Comparative Burn Rates

[GriMo]

Was wondering if anyone has the comparative burn rates between Black powder and the more common Nitrocellulose stuff we use. I'm not planning on loading anything with a powder it isn't designed for, just a thought i had on the way home.

So does anyone know, or know where to find information as to the comparative burn rates of BP and a modern powder, for shits and giggles lets say BM2?

[300RUM]

Hmmm I'll put money on half the burn rate of 2213. So 2218 ++ slow.
But no fuggin idea really.......

[lefty]

Few links here first 1 has more info on black powder other 2 are lists.

http://www.skepticfiles.org/new/185doc.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.reloadersnest.com/burnrates.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HiWall]

There is a fundamental and important difference between the two mate.

Smokeless powder is a propellant - it burns progressively and the burn rate changes under pressure. You can prove this by getting a little pile of it and lighting it with a match. It will not go bang, simply light up and burn.

On the other hand Black Powder is an explosive. It goes BANG. You can prove this by getting a little pile of it and dropping the slightest spark onto it - just keep well clear. Just think fireworks and the spark from the wick hitting the (very small) powder charge

[GriMo]

Yeah mate, have been playing around with the former lately to get rid of some now defunct powders.

I guess im more concerned as to the compressed burn rates. IE, if one were to theoretically load a modern catridge with equal amounts of a modern powder and a modern black powder, which will drive it faster. im guessing massively in favour of the new stuff, but i guess im looking for hard data.

google has been less then helpful

[juzz338]

Hi Grimo, cant remember the exact figures but the single action boys put 2-3 times the amount of black powder in as they do the smokeless stuff,maybe if you had a chat to one of them they could tell you more

[HiWall]

The Wiki page is reasonably informative and has some good links mate - but basically smokeless releases shit loads more energy than black. I do have issues with the opening sentence of the Wiki page though, it is not absolutely correct.

Gunpowder, also called black powder, is an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate, KNO3 (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter) that burns rapidly, (dodgy) producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder

The most important thing is that black powder needs to be compressed in either a muzzle loader or a black powder cartridge load, unlike smokeless that often has free space in the cartridge (especially handgun rounds).

Because of the nature of black (being an explosive and not a progressive burner), an uncrompressed BP load will cause the projectile in either muzzle loaders or cartridges to act as a barrel obstruction rather than a projectile.