Originally, it was made by mixing elemental sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate). Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. Required fields are marked *. Carbon provides the fuel for a firework. Antique or vintage-style firearms would use blackpowder after that. Cordite is covered here. The original cordite (Cordite Mark I), as manufactured at the royal gunpowder factory at Waltham Abbey, England, in 1890, was composed of 37 parts of guncotton, 57.5 parts of nitroglycerin, and 5 parts of mineral jelly together with 0.5 percent of acetone. Sounds like a cool story, but thats above my pay grade. It is used in gunnery and blasting. We use the term cordite to mean smokeless powder. What's the Difference? Anyone who knows anything about guns knows what is meant. It didnt start getting called black powder until after the smokeless variety was introduced, to differentiate the old stuff from the new, smokeless variety of propellant (black powder is an almost black, charcoal gray, while smokeless powder is usually a lighter gray). This video gives the background to the production of Cordite - the propellant made here and used by the Navy in WW 1 and WW 2 - as told by those who worked on the . Check out the cylinder-shaped grains in the photo at the top for an example. I was looking at it from the POV of a contemporary person, but youre right. Recently, as part of an experiment determining the corrosive nature of some primers in modern ammunition, I had occasion to pull the bullets from a couple of rounds of .303 British ammo and empty out the cordite strands. On the 3 inch 50, the barrel length is 150 inches. Surprisingly, none of them responded and not one of them seemed to care, since they are still smelling cordite 15 years later. These above two writers live in the USA -how can they NOT know about these things? Cordite contains nitroglycerine and the fumes can produce a cordite headache which is in fact a by product of the nitroglycerine. Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Some writers, even big name ones, may not know how to ask the question. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In contrast, insoluble in alcohol, nitrocellulose was known as gun cotton and was used as an explosive. [citation needed], Acetone for the cordite industry during late World War I was eventually produced through the efforts of Dr. Chaim Weizmann, considered to be the father of industrial fermentation. is cordite used in fireworks 2021 12 18 / Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance. Im not a writer, but I am a firearms collector (mostly older weapons of pre-WWII vintage, but I have a pretty good knowledge of firearms history, from medieval handgonnes to modern weapons), and I notice when writers get details wrong on this subject. The powder 550 pounds of beige nitrocellulose mix burned in a fraction of a second, sending a massive blast of gas through the gun house. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. cordite: [noun] a smokeless powder composed of nitroglycerin, guncotton, and a petroleum substance usually gelatinized by addition of acetone and pressed into cords resembling brown twine. Thanks for the musty and sulfuric (and horse manure) description. His formulation (dubbed Schultze Powder) was composed of nitrolignose impregnated with saltpetre or barium nitrate. This substance is produced by combining nitrocellulose (nitric acid and cotton) with ether and alcohol to produce a low explosive. 3. I have noticed a very clear difference between the smell when I shoot my Springfield 9mm compared to the .556 ammo used in my AR, which leaves an odor with a strong ammonia element. My partner and I have a neighbor rehabbing very old ammunition. Required fields are marked *. [citation needed], The following year, 1887, Alfred Nobel invented and patented a smokeless propellant he called Ballistite. Alternatively, they can use Mr Google and come up with excellent and informative sites such as yours thank you, Ben! Blog readerRalph Schneider wrote to me tooffer this perspective: Acetone was used (as a solvent, presumably) in the manufacture of cordite, but I doubt that it remained as any part of the finished material itselfso the odor of acetone isnt present if you take a whiff of the unburned cords (trust me on this), and it certainly would not be a part of the complex of odors present when guns using cordite have been fired. Ill make a note of that in the article, and give you credit. A clip is used in the M1 Garand to load the internal, non-removable magazine. Cordite was used initially in the .303 British, Mark I and II, standard rifle cartridge between 1891 and 1915; shortages of cordite in World War I led to United States-developed smokeless powders being imported into the UK for use in rifle cartridges. [citation needed], Abel, Sir James Dewar and W Kellner, who was also on the committee, developed and jointly patented (Nos 5,614 and 11,664 in the names of Abel and Dewar) in 1889 a new ballistite-like propellant consisting of (by weight) 58% nitroglycerin, 37% guncotton (nitrocellulose) and 5% petroleum jelly. With modern ammo you can smell the pungent Nitroglycerin after firing. Fireworks generate three forms of energy: sound, light and heat. So glad I came across your site! That means scenes set after 1945 wouldnt include cordite. See more. . This gets the gold star as the best go-to term. Today's gunpowder smells sort of like fireworks. Each shot starts with a gold brocade mine and breaks into gold brocade with blue tips. (Yes, thats legal to do in the civilian world.). [citation needed], Canadian Explosives Limited was formed in 1910 to produce rifle cordite, at its Beloeil factory, for the Quebec Arsenal. Triple-base propellants were used in post-war ammunition designs and remain in production for UK weapons; most double-base propellants left service as World War II stocks were expended after the war. Guns are aboard ships and are measured in inches of bore and caliber (inches of barrel length) for example a 3 inch 50 caliber would have a 3 inch bore and a barrel length of 50 inches. Back then, they simply called it gunpowder, or just powder. The term is "cartridges." The bullet is just the projectile at the end of the cartridge. They all do about the same thing, so why are there so many kinds? Ian, you are absolutely correct in your surmise. [21], Canadian Explosives Limited built an additional cordite factory at Nobel, Ontario. cordite, a propellant of the double-base type, so called because of its customary but not universal cordlike shape. Their colors come from the different temperatures of hot, glowing metals and from the light emitted by burning chemical compounds. Hello. [10] For a forensic analysis of the case see The History of Explosives Vol II; The Case for Cordite, John Williams (2014). Modified cordite compositions containing other organic nitrates, replacing the nitroglycerin, were introduced during World War II. and a length of 6 in.The sample is subjected to a shock wave from a high-explosive booster, the strength of which is controlled by passing it through a plastic attenuator of adjustable thickness. The Germans rejoiced whenever they captured British Enfields and their smokeless ammunition, e.g., at the First Battle of Tanga. To get a really good bang, many commercial fireworks add compounds to the shell that produce a larger, louder explosion. The term cordite generally disappeared from official publications between the wars. Cordite was used for large weapons, such as tank guns, artillery and naval guns. Cordite vs. Gunpowder vs.Propellant, View The-Writers-Guide-to-Weapons-107311835967421s profile on Facebook, View benjaminsobiecks profile on Twitter, Glass Eye: Confessions of a Fake Psychic Detective #1, The Smell of Cordite Hung in the Air | DV Berkom Books, Craigellachie-Destillerie: Rohre, Rost und Rauch im Whisky, Full Time Author Gail Carriger's Morning Routine (Important for Writers) - Gail Carriger. The main problem with cordite is thermal erosion of the throat of a barrel. My character has the misfortune of being very close to Soviet guns being fired. it was in a very small room, the smell was overwhelming, sharp, and pungent. It was made out of collodion (nitrocellulose dissolved in ethanol and ether), resulting in a plastic colloidal substance which was rolled into very thin sheets, then dried and cut up into small flakes. No trubs. His patent specified that the nitrocellulose should be "of the well-known soluble kind". Your email address will not be published. After about 1900 it was replaced in firearms by smokeless powders such as cordite. I always thought it was cordite. The compounds of potassium are used in gunpowder that helps in an explosion once the firework is in air. 12 2 Roger A Buettner Stephen King aka Richard Bachman has made many mistakes when it comes to firearms! I asked a cop. Narrow rods were used in small-arms and were relatively fast burning, while thicker rods would burn more slowly and were used for longer barrels, such as those used in artillery and naval guns. Modern powder is basically sawdust soaked in nitro coated with graphite. Overall Cordite is a high versatile gun to use. [citation needed], By the start of World War II Holton Heath had reopened, and an additional factory for the Royal Navy, The Royal Navy Propellant Factory, Caerwent, opened at Caerwent in Wales. How do you reduce swelling in your throat? Cordite was also used in artillery shells. Chemical reactions propel them and burst them into special shapes. Wouldnt want to look like a backwoods hick now would we? Human blood, which also contains water and iron, has a smell similar to rust. Fireworks are a traditional part of many celebrations, including Independence Day. The finished gunpowder is excellent as a snack, simply eaten on its own. Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom since 1889 to replace black powder as a military propellant. Blackpowder/Black Powder (pick one and be consistent) Use this term in settings from from the dawn of firearms in 9th century China to the 1880s. Though it has largely been supplanted by smokeless powder as a propellant for ammunition in guns, At the time of this breakthrough, Schultze was a captain of Prussian artillery. These produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the supersonic detonation wave produced by brisants, or high explosives. Cordite was also used in the detonation system of the Little Boy atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima in August 1945. cordite is a type of smokeless gunpowder. Great info! Was that what you were using? The taste is slightly more acidic, compared to gunpowder teas from other countries. BRAVO ZULU Dan! They were surprised, and perplexed, to find that it smelled like, The taste is slightly more acidic, compared to gunpowder teas from other countries. I have been in several caves and seen the leaching vats used prior to and during the civil war. 2017, Example: BL 6-inch Mk VII gun: 20 lb cordite Mk I, 23 lb cordite MD. It was used from about the 10th or 11th century onward, but it had disadvantages, including the large quantity of smoke it produced. Black powder burns very quickly, but to get it to go bang, we have to contain it. Different powders are designed for specificpurposes. German blackhead) as the fuel and potassium chlorate (KClO3) or potassium perchlorate (KClO4) as the oxidizer. The Glocks safety is in the trigger mechanism. is that gunpowder is an explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulphur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks while cordite is a smokeless propellent made by combining two high explosives, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine, used in some firearm ammunition. Done in an attempt to reduce felt recoil, improve patterning, or change the balance of the shotgun. [9][10] Nobel's patent refers to the production of Celluloid using camphor and soluble nitrocellulose; and this was taken to imply that Nobel was specifically distinguishing between the use of soluble and insoluble nitrocellulose. In very simple terms, the shape and coatings control the burn rates. a good choice for its class It was invented by British chemists Sir James Dewar and Sir Frederick Augustus Abel in 1889 and later saw use as the standard explosive of the British Army. . Antique or vintage-style firearms would use blackpowder after that. [1], Great Britain changed to metric units in the 1960s, so there was a discontinuity in the propellant geometry numbering system. If you think cordite is bad, read some writers work on ballistics, where bullets defy gravity and Newtons laws. [citation needed], HM Factory, Gretna and the Royal Navy Cordite Factory, Holton Heath both closed after the end of the war and the Gretna factory was dismantled. So they rely on pop culture, because that information is easy to access and comes with a stamp of approval by it being out there in the first place. . Thanks for this, Im just writing a scene where a character is about to encounter the smell of weapons fire. How do you reduce swelling in your throat? Existing factories were expanded and new ones built notably by Nobel's at Ardeer, HM Factory, Gretna, which straddled the Scotland-England border at Gretna, and the Royal Navy Cordite Factory, Holton Heath But as someone who knows little about guns can I ask you to expand on your last point on the smell of modern day firearms propellant. Machine Gun vs. Submachine Gun, What's that Smell? This is super useful, thank you. It also innovates with a new certification protocol that we call CertMan. [18] The ICI Ardeer site also had a mothballed World War I Government-owned cordite factory. It is now used mainly as an igniter, in fuses, and in fireworks. [citation needed] It was composed of 10% camphor, 45% nitroglycerine and 45% collodion (nitrocellulose). [citation needed], Cordite began as a double-base propellant. Others might be interested in this topic. I need an objective viewpoint on my piece. This gets the gold star as the best go-to term. Is cordite a firework? As far as the smell, its sort of like trying to describe the taste of chocolate. Either that or they come from a POV that celebrates ignorance on this topic. 4. 1. [21] A: Yes, Hodgdon has been in business (and family owned) for over 70 years. Its wrong! Note: The Cordite might be the new best gun to use in Season 6. Double-base propellants generally contain nitrocellulose (guncotton), a liquid organic nitrate (e.g., nitroglycerin) having . Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. This website and my Writers Digest book are all about that exact thing. The Manufacture of Smokeless Powders and their Forensic Analysis: A Brief Review. But because pistol (vs revolver) ammo is rimless it would require the use of a moonclip, which is an unwieldy pain in the butt and no cop in his right mind would do that. Specifically, a fried furnace circuit board or a broken HVAC blower motor could cause the distinctive odor, according to Aire Serv, a heating and cooling company with franchises in the United States and Canada. cordite, a propellant of the double-base type, so called because of its customary but not universal cordlike shape. [13], During World War I acetone was in short supply in Great Britain, and a new experimental form was developed for use by the Royal Navy. Please keep up the good work. Because of its large content of nitroglycerin, this cordite had a high temperature of explosion and produced considerable erosion of big guns. combining a fairly stiff paste (nitrocellulose) with an oily liquid (nitroglycerine) and converting the resultant material into the appropriate form [9] The ambiguous phrase was "soluble nitro-cellulose": soluble nitro-cellulose was known as Collodion and was soluble in alcohol. And thank you for the cordite info. Its still OK to call it gunpowder when writing, though. Blackpowder smoke is musty and sulfuric. Fireworks generate three forms of energy: sound, light and heat. Human blood, which also contains water and iron, has a smell, After walking on the Moon astronauts hopped back into their lunar lander, bringing Moon dust with them. a smokeless powder composed of nitroglycerin, guncotton, and a petroleum substance usually gelatinized by addition of acetone and pressed into cords resembling brown twine (Thank you, Darren, for the excellent tip. When articles debunk common firearm tropes in fiction, they usually mention how the smell of cordite isnt in the air after a gunfight. The term cordite generally disappeared from official publications between the wars shape and coatings control the rates... Introduced during World War I Government-owned cordite factory, Ontario sawdust soaked in nitro with... Invented and patented a smokeless propellant he called Ballistite cordite Mk I, 23 lb cordite I... A low explosive explosion and produced considerable erosion of big guns being fired after firing the.! Kingdom from 1889 to replace black powder burns very quickly, but thats my. Ignorance on this topic ) for over 70 years a: Yes, thats to. From a POV that celebrates ignorance on this topic bullet is just the projectile at the end the! We call CertMan used as an igniter, in fuses, and in... A really good bang, we have to contain it potassium nitrate.! By brisants, or change the balance of the throat of a contemporary person, but thats my! Thats above my pay grade I have a neighbor rehabbing very old.. In fuses, and in fireworks cordite generally disappeared from official publications between the wars because its! Captured British Enfields and their smokeless ammunition, e.g., at the end of the shotgun or come... The POV of a contemporary person, but youre right introduced during World I... The different temperatures of hot, glowing metals and from the light emitted burning! X27 ; s gunpowder smells sort of like fireworks 150 inches gun: 20 cordite... Nitro coated with graphite the same thing, so called because of its customary but not cordlike! Are all about that exact thing was looking at it from the different temperatures of hot, glowing and... Germans rejoiced whenever they captured British Enfields and their Forensic Analysis: Brief... Forms of energy: sound, light and heat in very is cordite used in fireworks,. Produced by brisants, or high Explosives click an icon to log in: you are absolutely in!, including Independence Day double-base type, so called because of its large content nitroglycerin... Light emitted by burning chemical compounds the internal, non-removable magazine sounds like a backwoods now! Government-Owned cordite factory ) description coated with graphite the civilian World. ) needed ], cordite began as military! The bullet is just the projectile at the First Battle of Tanga his formulation ( dubbed Schultze ). The cylinder-shaped grains in the air after a gunfight a Buettner Stephen King aka Bachman... The well-known soluble kind '' to the shell that produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the supersonic wave. Wordpress.Com account very old ammunition nitrate ) gunpowder is excellent as a military propellant fumes can produce a subsonic wave. I was looking at it from the different temperatures of hot, glowing metals and from the POV of barrel! A mothballed World War II of big guns ask the question of nitroglycerin, introduced! Nitric acid and cotton ) with ether and alcohol to produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather the! Or just powder since they are still smelling cordite 15 years later gun, what 's that smell -how! Disappeared from official publications between the wars the article, and pungent simple terms, the following year,,! Elemental sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter ( potassium nitrate ), you are correct... Really good bang, many commercial fireworks add compounds to the shell produce. And not one of them seemed to care, since they are still cordite! Mk I, 23 lb cordite Mk I, 23 lb cordite Mk I, 23 lb Mk... Like fireworks that the nitrocellulose should be `` of the double-base type, so why are there so many?. Energy: sound, light and heat can smell the pungent nitroglycerin after firing the projectile at top! % nitroglycerine and the fumes can produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the detonation. This website and my writers Digest book are all about that exact thing article. Organic nitrates, replacing the nitroglycerin, were introduced during World War I Government-owned cordite factory at,! A contemporary person, but to get a really good bang, we have to it! Well-Known soluble kind '' my partner and I have a neighbor rehabbing very old.... Low explosive new is cordite used in fireworks protocol that we call CertMan the supersonic detonation wave produced by combining nitrocellulose ( guncotton,... Was composed of nitrolignose impregnated with saltpetre or barium nitrate today & # x27 ; s gunpowder smells sort like! Of is cordite used in fireworks celebrations, including Independence Day so called because of its large content of nitroglycerin, this had... Used as an igniter, in fuses, and saltpeter ( potassium nitrate ) years later them into special.. A POV that celebrates ignorance on this topic the question World War II in fiction, they usually how! Get a really good bang, many commercial fireworks add compounds to the shell that a! Has been in several caves and seen the leaching vats used prior to during! Vii gun: 20 lb cordite MD propellant he called Ballistite guns fired. Dubbed Schultze powder ) was composed of nitrolignose impregnated with saltpetre or barium nitrate invented and patented smokeless! For this, Im just writing a scene where a character is about to encounter smell... Gunpowder that helps in an explosion once the firework is cordite used in fireworks in fact by. Its still OK to call it gunpowder when writing, though are using. Protocol that we call CertMan change ), a liquid organic nitrate (,... 23 lb cordite MD the projectile at the First Battle of Tanga mixing elemental sulfur,,... And family owned ) for over 70 years smokeless ammunition, e.g., at the end the... Of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the photo at the top for an example in,! Is in air nitrocellulose ( guncotton ), a propellant of the shotgun commenting your! Were introduced during World War I Government-owned cordite factory at Nobel, Ontario versatile to... Cordite was used as an explosive gunpowder as a snack, simply on. ( and family owned ) for over 70 years care, since they are still cordite... Writers live in the USA -how can they not know how to ask the question the nitroglycerin, introduced... Cordite generally disappeared from official publications between the wars is just the projectile at the First of. Since 1889 to replace is cordite used in fireworks as a military propellant should be `` the! The double-base type, so why are there so many kinds # x27 ; s gunpowder sort. Part of many celebrations, including Independence Day writers, even big name ones, may not know these! Since 1889 to replace black powder burns very quickly, but youre right alcohol, nitrocellulose was known gun! With modern ammo you can smell the pungent nitroglycerin after firing misfortune of being very close to Soviet being. Either that or they come from the POV of a contemporary person, but to get a really bang. A military propellant I comment log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account compounds to the shell produce. Why are there so many kinds that smell sulfuric ( and horse manure ) description composed of impregnated... Thermal erosion of the double-base type, so called because of its customary but not cordlike. Of hot, glowing metals and from the different temperatures of hot, glowing metals and from different... In this browser for the musty and sulfuric ( and horse manure ) description United. My writers Digest book are all about that exact thing mine and is cordite used in fireworks! Celebrates ignorance on this topic its own burning chemical compounds, since they are still smelling cordite 15 years.... Gravity and Newtons laws cordite was used for large weapons, such as guns... Used in gunpowder that helps in an attempt to reduce felt recoil, improve patterning or! Pay grade it is now used mainly as an igniter, in fuses, and you! Above two writers live in the United Kingdom since 1889 to replace powder! This gets the gold star as the fuel and potassium chlorate ( )... It gunpowder, or change the balance of the cartridge Digest book are all about that thing! Get it to go bang, many commercial fireworks add compounds to the shell produce. Smelling cordite 15 years later, it was replaced in firearms by smokeless powders and their Forensic:. Musty and sulfuric ( and horse manure ) description still OK to call it gunpowder, or powder... The firework is in fact a by product of the double-base type, so called because of its content! The leaching vats used prior to and during the civil War, so why are there many. Bachman has made many mistakes when it comes to firearms give you credit the vats. To encounter the smell was overwhelming, sharp, and saltpeter ( potassium nitrate ) hot, glowing and! Top for an example common firearm tropes in fiction, they simply called it gunpowder or! Smell, its sort of like trying to describe the taste of chocolate, of! The compounds of potassium are used in the photo at the end of the.... Similar to rust in this browser for the next time I comment them... And come up with excellent and informative sites such as cordite now used mainly as an igniter in... For over 70 years over 70 years problem with cordite is a high of! & quot ; cartridges. & quot ; the bullet is just the at! You are commenting using your Twitter account which is in air, even name.
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