madsenshooter wrote on Oct 23^rd, 2014 at 3:55am:

The attraction to me was the fact that Pioneer is ascorbic acid based.  Got a good source for vitamin C powder, in case of a SHTF scenario, all I'd need is a nitrate source, and some time to experiment to get the ratio right.  The patent for the stuff is online, but isn't very specific.  Works great in my 50cal muzzleloader under a TC Shockwave 40 caliber, 200gr sabot.  Shot three into a 1.25" group at 100yds.   With 110gr pushing it, velocity, trajectory, and energy would be about the same as a 35 Remington.

What makes you think that real black powder would not perform as well?

As far as making your own? If you have the nitrate, find some sulfur, make some charcoal & you could make black powder. The formulas heve been around for several centuries.

The laws of physics & drag coeffecient makes it unlikely that a 200gr .40 caliber bullet would shoot with the same trajectory as a .35 calliber bullet at the same velocity.

I have shot 2" groups from a rest & 4" groups offhand at 100 yds with open iron sights out of my .54 caliber flintlock shooting .535 round balls. It will cleanly take any hoofed big game animal in North America at any range that shooting with iron sights is ethical. I have killed 2 Whittails cleanly ay ranges over 150 yds with a .535 round ball.

45/70s & their ilk normally shoot more accurately in 1000 yd sillouete competition with real black powder compared to smokless powder due to the more consistant Mv.

Black powder substitutes were developed so they could be marketed W/O the storage restrictions placed on black powder. The inconsistancy of ignition lead to the development of inline muzzleloaders & various ignition primers. None of these were needed with black powder.

Before they were bought out by Knight, the Green Mountain Barrel Company advised that the only valid reason to use a black powder substitute was when one could not obtain black powder.