Blackpowder --- Smokeless powder.

Xracer

August 01, 2003 06:06

We get a lot of questions here about old shotguns, pistols, rifles....and I know I should know this, but....

Is there some (general) cutoff date after which shotguns were made for modern smokeless powder....and before which they were made for blackpowder.

How about pistols and rifles. I know, for instance, that the Winchester Model 1903 was one of the first .22s made for smokeless powder, so I assume the general changeover came shortly after that....or did it?

How about it Captain, Mark C., Der G, anybody.......can you teach this old dog a new trick?

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  He Dog

  August 01, 2003 06:25

  It was right around the turn of the century as you noticed, but not every manufacturer made the change on the same day, so it is difficult to nail down a "pre-64" like date.
  
  My heros have always killed cowboys.

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  captkirk3@dslextreme.com

  August 01, 2003 06:31

  Pretty much in a nut shell; In the Mid 1890's the move was towards Smokeless loads...The Powder of Choice was DUPONT BULK SHOTSHELL POWDER...It was a smokeless Powder but had the same Power Curve as Black Powder...Then in the early 1900's the move was on for higher pressures and longer range in the field...The early Low pressure Powders were building pressure's in the range of 12,000psi...The later Powder in the early 1900's was in the 25,000psi Range..The move to pressures that we have today was common by the late 1920's...Thats the reason for Low Base Shells...These were for early Smokeless Steel Barrels...The later more modern barrels were tested and used the High Base Shells...I personally used to collect Old Powder...and used to Load my Old Colt and other Center Fire Guns with DuPont Smokeless Powder instead of Black Powder....Worked very well and did'nt leave as big a mess to clean up after a day in the Hills or in the Deserts of Arizona....Hope this info is of some help to You.....Best.....
  
  Captain Kirk, Tech Staff

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