A black powder substitute is a replacement for black powder (gunpowder), primarily used in muzzleloading firearms. Substitutes may have slightly different properties from gunpowder such as: reduced sensitivity as an explosive, increased efficiency as a propellant powder, different density, and/or reduced ignition efficiency. This also means that substitutes are subject to different restrictions than gunpowder.
Black powder was the first explosive ever invented, and was the primary propellant used firearms around the world for many centuries. However, in modern times, smokeless powder has largely replaced black powder as the most common firearm propellant. Still, black powder remains in use for certain types of firearms, including historical weapons from before the invention of smokeless powder, such as muzzleloaders. Black powder substitutes are propellants designed to provide explosive force similar to that of black powder, primarily for use in such firearms, despite being legally classified as "smokeless propellant". [1] [2]
In the United States, many states mandate the use of black powder or "equivalent" black powder substitutes during the portion of deer hunting season in which only muzzleloading firearms can be used, and many outright prohibit the use of smokeless powders during this time. [3]
Hodgdon's Pyrodex is a widely available substitute for black powder. Pyrodex is less sensitive to ignition than black powder. It also contains more energy per unit of mass than black powder, but is less dense. Therefore, it is often substituted at a 1:1 ratio by volume for black powder. [4] Pyrodex is similar in composition to black powder (which consists of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur) [5] but incorporates several other compounds: [6] [7]
Pyrodex has a slower combustion and produces a lower maximum pressure than black powder yet provides the same amount of work and a higher projectile velocity. [8] [9] It is often used for shooting historical weapons. [8] Originally available as loose powder in two granularities, RS (Rifle/Shotgun) and P (Pistol). Where RS (Rifle/Shotgun) is equivalent to FFg black powder and P (Pistol) is equivalent to FFFg black powder on the Fg (coarsest) to FFFFg (finest) granularity scale. While Pyrodex offers improved safety and increased efficiency (in terms of shots per pound of powder) over black powder, the level of fouling is similar to black powder as Pyrodex is caustic and corrosive. Therefore, the same cleaning lay regimen used on black powder fouling must be employed when Pyrodex has been used.
Hodgdon also makes "Triple Seven", a sulfur-free black powder substitute containing potassium perchlorate and 3-Nitrobenzoic acid, and "Black Mag3". [10] These are both more energetic by mass than black powder and can produce higher velocities and pressures. Triple Seven is a volumetric substitute for black powder, and due to its higher velocity, it is recommended to reduce the load by 15%. [11] The carbon-based fuel burned in this case is from the sugar family, not from charcoal.
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The grain is the traditional measurement of the weight of bullets, black powder and smokeless powder in English-speaking countries. It is the unit measured by the scales used in handloading; commonly, bullets are measured in increments of one grain, gunpowder in increments of 0.1 grains. [12] There are 7,000 grains in one pound.
Black powder substitutes are formulated to be a volume-for-volume equivalent of black powder, not an equivalent mass-for-mass (weight-for-weight). Black powder substitutes are measured by volumetric measurement techniques, not in grains on a scale, due to the difference in density compared to black powder. For example, to measure a "60 grain equivalent" of black powder substitute suitable for use in a muzzleloader rifle, one uses a volumetric measure that produces a volume of black powder equivalent equal to the volume of a mass of 60 grains of black powder. For example, because Pyrodex, a common black powder substitute, is less dense than black powder, a measurement by weight on a scale of 60 grains of mass of Pyrodex would be near a 30 percent overload.
Volume equivalence is a benefit in loading muzzleloading firearms, traditionally loaded using volumetric measures. This becomes an issue when fabricating black-powder cartridges through handloading using a black-powder substitute in place of black powder, since it is common practice to measure by weight when loading cartridges (there are published conversion tables).
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With the increased safety of the black powder substitutes often comes a reduced sensitivity to ignition. Flintlocks in particular need very sensitive, finely granulated powder for use in the flash pan, and black powder tends to perform more reliably in these and traditional caplock guns than substitutes. Modern in-line muzzleloaders provide a stronger ignition than traditional designs and this helps to increase reliability with less flame-sensitive substitutes. In addition, magnum percussion caps are often recommended for use with black powder substitutes for both inline and traditional caplock guns, in place of the #11 percussion caps traditionally used with black powder in these guns, to achieve the best ignition reliability.
When used for recovery system ejection charges in high-power rocketry, black powder substitutes need a greater degree of confinement to ensure a complete burn and generation of sufficient ejection pressure. This can be achieved by wrapping 2–3 layers of electrical tape over the ejection charge canister before installation.[ citation needed ]
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Black powder substitutes can be transported and stored in interstate commerce in the United States using the smokeless powder regulations instead of the more restrictive black powder regulations. As a result, black powder substitutes are becoming more commonly available than traditional black powder.
Prior to July 2024, Pyrodex was classified as UN0161 and therefore benefited for an exemption under the under the Explosives Regulations 2014, meaning that it did not require a certificate to buy or store in the United Kingdom; an RCA (recipient competent authority) document was also not needed for transportation. [13]
In 2024, the manufacturer of Pyrodex changed the product's classification, resulting in the exemption previously afforded to it no longer applying and it can now only be purchased and possessed with an Explosives Certificate covering UN0499 and UN0501. [14] It must also be stored in the same fashion as black powder, namely in a locked wodden box with adequate separation distance and internal volume. [15]
There are varying opinions as to whether Pyrodex bought prior to the reclassification and having the previous UN0161 number can be possessed without a certificate, with some English police forces considering one necessary while other organisations take a different position, namely that the applicable UN classification is the one that applied when the product was manufactured and packaged. [16]
Second, Pyrodex provides more shots per pound than blackpowder because it is less dense.
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). The sulfur and charcoal act as fuels while the saltpeter is an oxidizer. Gunpowder has been widely used as a propellant in firearms, artillery, rocketry, and pyrotechnics, including use as a blasting agent for explosives in quarrying, mining, building pipelines, tunnels, and roads.
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in Britain since 1889 to replace black powder as a military firearm propellant. Like modern gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance. These produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the supersonic detonation wave produced by brisants, or high explosives. The hot gases produced by burning gunpowder or cordite generate sufficient pressure to propel a bullet or shell to its target, but not so quickly as to routinely destroy the barrel of the gun.
A muzzleloader is any firearm in which the user loads the projectile and the propellant charge into the muzzle end of the gun. This is distinct from the modern designs of breech-loading firearms, in which user loads the ammunition into the breech end of the barrel. The term "muzzleloader" applies to both rifled and smoothbore type muzzleloaders, and may also refer to the marksman who specializes in the shooting of such firearms. The firing methods, paraphernalia and mechanism further divide both categories as do caliber.
A centre-fire is a type of metallic cartridge used in firearms, where the primer is located at the center of the base of its casing. Unlike rimfire cartridges, the centerfire primer is typically a separate component seated into a recessed cavity in the case head and is replaceable by reloading the cartridge.
A gun barrel is a crucial part of gun-type weapons such as small firearms, artillery pieces, and air guns. It is the straight shooting tube, usually made of rigid high-strength metal, through which a contained rapid expansion of high-pressure gas(es) is used to propel a projectile out of the front end (muzzle) at a high velocity. The hollow interior of the barrel is called the bore, and the diameter of the bore is called its caliber, usually measured in inches or millimetres.
Internal ballistics, a subfield of ballistics, is the study of the propulsion of a projectile.
Smokeless powder is a type of propellant used in firearms and artillery that produces less smoke and less fouling when fired compared to black powder. Because of their similar use, both the original black powder formulation and the smokeless propellant which replaced it are commonly described as gunpowder. The combustion products of smokeless powder are mainly gaseous, compared to around 55% solid products for black powder. In addition, smokeless powder does not leave the thick, heavy fouling of hygroscopic material associated with black powder that causes rusting of the barrel.
Hang fire is an unexpected delay between the triggering of a firearm and the ignition of the propellant. This failure was common in firearm actions that relied on open primer pans, due to the poor or inconsistent quality of the powder, although modern firearms are also susceptible. The delay is usually too brief to be noticed, but can be several seconds. A hangfire should be suspected whenever a firearm fails to fire, but has not clearly malfunctioned.
Thompson/Center Arms is an American firearms company based in Rochester, New Hampshire. The company was best known for its line of interchangeable-barrel, single-shot pistols and rifles. Thompson/Center also manufactures muzzle-loading rifles and was credited with creating the resurgence of their use in the 1970s.
Brown powder or prismatic powder, sometimes referred as "cocoa powder" due to its color, was a propellant used in large artillery and ship's guns from the 1870s to the 1890s. While similar to black powder, it was chemically formulated and formed hydraulically into a specific grain shape to provide slower burn rates with neutral or progressive burning, as opposed to the faster and regressive burn typical of randomly shaped grains of black powder produced by crushing and screening powder formed into sheets in a press box, as was typical for cannon powder previously.
A pyrotechnic composition is a substance or mixture of substances designed to produce an effect by heat, light, sound, gas/smoke or a combination of these, as a result of non-detonative self-sustaining exothermic chemical reactions. Pyrotechnic substances do not rely on oxygen from external sources to sustain the reaction.
An antique firearm is a term used to describe a firearm that was designed and manufactured prior to the beginning of the 20th century. Although the exact definition of what constitutes an "antique firearm" varies between countries, the advent of smokeless powder or the start of the Boer War are often used as cut-off dates. Antique firearms are usually collected because of their historical interest and/or their monetary value.
The following are terms related to firearms and ammunition topics.
The Hodgdon Powder Company began in 1952 as B.E. Hodgdon, Inc., and has become a major distributor of smokeless powder for the ammunition industry, as well as for individuals who load their own ammunition by hand. The company's corporate office and manufacturing facilities are located in Kansas, United States. Hodgdon acquired IMR Powder Company in 2003. Winchester branded reloading powders have been distributed in the United States by Hodgdon since March 2006.
Improved military rifle propellants are tubular nitrocellulose propellants evolved from World War I through World War II for loading military and commercial ammunition and sold to civilians for reloading rifle ammunition for hunting and target shooting. These propellants were DuPont modifications of United States artillery propellants. DuPont miniaturized the large artillery grains to form military rifle propellants suitable for use in small arms. These were improved during the First World War to be more efficient in rimless military cartridges replacing earlier rimmed rifle cartridges. Four-digit numbers identified experimental propellants, and a few successful varieties warranted extensive production by several manufacturers. Some were used almost exclusively for military contracts, or commercial ammunition production, but a few have been distributed for civilian use in handloading. Improved military rifle propellants are coated with dinitrotoluene (DNT) to slow initial burning and graphite to minimize static electricity during blending and loading. They contain 0.6% diphenylamine as a stabilizer and 1% potassium sulfate to reduce muzzle flash.
Firearm propellants are a specialized type of propellant used to discharge a projectile through the barrel of a firearm. Mixtures of different chemical substances are often used to control the rate of gas release, or prevent decomposition of the propellant prior to use. Short-barrel firearms such as handguns necessitate faster-burning propellants to obtain sufficient muzzle energy, while long guns typically use slower-burning propellants. The pressure relationships between propellant chemical reactions and bullet response are described as internal ballistics.
In firearms and artillery, the primer is the chemical and/or device responsible for initiating the propellant combustion that will propel the projectiles out of the gun barrel.
Ball propellant is a form of nitrocellulose used in small arms cartridges. Ball propellant can be manufactured more rapidly with greater safety and less expense than extruded propellants.
IMR Legendary Powders is a line of smokeless powders which are popularly used in sporting and military/police firearm cartridges. The initials 'IMR' stand for Improved Military Rifle powder. IMR powders makes a line of various types of smokeless powder suitable for loading many cartridges for rifles, handguns, and shotguns.
The Federal FireStick is a proprietary polymer-hulled blank cartridge, introduced in 2020 for the Traditions NitroFire rifle. Containing 100 to 120 grains of Hodgdon 888 black-powder substitute and neither a primer nor a bullet, the round and the rifle designed for it were devised as a way of creating a gun that functions as closely to a modern rifle as possible whilst still being legal in muzzleloader hunting season.