Passed this on to ogm; its a site documenting this older guys affection for blackpowder firearms, hunting and trekking with colonial period equipment. Makes for a nice read when the front door is blocked with snow http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/ Probably a bit too "geriatric" for the runandgun set...
Great book on Black powder making only US$25. http://www.fireworksnews.com/product/34/2 Black Powder Mfg Testing & Optimizing Black Powder Manufacturing, Testing & Optimizing - by Ian von Maltitz. Examines black powder making from simple mixed ingredients to complicated, professional-type production. Describes all ingredients and processes. From chemistry to physics, from mechanical to mystical, including analyzing ingredients, examining techniques and processes, from cheap to the best. Full size, 208 pages, 16 chapters, index, 3 appendices, 59 illustrations, 17 tables.
The formula is simple.... The measure is by weight not by volume.... Use a set of tumblers.... Mix wet..... Sieve into particle sizes desired.... air dry.... That was simple!