What are ';black powder'; guns?

How do they differ from a normal shotgun or rifle? What are ';black powder'; guns?
'black powder' is an older type of gunpowder used back in the 1700s and 1800s. It makes a big cloud of smoke when you shoot, that is why modern gunpowder is called 'smokeless powder'





Technically, anything loaded with 'black powder' is a black powder gun, so it could be the same as any 'normal' shotgun or rifle.





However, when most people say 'black powder' they are referring to the guns designed in the era when black powder was the only choice. For the most part, this means muzzle loading guns, like muskets. You know, pour a handful of gunpowder down the barrel, insert a lead ball, and push the whole thing down with a long stick, prime it, **** it, aim and FIRE, now tip it back up, pour down more powder, stick the bullet down the barrel, ram it down with a long stick, prime it, **** it and FIRE!





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELnCF37K鈥?/a> that is a 'modern' black powder muzzle loader


now compare that to this guy with is civil war era gun, from the 1850's


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXU0Vbgv9鈥?/a>


and this guy using a flint lock (different priming system) like used in our Revolutionary war, so think 1750's


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho-QCmnNM鈥?/a>


and this guy with his old matchlock, from about 1600


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA0GvAEod鈥?/a>





As I said, original Black Powder made a lot of smoke (unlike smokeless powder) and it was also very dirty and gritty, very sensitive to moisture, and very sensitive to a 'static shock' (like you get form rubbing your feet on the carpet) setting it off.





So most guys who fire 'black powder' guns today actually use 'imitiation black powder' which is really modern smokeless powder plus some other additives to imitate the performance of black powder(as regular modern smokeless powder would create too high of pressures and blow apart most muskets)


What are ';black powder'; guns?
Black powder weapons are usually defined as those made or based on designs from before smokeless powder. 1871 I think is the most common cutoff.





Black powder was not as efficient as smokeless powder which means you don't get anywhere near the muzzle velocity as you do with a smokeless powder gun.





Black powder also is used to term weapons that predate cartridges. That means muzzle loaders and cap and ball pistols instead of the shells you use in guns today. There were lever action black power weapons but today it would be hard to find such.





They differ primarily in how they are loaded which because of the lack of a cartridge means they are more difficult and time consuming to load and the type of powder. Today they make smokeless black powder which means you don't have all the smoke you did from firing a black powder weapon but you still don't have to same kinds of pressure. This means black powder weapons have less range and less punch per grain. Doesn't mean you can't find a blackpowder weapon with decent range. The Sharpes rifles had decent range on them. Just means you need a whole lot more gunpowder to get the same range as you would with a smokeless.





Most black powder weapons made are muzzle loaders. The old muskets for example or the type pirates carried.



Not to be captain obvious, but ';black powder'; guns are guns that are designed to use black powder (or modern black powder substitutes) instead of smokeless powder. They can be cartridge guns (in any action) or muzzle loaders.





Generally when hunters talk about black powder they're referring to the muzzle-loading black powder rifles or shotguns (which can be flintlock, cap and ball, or inline ignition) that are used during the special ';primitive weapons'; or muzzle-loader seasons. However cowboy-action shooters may very well be referring to cartridge guns originally designed to shoot black powder.





As far as differences, the only real differences I can think of are that they burn black-powder instead of modern nitrocellulose based powders and they may be designed to handle lower pressures since black powder tends to burn cooler and quicker than modern rifle powders.
G'day Orio,


There is another important difference between black powder guns and smokeless powder types. Black powder is made from charcoal, saltpetre and sulphur, whereas more modern powders are based on nitrocellulose


That difference lies in the chemical reaction that occurs. If you get some black powder and some smokless powder, and ignite them, you will see a large difference in the way they burn. The black powder will burn very quickly and the smokeless will burn much more slowly.


The black powder is effectively an explosion, and it means that the breech of an old gun is subjected to a VERY rapid increase in pressure. To cope, breech pressures are lower and ballistics are lower. Also, there was always the risk that ramming the charge into the muzzle could detonate the charge, causing the ramrod to be fired, usually skewering the person holding the ramrod.


Cheers, john
Black powder guns are those designed to use only black powder. They not only include muzzle loaders, but a lot of modern firearms. The Colt Peacemaker was a black powder firearm until 1921. So many shotguns were loaded with black powder the loads are still listed in drams equivalent.


Normally black powder arms are not as powerful as smokeless weapons of the same caliber. Not always true though as the afore- mentioned Colt .45 had the same power with smokeless powder.
black powder guns are mostly muzzle loaders but it means the you put the powder down the barrel instead of having it in the bullet