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PRODUCT TEST: ZAR - new locally produced black powder

By

Cleve Cheney

We are fortunate in South Africa to have a variety of propellants available in the


Somchem range to meet our “smokeless powder” requirements. Whether you shoot
modern rifle, shotgun or handgun Somchem has a powder suitable for most shooters.

Those who shoot black powder firearms have been somewhat neglected. Black powder
manufactured in other countries has just become so expensive and difficult to import
that black powder shooters have been limited to only one locally manufactured black
powder - Obatex. Well the good news is that there is now a new, locally manufactured
black powder called ZAR available.

It is being manufactured by gunsmith Johan Greyling (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Gunsmith Johan Greyling – manufacturer of ZAR black powder.

I was fortunate, together with a team of colleagues, to put ZAR 2Fg black powder to
some preliminary testing on the range. One of the team members, Dr. Wallace Vosloo,
had the ZAR 2Fg black powder tested and compared to the German Manufactured
black powder WANO in a laboratory at the local Rheinmetall Denel factory. The
closed vessel pressure tests produced almost identical curves (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Denel closed vessel Pressure vs Time (top) dP/dT vs Time (bottom) curves of
Wano 2Fg and locally produced ZAR 2Fg black powder
The next step was to conduct practical shooting tests on the range to compare the
actual performance in terms of velocity and accuracy of the new powder as compared
to WANO.

The firearm used was a Pedersoli Jaeger .54 calibre black powder rifle. The shooter was
Johan van Wyk accomplished Protea team black powder marksman who shot from a
bench rest at a target set at 50m using open iron sights (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Protea marksman Johan van Zyl shooting from a benchrest with the Pedersoli
Jaeger .54 calibre rifle.

A Pro Chrono Digital chronograph with ambient light screens was set up 5 m in front
of the muzzle to measure projectile velocity (Figure 4).

Figure 4: The shooting setup – chronograph at 5m – target at 50m.


Seven shots were taken using 55 grain WANO 2Fg and 225 grain .54 cal. round ball
with wad and patch and compared to 13 shots using 50 grain ZAR 2Fg behind a 225
grain .54 cal. round ball with wad and patch. CCI Magnum Number 11 percussion caps
were used. Two “fouling shots” were taken with each powder before commencing with
the test. Highest and lowest recorded velocities were excluded from each string. The
bore was run through with a clean patch after each shot and identical loading
procedures were carried out on each shot (Figures 5 and 6). Balls were weighed prior
to the test to ensure that they weighed consistently the same.

Figure 5: Projectile used for the test – 225 grain round ball of .54 calibre.

Figure 6: Loading and shooting procedures were kept consistent.

Shooting conditions were ideal - a cool, cloudless day with no wind.

RESULTS

Results are shown in Figures 7 and 8 and Table 1.


Figure 7: Target with the shot string of 55 grains Wano 2Fg black powder behind a 225
grain .54 cal. round ball projectile.

Figure 8: Target with the shot string of 5o grains ZAR 2Fg black powder behind a 225
grain .54 cal. round ball projectile.
SHOT RIFLE *PROJECTILE POWDER GRAINS VELOCITY fps
1 Pedersoli Jaeger .54 cal 225 grain round ball Wano 2Fg 55 978 Lowest
2 1021
3 1077
4 1062
5 1065
6 1092 Highest
7 1073
1 Pedersoli Jaeger .54 cal 225 grain round ball ZAR 2 Fg 50 1090
2 1105
3 1096
4 1063 Lowest
5 1083
6 1086
7 1095
8 1066
9 1100
10 1105 Highest
*With wad and patch

Table 1: Comparison of velocities between Wano and ZAR

For Wano the mean velocity was 1060 feet per second with a standard deviation (SD)
of ±20 fps. The ZAR powder utilizing a charge of 5 grains less than the Wano had a
mean velocity of 1090 feet per second with a standard deviation (SD) of ±11 fps.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Whereas the number of shots fired was, statistically speaking small, these preliminary
tests using the new ZAR 2 Fg black powder were exciting. The shooting prowess of
Johan van Wyk is well known so this helped reduce the variable of shooter error. ZAR
appears to compare more than favorably to Wano powder. Accuracy of the ZAR
powder at 50 m using open sights and a round ball projectile was consistent and
notable with 10 out of 13 shots going into one ragged hole with a maximum spread of
only 1.84 inches (46.9mm). For a black powder firearm this is superb. The velocity
spread was also more consistent than the Wano powder and even taking into account
the 1% error built into the chronograph was impressive at ±11 fps.

In all fairness to Wano which is also an excellent black powder the batch of Wano
powder used was old and the results of the Wano test may have resulted in a smaller
grouping and with less velocity variation had a fresh batch of Wano been used. This
however does not detract from the performance of the new ZAR powder.

All those black powder enthusiasts out there will be jumping for joy when they get
their hands on this new product. It is likely to cause a revival in black powder shooting
and hunting in South Africa. Anyone interested can contact Johan Greyling on cell
number 082 701 0652 or email him at jsgunsmithing@gmail.com

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