BlackPower 9mm/.40

[datsun40146]

Something that I've always wondered about. I thought it might be fun to reload a few rounds of 9mm or .40 with FFF Black Powder to see what it would do. Will the amount of BP that one can fit in a 9mm or .40 case even cycle the action or get the round down the barrel? I would love to toss a few of these in the mix at the local IDPA for giggles. I would think a fire throwing pistol and producing a 6 foot cloud of smoke would raise a few eyebrows and be rather funny. Is there any load data out there for a BP reload or the performance one can expect if it fires?

[2152hq]

I've loaded 45acp w/BP and BP substitute (American Pioneer) and they functioned a 1911 just fine.
The BP substitute makes for much cleaner shooting as there is almost no fouling. You can shoot as much as you like and never have the pistol lock up from fouling as it will w/BP. The same problems you get in a C&B revolver.

Plenty of smoke from the substitute powder and it loads the same as real BP. Fill the case to the base of the bullet plus a bit so the powder is compressed just a bit when seated. Leave NO air space when loading BP or one of the substitutes.

Accuracy was good. Have no idea as to the vel. but some of the old short 44 and 45 rounds were BP and used for self defense at short ranges.

It was fun. Something different to do.
Your followup shots will lag as you wait for smoke to clear to see the target.
Just be sure to do a thorough cleaning no matter which smoker load you use.

[goldenlight]

I really doubt that you could get 9mm to cycle the action with black powder.

Best results, and ballistics, will be from using the heaviest bullets: 147 grain, set out to give as much capacity as possible. A slightly compressed load gives the best results.

With black powder, there's no way you can 'overload' the round.

The 9mm case is quite small, so while I'm sure you will get an impressive amount of smoke, and I''m sure the bullet will clear the barrel (and then some) I would be really surprised if you could generate enough velocity to cycle the slide.

Sounds like fun, though!

[OKFC05]

toss a few of these in the mix at the local IDPA for giggles. I would think a fire throwing pistol and producing a 6 foot cloud of smoke would raise a few eyebrows and be rather funny.

Will you still be laughing when Lin (the match director) DQs you?

Seriously, are you aware that the blackpowder will have to be cleaned out of your semi-auto with soap and water, since regular powder solvents don't work on it?

[Grog]

I read some article by Clint SMith a few years ago (likely in American Handgunner) where he shot some .44spl BP loads out of a short barrel Taurus and it set the target on fire.

[Jellybean]

Oh, BLACK POWDER, I thought you were looking for a 9 or 40 with a built in afro pick.

Jus kidding....

[datsun40146]

Originally Posted by OKFC05

Will you still be laughing when Lin (the match director) DQs you?

Seriously, are you aware that the blackpowder will have to be cleaned out of your semi-auto with soap and water, since regular powder solvents don't work on it?

I'm aware of the cleaning required but you may be right about the DQ after I thought about it. I don't think the BP reloads would make the min power factor.

[Fishslayer]

Wonder how a few rounds of BP in .45ACP would go over at my local indoor range...

Oh, BLACK POWDER, I thought you were looking for a 9 or 40 with a built in afro pick.

That would be the Glock...

Did I just say that?

[grendelbane]

The 9x19 is similar to the old .38 S&W. So, I would expect similar ballistics.

Now, would that be enough to cycle the slide? One way to find out.

A couple of decades ago I loaded some .44 Specials with a full case of FFFG. Fired them from a stainless Bull Dog. A 240 grain bullet was doing about 670 FPS as I recall. Not too bad, but then the special cartridges were designed to be able to use black powder.

Clean up was not fun. It took a lot of hot water and Dawn's to get that one clean. You might think that stainless would be easier to clean, but it shows everything.

I remember reading an article in a 1930s American Rifleman where a fellow was loading black in a .38 ACP. He seemed to like it, claimed you could get 3 mags fired before it quit working. It doesn't take much to satisfy some people, I guess.

[datsun40146]

You know this might be a good torture test for a Glock or something. IE see how many rounds a glock could fire before it jammed up. That would be a torture test of true dirt.

[sourdough44]

I wouldn't do it just because of the cleanup involved.