Black Powder Substitute - Measurements of Black Powder Substitutes

Measurements of Black Powder Substitutes

The grain is the traditional measurement of the weight of bullets, black powder, and smokeless powder in English-speaking countries. It is the unit measured by the scales used in handloading; commonly, bullets are measured in increments of one grain, gunpowder in increments of 0.1 grains. There are 7,000 grains in one pound.

Pyrodex, and most other black powder substitutes, are formulated to be a volume-for-volume equivalent of black powder, not an equivalent mass-for-mass (weight-for-weight). Pyrodex is measured by volumetric measurement techniques, not in grains on a scale, due to the difference in density of Pyrodex versus black powder. For example, to measure a "60 grain equivalent" of Hodgdon's Pyrodex suitable for use in a muzzleloader rifle, one uses a volumetric measure that produces a volume of Pyrodex equal to the volume of a mass of 60 grains of black powder. Due to Pyrodex being less dense than black powder, a measurement by weight on a scale of 60 grains of mass of Pyrodex would be near a 30 percent overload.

Volume equivalence is a benefit in loading muzzleloading firearms, traditionally loaded using volumetric measures. This becomes an issue when fabricating black powder cartridges through handloading using a black powder substitute in place of black powder, since it is common practice to measure by weight when loading cartridges (there are published conversion tables).

Unlike Pyrodex or Goex Clear Shot, Triple Seven is not a volumetric substitute for black powder. Triple Seven is, volume for volume, more powerful and users should follow load recommendations from the manufacturer.