Measuring out black powder

[Herk30]

Can black powder, FFg or FFFg specifically, be measured out the same way as regular powder? I mean, a grain is a grain correct?

Sorry if this seems like something that should be common sense, but I am totally new to black powder and want to be safe rather than sorry.

 

[243winxb]

Correction, see below. This is what i use. Its made just for black powder.

 

[JohnM]

Yup, most important difference to keep in mind when shooting black powder.
The measurement is by VOLUME.

 

[Chawbaccer]

A 50 grain measure of black powder "should" weigh 50 grains. That is where the grain equivlancy comes from. However, in real life it probably won't because of packing and granule size etc. As for the safety aspect you are worried about, forget about it. Black powder doesn't require any where near the accuracy of smokeless, and the accuracy of the shot will not be that effected either. Probably the biggest danger would be leaving an air space when loading, just tamp your ball down the barrel firmly and you will be ok.

 

[243winxb]

Black Powder Measurement.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/blackpowder_volumetric.htm The problem is, as i see it, different brands of Black powder produce different velocities . Seems there is no standard for the amount of energy produced for a given type, say like FFG. I have checked the weight that the measure produces. Its close. For 40+ years, its alway been by "Volume" In a load of 100 grs. , 1 gr +/- makes no difference in accuracy in my flint lock, iron sight, 45 TC. My Ruger cap & ball was loaded by looking at the level of powder in each cylinder. Just leaving enough room to seat the ball, worked well with a trained eye.

 

[hang fire]

Yup, most important difference to keep in mind when shooting black powder.
The measurement is by VOLUME.

No. BP was/is measured by weight, the BP wannabes are designed to be measured by BP volume. Otherwise there would be gun wrecks galore if they had to be measured by weight.

 

[Pete D.]

No. BP was/is measured by weight, the BP wannabes are designed to be measured by BP volume. Otherwise there would be gun wrecks galore if they had to be measured by weight.

Correct. The measure by volume thing gets way too much press and is, no disrespect intended to the earlier poster, not important nor necessary.
In fact, measuring by volume, while quick and fairly consistent if one stays with one brand of powder, will often give quite different results with another brand.
90 grains by volume of one brand of BP may not be 90 grains actual of another brand.
Example.....Swiss BP has a reputation of being "hotter" than other brands of BP, of yielding more velocity. That is because Swiss is denser than other brands and the same volume of it may be as much as 15% heavier.
Use a volume measure by all means buy take a moment to discover what the volume you use actually weighs.
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Pete