Powder & Priming Composition

What ingredient(s) are present in single base smokeless powder?

nitrocellulose

What ingredient(s) are present in double base smokeless powder?

nitrocellulose & nitroglycerin

What ingredient(s) are present in triple base smokeless powder?

nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin & nitroguanidine

What type of gunpowder grain is characterized by a rod shape?

extruded/stick

Extruded/stick gunpowder grain shapes are best suited for what burn rate?

medium to slow

What does it mean for a gunpowder grain to have regressive burn?

grain surface area decreases proportional to fraction of grain burned

Which type of gunpowder grain shape is most commonly used in automatic FA ammo?

ball powder

Which type of gunpowder grain shape is used in very fast burn applications?

flake powders

What does it mean for a gunpowder grain to have a neutral burn profile?

as the individual grain burns the surface area remains fairly constant

Deterrent Coating

surface coatings applied to smokeless powder grains to slow initial burn rate

Graphite Coating

thin layer of graphite applied outside of powder grains

What are the basic components of a modern day primer?

explosive, oxidizer, & fuel

In modern day primer, what is the most common chemical component used as the explosive?

lead styphnate

In modern day primer, what is the most common chemical component used as the oxidizer?

barium nitrate

In modern day primer, what is the most common chemical component used as the fuel?

antimony sulfide

What is the purpose of the explosive component in primer mixture?

serves as the shock-sensitive compound

Oxidizer

chemical that provides the oxygen needed for the explosive & also fuels the burn

What is the purpose of the fuel component in primer mixture?

it is what is actually burning when ignited