Black powder costs rising.
- Thread starter HisSoldier
- Start date
robhof
I had a can of Dupont FG with a $2.50 price on it. I bought it back in the mid 60's for a .75 cal cannon, that my brother and I built the carriage for, the barrel came from DGW for $15. We dug it out 8 yrs ago when we were clearing out our parents old house. The powder was still good and we even fired the cannon with some 30+yr old cannon fuse.
I had a can of Dupont FG with a $2.50 price on it. I bought it back in the mid 60's for a .75 cal cannon, that my brother and I built the carriage for, the barrel came from DGW for $15. We dug it out 8 yrs ago when we were clearing out our parents old house. The powder was still good and we even fired the cannon with some 30+yr old cannon fuse.
Last edited:
HisSoldier
New member
My fire is somewhat quenched, I got a call from my pastor who told me he bought a 25 lb. keg for $10 per pound and would be happy to sell a few pounds to me for the same price. Making the powder isn't entirely about price though, it's about independence, so I may go ahead with this. The danger in most pursuits can be minimized, so to just say it's dangerous doesn't impress me unless it is conditional, like "tumble mixing batches in excess of five pounds dry" would be a logical conditional statement.
It's very similar to the anti gun rant "Guns kill people", yes, they do, but that's a statement that really requires elaboration. Sometimes killing people is justified and a gun might be the best way to accomplish it, on the other hand, most of us handle guns for an entire lifetime without harming ourselves or others.
It's very similar to the anti gun rant "Guns kill people", yes, they do, but that's a statement that really requires elaboration. Sometimes killing people is justified and a gun might be the best way to accomplish it, on the other hand, most of us handle guns for an entire lifetime without harming ourselves or others.
FYI, under Federal law it's illegal to sell black powder without a license. Your pastor's offer is illegal even though he's selling it at the price he paid for it.
It is legal for a group of individuals or a club to make a group buy and distribute the powder amongst the group, but there must be an agreement in advance of the purchase. You and your pastor could agree to share the cost of a bulk purchase in advance and the powder after delivery, but you can't share it after he's made the purchase by himself.
The regulation language is not clear, stating that no person may be 'in the business' of selling black powder without a license; BATF interprets being 'in the business' as including distributing the powder to individuals other than the original purchaser even if they pay less than the original purchaser (the old 'loss leader' marketing technique).
Will the BATF come knocking at your door or your pastor's door? I highly doubt it. I've heard rumors of BATF enforcing that policy but never personally known anyone who was cited. But just in case, I suggest you enter into an agreement with your pastor to make a new shared purchase of black powder.
It is legal for a group of individuals or a club to make a group buy and distribute the powder amongst the group, but there must be an agreement in advance of the purchase. You and your pastor could agree to share the cost of a bulk purchase in advance and the powder after delivery, but you can't share it after he's made the purchase by himself.
The regulation language is not clear, stating that no person may be 'in the business' of selling black powder without a license; BATF interprets being 'in the business' as including distributing the powder to individuals other than the original purchaser even if they pay less than the original purchaser (the old 'loss leader' marketing technique).
Will the BATF come knocking at your door or your pastor's door? I highly doubt it. I've heard rumors of BATF enforcing that policy but never personally known anyone who was cited. But just in case, I suggest you enter into an agreement with your pastor to make a new shared purchase of black powder.
Good question, Doc. According to BATF, no. They cite the practice of some retailers giving away free samples of food items in supermarkets to entice people into buying the product. The retailer is 'in the business', and giving away samples is a business technique.
Seems pretty far fetched to me, but that's their position. Again, I've only heard rumors of prosecutions based on such tactics; I don't personally know anyone. The most popular rumor is that of an arrest at the Spring National shoot at Friendship a few years ago. I have read the regulation language on the BATFE web site, however, and it does use the term 'in the business of'. It all boils down to what it means to be 'in the business of'.
Seems pretty far fetched to me, but that's their position. Again, I've only heard rumors of prosecutions based on such tactics; I don't personally know anyone. The most popular rumor is that of an arrest at the Spring National shoot at Friendship a few years ago. I have read the regulation language on the BATFE web site, however, and it does use the term 'in the business of'. It all boils down to what it means to be 'in the business of'.
My gut feeling is that this would be something they would arrest an individual for only if they were already looking for some excuse to arrest that individual, especially if he was only sharing a reasonable amount of powder with a friend who obviously uses it legally.
Now, if someone builds a pipe bomb and the ATF finds out that you gave him that black powder, that would be a whole nuther story.
Now, if someone builds a pipe bomb and the ATF finds out that you gave him that black powder, that would be a whole nuther story.