vu

Why? - Because it's getting harder to buy powders from shops and costs are rising fast because the Government wants to STOP all legal shooting .. while "reducing prison populations". - Get in a few extra bulk packs of toilet paper for charring in paint cans eh.

Western Governments Economic Futures Looking 'Rosy'..

Do you want law abiding people banned from having any guns while gang members ride around kicking-in heads and shooting at anyone they fancy?

Our "Democracy" has totally failed and is wholly corrupted by the wealthy.

These democratic rulers are supposed to represent the people - did You want 500,000 dead Ukrainians - with as many dreadfully injured?

- Do You want Israel to destroy the Palestinian's Gaza homes and to slaughter some 29,000 mostly women, children and old men?

- Is it your priority to attack Russia and destroy their economy? 

- Do You want World War 3 ?

- Does your Government neglect Health Care, Education, Housing, & Law Enforcement?

What makes these millionaires think they can just ignore what is needed?

Is there a huge 'disconnect' between people and their Government?

.. The answer is an UPPER HOUSE formed as a CITIZENS ASSEMBLY.

- NOT a fucking "House of Lords"

The will of the people.

MESH SIZES FOR GRADING BP Propellants:

ex Internet ex Hogdons?

Marty K.

Don't smoke any exploding cigars from the CIA ...

PINFIRE Revolvers - Cartridges - & CHIMNEY Adaptors For Percussion Caps:

Obscure stuff this .. an open-top, antique banger PIN FIRE 1854 Model type -'Non-Atributed' - indeed NO visible maker proofmarks or other stamping/engraving - nor any front sight - possibly the barrel has been shortened. A complete 9mm 'Plain Jane Pinfire' .. missing lanyard ring, loading-gate, extractor rod and had a broken trigger return spring. - However the double action only hammer functions smoothly and the rifled bore is remarkably clean & shiny for 160 odd years neglect.

These old 'System Lefaucheux' revolvers come to market cheaply around the world - perhaps costing a mere tenth of an original Colt. - Are they so badly made and disfunctional that a Colt is worth ten times as much? - Perhaps unpopular because they are thought impossible to shoot .. their ammunition is unavailable - while powder & ball just "can't work" in these oddballs ? - It might not help that a lot of folk can't pronounce the word "Lefaucheux" ..

These 'pinfires' were advanced designs in their time, and were made all over the place in the Old World .. Belgium, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Holland, UK. Identification is complicated by a large range of calibers 7mm, 9mm, 11mm, 12mm, 15mm - single action or double, - folding trigger models or fixed with trigger guards, - open top or closed, - round barrels , octagonal or even 'break-action'.

Pinfire Cartridges Use Percussion Caps and Black Powder INTERNALLY:

As well as progressive development over time  - the patented revolvers were made as distinctly separate versions for both civilian and military markets. Eugene Lefaucheux (the son) was commercially a very busy lad with an active mind and frequent new ideas. Plus there were many "copies" made.

I think the main advantage over muzzleloading for this gun, with it's self contained cartridge was it's convenience, - it was faster to load, and is nearly WATERPROOF. - Depending on proper care in assembly & usage .. these obsolete metalic cartridges would have proven reliable even in the wettest and most humid of conditions - given some attempt by the user to protect them from prolonged immersion.

These Were Perhaps THE FIRST Metallic Self-Contained Rounds:

Obsolete technology from two centuries ago certainly .. but even a Mesolithic age rock will still smash a skull after 10,000 years - remember that 620,000 Americans were killed in their Civil War .. fought with old fashioned gunpowder and sabers.

Historic Data For ELEY 9mm Pinfire Cartridge - (Dims. in inches).

- Here's a video of a youtube joker Rakum Projects making and firing 9mm Pinfire cartridges from 9x19mm NATO brass ..

_https://www.google.com/search?q=centerfire+cartridge+to+pinfire&rlz=1C1ONGRenNZ933NZ933&oq=centerfire+cartridge+to+pinfire&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigAdIBCjE4ODYwajBqMTWoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:4a14b075,vid:2cVc34vOtAs,st:0

10 grains of BP antique propellant seems to be the dose for a 9mm pinfire .. behind a lead bullet. - The PINFIRE CARTRIDGE really is something of a side alley in the progression from the beginings, to the modern self contained cartridge. - But, in it's era - it was invented at a time before brass cartridges were able to be industrially drawn from well formulated brass sheet .. and it worked. - The earliest rounds originally used paper/card cartridges with metal bases - For some 30-40 turbulant years, the European pinfires competed with the other developing ideas.

Now These Are Interesting (& obscure).

Iron (steel) Chamber 'CHIMNEY' ADAPTORS to Percussion ..

- not all that weird .."cheminee" is a french word used for a BP 'Nipple'.

Nice article about chamber adaptors .. to enable a pinfire revolver to function as muzzle loading cap'n'ball Percussion Revolver.

https://freemycollection.com/?page=articles/pinfireauxiliaryadapter

- Back in The Day you might have found these "Chimney Adaptors" for use when the proper pinfire cartridges were unobtainable - such as in Civil War times down south in America.

- Going-back to an older obsolete system can be an advanced idea when the circumstances prevent supply of the latest and newest advances .. some old time Frontiersmen usefully stayed with their FLINTLOCKS for decades into percussion and early cartridge times.

Marty K.

For anyone looking for rabbit-holes to view .. here a fantastic spread of odd cartridges that were attempted at least once ..

https://cartridge-corner.com/rimiden.htm

You need good TIMING ..

Sadly I am reminded today that it is two years since MIKE LODER died and we lost a fine NZ spokesperson and advocate of lawful shooters rights:

TICKA TICKA GOOD TIMING .. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=modfq47onwU 

 

I am SO frigging bored with taking my original five inch '1849 Pocket' apart .. all those fiddly little screws diving into the dust under the coffee table - Maybe I am making progress, as the revolver does everything right - three clicks that "spell Colt"😏 (C.Z.C (CZColt)) - until I refit the cylinder. Then it locks solid. This maybe seems to be because the hand is trying to revolve the cylinder, while it is still locked, before the bolt drops .. because it is too long?

Should I shorten the hand until the bolt can withdraw or will it then not fully rotate the cylinder?

I need a Colt expert .. here NOW would be good.

"Snapper" from snafu on Youtube in America .. who also likes expensive old Colt rust that goes boom - confirms that the hand may be too long .. or it could be a malfunction-disconnect of the 'spring-leg' of the 'bolt' - hammer-cam interface .. or ...

It all seemed to function somehow before I stripped it and cleaned-out two squashed dead percussion caps and some gritty black'n'greasy stuff. - I admit that I have deburred various bits and oiled it and have done much thinking - so likely it is all my fault (.. as my ex would say).

 - I never had this trouble with any of my Glocks.

May I introduce you to Mr.'Old Ranger' - clicking his Colt's notches in public ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpbhxvFNxbY

My latest disaster is that the three wee SCREWS holding the TriggerGuard in place and thus working against the Mainspring Pressure via the Backstrap, are NOT holding - being corroded & worn-out I guess.

Where to go from here? New screws that are longer and full diameter from somewhere ?? I'm exhausted, depressed & perplexed.

Latest news from the Middle East Israeli ethnic cleansing slaughter (25,000 dead Palestineans so far) of Gaza is - that we, New Zealand are sending half of our trained Army "Defence Forces' .. SIX soldiers - to help U S attack Yemeni forces - to stop them from slowing the re-supply of IDF prison guards, who are running-out of 2,000 pound bombs & other ordnance.

'Your country, oops - America needs you' - all six.

Good Luck with that men .. (women & non-binary others included naturally). Where are our SAS ?.

NZ should return BlackRock's 2 Billion Dollars NZ green investment - as they will need it for their "Reconstruction of Ukraine" .. whatever is left of it.

Marty K.