Powder smoky: composition. Smoky or smokeless powder - which one to choose?

If you are an avid hunter, then for sure you have repeatedly faced the issue of ammunition. For this you can use not only shot, but also gunpowder, smoky and smokeless. To correctly do this, you need to know the features, composition, rules for the use of gunpowder. With what we will get acquainted in this article.

Varieties of gunpowder

Everyone knows that gunpowder is an explosive that is used in various types of weapons to give the projectile movement. There are the following types of gunpowder:

1. Smoke powder:

• Ordinary hunting;
• Select.

2. Smokeless.

According to another classification, the powder differs in size, taking into account this, they distinguish:

• Large powder;
• average;
• small.

There is one more classification, on it gunpowder is divided into two groups:

1. Mechanical mixtures. This group includes nitrate-gray-coal smoke powder, as well as "Lesmok" brands, which also contain some additives that improve the quality of gunpowder.
2. Gunpowder on a solvent, which can be both volatile and non-volatile.

Depending on its variety, gunpowder has certain qualities and properties that must be taken into account when using.

Powder Properties

Smoky powder, which is intended for weapons, is either a fine powder of almost black color, or grain no more than 1.25 mm. If the gunpowder is of good quality, then the grains are hard and will have shine, the shape can be round to slightly angular.

Gunpowder smoke for ammunition is usually sorted by size, and the smaller, the better, as it provides faster combustion of the charge. Earlier, in the last century, gunpowder was used larger.

If the gunpowder is of good quality, then it is not so easy to choke between the fingers. Hands practically remain clean. If it is poured on a sheet of paper, then the trace after it in the form of dust almost does not remain.

Gunpowder smoky in a small pile, if it is set on fire, flashes quickly, and the paper remains unharmed. If it leaves marks on the hands or paper, it means that during the manufacturing process, the ingredients were mixed poorly.

Smoke powder composition

Powder composition includes the following components:

1. Potassium nitrate.
2. Coal.
3. Sulfur.

Each component plays a role in this mixture. Saltpeter during decomposition forms oxygen, which is necessary for the combustion of coal, and sulfur completes it all. In addition, it has a lower temperature than coal, so the process of ignition of gunpowder is faster.

If the question arises why other types of nitrates are not used for the production of gunpowder, this is because the potassium is not as hygroscopic compared to others. Coal is usually obtained from trees that do not have tar. In general, the quality of wood, and therefore coal, significantly affects the properties of gunpowder.

Sulfur for the production of gunpowder is always taken only crystalline, without impurities of the compounds of calcium and magnesium, and also of sand or metals.

Smoke powder composition is almost the same: 75% of saltpeter, 15% of coal and 10% of sulfur, and as a result, the mixture turns out to be of different quality. All this is due to the fact that the components of the mixture are crushed in different ways, and this process is one of the most important in manufacturing.

Positive sides of black powder

Black smoky powder has several advantages due to which it is often used.

• Even with long-term storage, its properties practically do not lose, but only under the condition that 100% is isolated from moisture.

• Very quickly ignites.
• A small sensitivity to the quality of the dust and powder pads.
• Almost does not affect the ignition of the metal barrel of the weapon.
• Virtually does not perceive large fluctuations in temperature, so with the same success is used in both heat and frost.
• Even not very high-quality guns can withstand the combustion process.

disadvantages

Despite a large number of advantages, one can not help saying about the shortcomings, but they are also present:

1. If even slightly smoky powder smeared, then it loses its qualities irrevocably.
2. Due to the formed deposit, the trunk is severely clogged.
3. There is a strong sound when shooting.
4. Strong return.
5. A small fraction flight speed.
6. After the shot, a cloud of smoke forms, which prevents us from considering the result of our labors. For this reason, it is practically not used for shooting.
7. It is not very good to use it in rainy and wet weather.

Negative qualities turned out almost as much as the advantages.

Rules of storage of gunpowder

It is not enough to make a gunpowder right or to buy it ready, it is necessary to strictly observe the storage guidelines to preserve all its qualities:

1. It should only be in a dry room.
2. To prevent even a small amount of moisture from entering, it is necessary to close and tightly seal the container.
3. You can not have black powder next to smokeless or primers.
4. If you keep gunpowder at home, then it should be such a place to completely exclude the penetration of the child there.

If you follow all these tips, then the smoky powder will be kept by you for years.

Manufacturing of black powder

Initially, this type of gunpowder was created by the Chinese for use in fireworks. Only then it began to be used in weapons or explosives.

The production of smoky powder requires the use of wood or clay materials for production. This is because it has one feature - it can catch fire from static electricity.

To make a smoky powder, the ingredients are as follows:

• 75 grams of potassium nitrate;
• 10 grams of sulfur;
• Charcoal 15 grams;
• distilled water;
• Plastic bags;
• beaker;
• Clay mortar;
• wooden spoon.

The entire manufacturing process consists of the following steps.

1. Place niter in a mortar and grind very well. Extra quantity can then be stored in a plastic bag.
2. The same procedure must be done with sulfur and charcoal.
3. Pour potassium nitrate into the beaker and add boiling water to moisten the nitrate.
4. Then add crushed sulfur and coal and mix thoroughly for several minutes.
5. Leave the beaker in the sun for drying.
6. The dried powder can be poured into a container, but do not leave it in a plastic bag to avoid ignition from static electricity.

If you follow this simple instruction, then there should be no question how to make smoky powder yourself.

Method of manufacturing smokeless powder

Recently, smokeless gunpowder gradually began to displace smoky, and for this there are some reasons, but we will talk about them later, and now we will consider the issue of making this kind of gunpowder with our own hands.

Here are the operations that need to be done.

1. Take cotton, put it in a 2% solution of caustic soda and boil for half an hour.
2. Rinse with hot water and dry.
3. Very carefully and slowly mix 250 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid, 150 ml of nitric acid, also concentrated, and 20 ml of water. The temperature of this solution should be 25 degrees.
4. Dry cotton should be put in a mixture of acids and mix thoroughly for 30 minutes. For this you can use either a glass stick or porcelain.
5. After this procedure, cotton should be washed 5 times in boiling water for 25 minutes each time. Check for acid residues with a litmus test.

The process of manufacturing smokeless gunpowder, although long, but quite feasible at home, with all the components and recommendations.

Powder Testing

Once the smoke is smoky, it must be tested. To do this, you need to take quite a bit of gunpowder and set it on a solid surface. If everything is done correctly and a quality product has turned out, then it should instantly break out, and not burn for a few seconds.

Pay attention to what remains after burning.

1. If there are spots of white, then you need to add coal and sulfur, because a lot of saltpeter.
2. The mixture does not want to break out, which means that there is little sulfur.
3. A large amount of smoke indicates an excess of sulfur.

It turns out that not only is the question of how to make smoky powder, but the main thing is that it turns out to be qualitative. For this, before using it, it is necessary to test it, that is, check for quality.

Equipment of cartridges with smoky powder

Before you can equip your cartridges with gunpowder, you need to know the storage times for it. If it has become worthless, then there is no reason to use it. It has already been said that, if all the conditions of storage are met, the smoke powder can be stored for up to 20 years.

Equipment with a smoky powder of cartridges must be carried out carefully and carefully. Previously, you need to prepare everything: liners, capsules, gunpowder and wads. Also prepare everything for backfilling of powder charges.

For accurate shots, the powder must be weighed to an accuracy of 0.01 g, for this you can use special batchers. For example, if you use smoky powder, 16 caliber of cartridges, then you need to take 5-5.5 grams of gunpowder, and smokeless - three times less.

Equipping the cartridges with smoky powder, one must take into account that the smaller the grains, the stronger the powder. After filling the cartridge, it is necessary to seal the dummy of the cartridge case.

You can, of course, buy in a gun shop and ready-made bullets, but if you independently manufacture gunpowder, then it is logical to equip your own cartridges with your own hands.

The qualities of smokeless gunpowder

Many people have the question: what kind of gunpowder is better to use? To answer it, it is necessary to consider the positive and negative qualities of smokeless gunpowder. Among the advantages are the following:

1. Sharpness and stability of shooting is much better when using smokeless gunpowder.
2. Small hygroscopicity allows you to dry it after getting wet and continue to use.
3. Shooting with smoky powder gives a cloud of smoke, and smokeless does not suffer from this, since during its combustion, substances that contaminate the barrel of the weapon are practically not formed.
4. Not such a strong return is obtained with shooting and less noise.

But there are drawbacks, which are also worth considering when you decide to purchase this or that kind of gunpowder.

1. Smokeless powder has a shorter shelf life.
2. It is required with special care to equip the cartridges, because even small deviations from the required mass of gunpowder can lead to undesirable consequences.
3. The components of smokeless powder adversely affect the barrel.
4. Affected by the effects of temperature changes.

What kind of gunpowder to choose for shooting, each for himself decides for himself. The choice usually depends on the purpose of use, the object of hunting and other factors, so sometimes it is difficult to say that this or that kind of gunpowder is better.

One can only say that, using this substance, it is necessary to know its qualities and qualities well and to observe security measures.