Shiloh Rifle Forums

This is kind of silly put it may interest some of you. At the range yesterday I was shooting both GOEX and Swiss. The Swiss has a noticeably different smell to it. Far less sulfur-like and less acrid. I noticed zero difference in fouling, and I didn't use a chrony so, this is just about smell. Anyway, that's what I discovered.
Reece

It may have been your shooting buddy and not the Goex. I've experienced that several times when Kidwell was around.

OUCH !!!

Yea, I considered that but no, it was the powder. Everyone I talk to says Swiss is more energetic. I’ll have to take their word because I haven’t tested that. Shoot, this is my first waltz with Swiss and I’ve been shooting BP since 1975

FWIW, I caught the humor but I was not able to respond due to considerable audio disruption from SHMBO Anyway, I'm guessing the composition of Swiss is considerable different than GOEX and my money is on the charcoal.

Swiss and Wano are the only powders available down here. In my experience, the difference is about 10%. That is to say, I have to use 10% more Wano than Swiss to achieve the same velocity. If I use the same charge of each, the Wano load will be 10% slower than the Swiss, that's my results anyways...

Alder buckthorn grows in Eurasia and North Africa and has been established here on north America grows best in nutrient rich moist to swampy areas. Makes the best charcoal for black powder. As well as sulfur and saltpeter are the main ingredients to blackpowder. Other woods will work when charcoaled but alder buckthorn is recognized as the best. When you burn swiss that's probably what your smelling, others? Not a chemist but think about it, the origin of the charcoal probably the smell ingredient. Bobw

Goex used to be maple.


KW

I thought Goex used Willow trees

Got me curios so I pulled out a brochure.

“Swiss Black Powder is made entirely with alder buckthorn charcoal, with a heavy graphite glazing”.

“ Schuetzen Black Powder is made with a blend of alder buckthorn, hazelnut, and maple charcoals to make it the cleanest burning, softer fouling, and high performance black powder”.

They both work for me so I'm happy. Shoot, I used GOEX for 46 years and it was good enough. I guess I'm not too fussy

The first rule of blackpowder fouling is that you have to have some black powder to have fouling. Some folks never liked KIK but it had alder buckthorn also, I still miss it. The only Schuetzen I've ever used was Fg grade in my 50-140 it fouled pretty heavy but it shot okay and for some reason it didn't last long. I tried to grow some alder buckthorn but I lacked the moist nutrient rich soil so it didn't take. Seems these days you better not be to fussy about your powder but be glad for what you have.

.bobw