What where Gunpowder seller called in the 1600's or what was their shop/buissness called?

Question

What where Gunpowder seller called in the 1600's or what was their shop/buissness called?

Answer 1

Armourers and gunsmiths made and sold guns and also dealt in ammunition - black powder and ball (or pellets for small game).

There was at intervals an attempt by governments to monopolise, or at least to control the manufacture and sale of, powder for the same reason that nowadays we try to stop the public sale of Semtex etc. Terrorist attempts (e.g. Guy Fawkes) were always a possibility, and - less frequently but in the long run more dangerously - there was the chance of a disaffected group arming themselves and causing trouble.

This of course finally happened in the English Civil War, when as a result of this policy ammunition was initially in such short supply that serious battles were fought for the control of quite small local arsenals.

Once the war got going, both sides had organised powder-factories as well as importing the stuff. When peace and civil government returned after the restoration, the country was back to normal - bulk supplies held for the armed forces, and small quantities for shooting freely available from gunsmiths.

Answer 2

  The place black powder was made was called a powder mill, because like a grain mill, it had a water wheel that powered the stamping to mix the wet powder ingredients together until it dried.  It was usually done outside of town, because of the risks of explosion, which could destroy buildings for 100 yards or more.

Answer 3

well in the 1600's you made your own black powder with sulfur, charcoal, and chicken p**p (nitrate), and you usually got your guns from a blacksmith, an armorer, or you made your own.