Hello Wildthing,

The powder canister and contents if genuine Curtis and Harvey's No 6, was last made at Imperial Chemical Industries I.C.I Nobel Works at their Ardeer site in Scotland. This closed down in 1976 and since then all Black Powder used in Britain has been imported.

I have never seen it available for sale here in England in anything but 1 pound rectangular tins, red in colour with a white and black label specifying the manufacturers name and the grain granulation contained within which ranged from Fg to FFFFg, and that was in the 1970's. I haven't heard of it being sold in larger containers. However, ICI had many customers who no doubt purchased it in larger quantities, i.e. Ammunition manufacturers, various British Gunmakers who loaded their own ammunition for commercial sale, The British Government for use by the military and for some mining purposes. No doubt a lot went for export.

Your canister of powder is therefore at least 35 years old. I see no reason why the powder cannot be used unless the container is damaged or has been subject to damp conditions. 

There are no doubt Collectors of such canisters and many who would be interested in experimenting with the powder it contains, especially the Long Range (Creedmoor) target shooters. C&H No.6. was believed to be the best rifle and pistol black powder ever offered for sale anywhere in the world. It's a pity the grain size is not known the Long Range shooters would prefer to have Fg, FFg, or FFFg and not many shoot the latter granulation.

You could try and advertise in it suitable gun magazines or on several internet  forums asking for opinions as to value. 

The numbers could be a Lot or Batch Number, as for Austin Rifle I haven't a clue there.

Harry

I have been trying to post a few pictures but my camers seems to be having problems. If I can get it up and running I will post a few . john

Sometime in the 1970's the Dupont plant blew up and i rebember reading it took two years to repair.In the minetime, C & H powder was imported from england.I shot some in my cartridge guns and muzzleloaders.Good stuff, but not nearly as good as Col Meyer in the "Buffalo Harvast" said it was.It cleaned up a little easier, that's all.Not any more powerful.oh, when the dupont plant was rebuilt, it was sold to GOEX.A few years ago it was moved to Louisiania.And that's the story.

Here are pictures of the powder can that wildthing sent to me:
*  The powder is labeled Austin Powder Company, which was a US powder company from 1833 to an unknown date (possibly in the 1950's).  Here is their website ... (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
*  The number 1255 to me represents the lot being December 1955
*  The cardboard container has the mis-spelled wording, Curtis & Harvey.  What the relationship to C&H is speculation - possibly Austin was buying C&H powder and then selling it with an Austin Powder Company label.  I do know that if the lot number is correct, the real C&H was producing BP in Ardeer, Scotland until the late '60's when they were bought out by Nobel Industries LTD
*  The label says Rifle Powder.  Based on this wording, my guess is that it FFg powder


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If the container was mine, I'd contact Austin Powder Co and ask them when they stopped making gunpowder - verify the 1255 and did they at any time buy C&H powder and relabel as theirs

Bottom Line, if I was Wildthing, I'd give his friend a couple bottles of very good scotch or whiskey  

Thank you John boy for your knowledge and willingness to pass it along. Every one on this fourm has been very helpful in passing along their knowledge of guns and reloading.Again thankyou for the help. john

I have no info on C&H but The Austin Powder Company at one time was in Oakwood Village, Ohio, just down the road from where I live.  They are still in business, but no longer in Oakwood, nor do they produce black powder.

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Okie Dookie - Wildman sent me 195.8 grains from the 5# container of the Austin Powder Company.  It came today in the mail - Thanks Kindly, John

Off to the basement:
Density Test
0.998g/cc
Observation:  The powder was processed with a good 'sporting powder' number of wheel turns to compact the basic ingredients.  The other 2 processes that compact the powder for a good density are the Powder Pressing and Polishing Processes

For Comparison:
Weight = g/cc
.902      Goex      Cartridge      
.912      DuPont      FFg      
1.134  Diamondback      FFg      (01-2127
1.124  Diamondback      FFFg      (01-3309)
.919      KIK  FFFg      
.941      Goex  Cowboy      
.905      Goex      FFg      02 11 05MY23B
.944      Goex      FFFg      99JY02C
.925      Goex  FFFg      03 46 07NO03B
.916      Goex  FFFg      03 56 08NO02 B
.944      Meteor  FFg      
.970      Meteor  FFFg      
.972      Goex Express      FFg      
.978      Schuetzen      FFFg      
.992      KIK      FFg      
1.094 KIK      Fg      2010
1.05      KIK      1.5Fg       2010
1.06      KIK      FFG      2010
1.023  Swiss      FFFg      
1.026  DuPont      Fg      
1.027  Skirmish      Fg      
1.044  Swiss      1.5Fg      
1.049  Swiss      FFg      
100 cc volume pan weighed