Black Mag 3

serious redneck · 10-19-2007, 07:45 PM

Anyone use this stuff and what have been your experiences with it? Randy Wakeman gave it a good review, and of course their own lit. talks it up. What say u.

cayugad · 10-19-2007, 08:08 PM

It is a good powder. Clean burning, easy to clean your rifle afterward, but hard to find. Also it is known to clumping badly after being opened. I had good luck with it. But personally because of the ability to find it and the price per jug, I would not recommend it. I would go with something like Pyrodex RS or Triple Se7en 2f. Maybe a little more cleaning intense, but cheaper and will work just as good for you in most of your rifles..

MLKeith · 10-19-2007, 08:10 PM

I will try to be a brief as possible and bring you up to date. Black Mag'3 has been around for some time. At one time it was called Arco. The new production started about three years ago and the first run was pretty good stuff. Worked super in my Omega. Good power, no fouling, good accuracy. They had some problems with batch to batch variation and some clumping of the powder in the plastic cans. One of the contract manufacturers made some changes in the product and things went from fair to worse. Once they dropped that producer and made a few additions to the formula including some additional tumbling to stabilize and make the powder more consistent batch to batch they were in a merger program with MDM (part of the reason for the merger was to improve the marketing as that was a big problem for Magkor standing on its own). Unfortunately all of the production of the latest Black Mag'3 powder which is what was tested in the article you mentioned and also talked up a lot by Doc White who says he prefers it for accurizing his rifles, has been directed into the production of the Thundercharge; a bullet stuck onto the end of a solid cylinder of Black Mag'3. Loose powder will eventually be available but not sure when. I will continue to use it in preference to anything else when I can get it. My old stock of three pounds left from the first run is still good stuff and when it is gone I will hope that by then the new stuff will be available and possibly improved in distribution. It is also expensive but without a doubt the cleanest substitute powder I have ever used.

Underclocked · 10-19-2007, 08:17 PM

If they do bring back the loose powder, I not only hope they improve distribution but also make the price more competitive. I did get some fouling but nothing at all serious. A single lightly dampened swab cleared it out of the bore. NO hesitation, no click..boom,good accuracy, and very easy cleanup. If only they hadn't teamed up with MDMand instead had sold the formula/process to a company that could and would manufacture and distribute it properly. I don't really think they have done themselves any favors with the marriage they made.

The clumps are a major turnoffbut the stuff could be a real winner.