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September 28th, 2021

Hodgdon Closes GOEX Black Powder Production Plant in Louisiana

Hodgdon Powder Goex black powder camp minden closure

Hodgdon Powder Company, on 9/27/2021, announced that it would be shutting down the GOEX Black Powder production center at Camp Minden in Louisiana. This was the last remaining black powder factory in the United States. This could mean “hard times ahead for traditional muzzle-loading and BPCR shooting” (source: NAMLhunt.com). Here is the official announcement on the Hodgdon website:

“Effective immediately, Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. has made the decision to cease manufacturing operations at the company’s Camp Minden, Louisiana site while evaluating strategic options for the black powder business.

The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process on the future of the black powder business takes place. Strategic options for the GOEX and Olde Eynsford brands of black powder, along with the manufacturing capabilities, will include a potential sale of the business. All affected employees will be retained through December 31, 2021 to assist in an orderly closing of the site and receive severance commensurate with their years of service to the company.

The Hodgdon Powder Co., Inc has been honored to have been a part of the GOEX Powder legacy and sustains a fond appreciation for sporting customers who have enjoyed shooting GOEX powders.”

Hodgdon Powder Goex black powder camp minden closure

Ironically, the GOEX logo states “The Tradition Continues”.
With this announcement, GOEX might be gone for good.

Here is a related report by the NRA’s American Rifleman:

The closure eliminates the only domestic source of blackpowder in the United States. According to a company press release, Hodgdon will evaluate “strategic options for the black powder business”, including a potential sale of the company.

GOEX Powder has a long, storied history that starts in 1802 with the building of a blackpowder plant on the Brandywine River in Delaware by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours. Production expanded with the building of the Belin plant in Moosic, Penn., in 1912, and the facility supplied military blackpowder during both world wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. In the 1970s, the Belin plant was incorporated into the GOEX family, and production moved to Minden, LA, in 1997. [In 1969] GOEX was purchased by Hodgdon Powder Company [which] spent years updating equipment at the Minden facility, enhancing employee safety and blackpowder quality.

Despite Hodgdon’s efforts, the GOEX facility at Camp Minden has a history of manufacturing incidents stretching back to 1998, including a June 2011 incident where 1,000 pounds of blackpowder exploded. The latest incident at GOEX occurred on June 18, 2021, when an explosion required the evacuation of 15 employees inside the facility. Nobody was injured, but the plant observed a 24- to 48-hour waiting period to ensure that nothing else at the facility ignited.

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August 5th, 2011

Alliant Introduces Black MZ™, New Black Powder Substitute

Alliant Powder has introduced a new Black Powder substitute, Black MZ™. This product is designed to work with all types of black powder firearms. We’re told this stuff is “on the trucks” — supplies are being shipped to vendors nationwide this month.

Why do we need another Black Powder substitute? Alliant claims this new propellant withstands moisture and significantly reduces the frequency (and difficulty) of bore cleaning: “Black MZ helps maximize shooting performance by resisting moisture and adverse weather conditions. Hunters can stay loaded in the field for days, only needing to insert a primer to get into the action. Black MZ won’t clump or corrode the barrel”.

Alliant designed Black MZ to deliver dependable ignition, lower barrel pressure and higher velocities. Alliant claims that “The clean-burning ignition of Black MZ is virtually non-corrosive, [and] greatly diminishes fouling”. Alliant adds that “wedged slugs, grimy barrels, stuck seater dies, and dwindling accuracy are greatly reduced by Black MZ.” Hopefully that’s not marketing hype. If, as claimed, Black MZ really does foul less than other BP substitutes, it should allow more shots between cleaning sessions. That would be a boon for BP shooters.

Black MZ’s enhanced performance derives from its high moisture tolerance and non-corrosive ignition. “We’re excited about what Black MZ can do for muzzleloader hunters and black powder cartridges. It helps take the hassle out of muzzleloading”, said Alliant’s Brand Director Rick Stoeckel. To learn more about Black MZ, or view load data, please visit www.AlliantPowder.com. Product designation: BLACKmz, 1 lb. bottle, Alliant Part No. 150524.

Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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