DIY Smokeless Powder - A4 Smokeless Powder Manufacturing

[MUSTANG]

This is another series of DIY home manufacturing Smokeless Powders
Using instructions from the source reference written in 1944 on page 33 of PRIMERS for Small Arms Cartridges by M. J. ALBERT and H. F. OELBERG, Copyright, March-1944. A pdf copy is available at: https://www.aardvarkreloading.com/re...%20Oelberg.pdf


The production of the A4 Smokeless Powder formula is similar to my other thread on the No.7 smokeless powder formula. The A4 Formula by weight is:

Ammonium Nitrate NH4NO3 7.5 grams (115.74 grains)
Potassium Nitrate KNO3 4.0 grams (61.73 grains)
Lead Nitrate Pb(NO3)2 4.0 grams (61.73 grains)
Hydrocellulose C12H22O11 3.4 grams (52.47 grains)

The original Instructions call for mixing the above with an equal quantity of RAIN WATER or Tap water, but soft water is better. Water should not if not softened by alkalis.

[MUSTANG]

My first hurdle is creation of Hydrocellulose. The original Paper Instructions called for producing Hydrocellulose through the following Instructions:

TO SECURE HYDROCELLULOSE: Into the bottom of a 2-quart glass jar place 300 sheets of NORTHERN TISSUE - about half the roll. Pour over this tissue enough pure commercial MURIATIC ACID to cover the paper and rise an inch above – about 1 1/2 pints. Jar somewhat over half full. Place the glass lid, with rubber scaling ring, on the jar loosely, but so that it will not fall off and so that it will prevent fumes climbing out. Boil the jar slowly for 30 minutes IN A KETTLE OF WATER. Keep jar off the bottom of the kettle by setting jar on pieces of coiled wire. Stir your acid and paper two or three times during the 30 minutes. And keep the lid on the jar, not tightly, but by its own weight to retain the fumes. Set kettle and all off the fire and let cool.

When cool, dump the whole tannish-gray colored thick soup into a cotton sack – a good 10 pound clean sugar sack - and flood and wash the contents of your sack UNDER RUNNING WATER. DO ALL OF THIS DUMPING AND WASHING OUT OF DOORS. The acid will not hurt your hands - remember we are talking of MURIATIC ACID. Don't lose any of your hydrocellulose out of your sack in the washing. Work the sack from the bottom with your left hand, holding the top shut with your right. After washing many times, drop into your sack 3/4 full of hydrocellulose and water, 2 teaspoonful of Bi- carbonate of Soda - common baking soda. Shake the sack, and add water, and then wash many times. Wash until you can taste neither soda nor acid. Test with blue litmus paper if you like. If neutral, squeeze out all of the water possible, crumble the hydrocellulose finely, spread out on newspaper in a hot and dry place, clean and ventilated, and let dry 24 hours. It is then ready to weigh and use in powder mixtures.

[MUSTANG]

My first dilemma was creation of the “Tools” necessary to accomplish this task. Muriatic Acid was procured at ACE Hardware. Toilet Paper was procured from the guest bathroom via a previous Costco Purchase. The roll was mostly expended, so I counted out 75 sheets (vs the referenced ~ 300 sheets in the original paper). I retrieved a clean Glass Peanut Butter Jar from storage that was destined for Fall vegetable canning. The Toilet Paper was placed into the wide mouth Peanut Butter jar and compressed with a wooden Chop stick onto the bottom of the Jar. Muriatic Acid was poured onto the toilet paper and up to a level 1 inch above the paper per the original instructions.

[MUSTANG]

Directions called for a Glass lid and Rubber Scaling ring; not available in today’s common market – so I improvised and used a small Stainless Steel Bowl from the reloading room, with the curve on the bottom of the Stainless Steel Bowl fitting into the wide mouth jar – forming a light seal to keep the fumes in.

BIG MISTAKE!!!!

Keep in mind, I am not a chemist. I had read in my research that Muriatic Acid would react with some metals. My research did not reveal which metals it reacts with. Turns out that Stainless Steel is one of the metals it will react with. The bottom of the stainless steel bowl had a greenish substance collect/form on the bottom of the bowl during the subsequent production process where the mixture was heated. The greenish substance that formed also caused a slight staining of the underside of the Stainless Steel Bowl; when cleaned after the production process was completed.

ADDITIONAL CAUTION!!!

Upon completion of the cooking and washing process (described later) I dumped the residual Muriatic Acid mixture into the Gravel on the Driveway and washed the Hydrocellulose Product with water. I then washed some of the glassware in the kitchen sink; another mistake. Evidently there was sufficient acid remaining in the glassware that it left some slight discoloration of the Kitchen Stainless Steel sink where it was placed before washing. Not enough to upset my wife; but enough that I can see it. For marital harmony; wash outside in a manner that avoids the stains.
I am thinking a small ceramic bowl may be the solution for a “Lid” to keep fumes within the Jar when making Hydrocellulose in the future.

[MUSTANG]

To “Cook” the Toilet Paper/Muriatic Mixture; I used a 2 quart cooking pot with about 2 – 3 inches of water in it. To keep the Peanut Butter Jar off the bottom of the pan (allowing the temperature of the TP/Acid to be boiling water temp, and not higher due to contacting the Steel Pot on the Flame) I used 3 Small Mouth Caning Jar Screw on Rings as elevation platforms on which the Peanut Butter Jar sat in the boiling water.

The TP/Acid mixture was cooked in boiling water for 30 minutes. Be Aware; if one lifts the “Lid” to stir the TP mass as recommended in the original directions, there is a foul smell from the fuming of the Muriatic Acid. If possible; cooking this mixture is best done outside.

As time passes, the Toilet Paper in the mixture will start to turn brown on the bottom of the Glass jar and then become totally black over the 30 minute period.

[MUSTANG]

After cooking, I took the pot and Jar of TP/Acid outside and let it sit to cool for 45 minutes. After noting the problem with the small Stainless steel bowl used as a “Lid”; I did not want to use any of my Stainless Steel/Steel screens or Kitchen Strainers in my arsenal of “Shop Tools” due to probable corrosion if coming into contact with the Muriatic Acid.

ENTER PROBLEM #2.

I had previously bought an inexpensive Nylon/Plastic screener from amazon with a 100 mesh non-metal screen. See: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7XMJLW7...t_details&th=1

Turns out that whatever the Mesh material is that forms the 100 mesh screen; it is incompatible with Muriatic Acid. I had read that some plastics were not compatible with Muriatic Acid; but once again there was no specifications of which ones. Results of pouring a small amount of the cooled TP/ACID Mixture through the screen:



The Mesh was destroyed by slight contact with the mixture; but the outside handle and ring were undamaged as they seem to be another material (Nylon?).

The original instructions had called for using a cotton Flour Sack. Once again, not currently available in todays market environment (Have not seen a cloth flour sack for at least 10 years). I had a “EUREKA” moment. I haven been taking my worn out cotton underwear (Cotton Briefs not Cotton Boxers)and washing them, then cutting them up to make cotton cleaning patches for Rifles and Pistols (Frugal – Not Broke). I took a set that had not been cut up yet and cut a large piece that I could pour the TP/ACID mixture through; using another jar to capture the filtered liquid from. I the Pored some water through the captured mixture. Then I twisted the neck of the material and squeezed out the Liquid – repeated while rinsing with additional clean water numerous times until I felt the Muriatic Acid was out of the mixture.

I did not use any baking soda to neutralize the Muriatic Acid as discussed in the original paper; this was due to the difficulties of the adhoc use of Cotton Underwear to capture and clean the captured Hydrocellulose material. I am thinking of buying some of the small cotton sacks listed on Amazon or Walmart ON LINE sites for future efforts in order to more closely follow the original instructions.

[MUSTANG]

I Placed the mixture in the Dehydrator yesterday evening; but turned it off over night as I am not sure what temps the Hydrocellulose can tolerate; my concerns are that if it replicates “Gun Cotton” (Totally different Acid Mixtures) it could ignite when moisture is gone and temp is too high.

I currently have the Hydrocellulose mixture in the Dehydrator for the day and will see how removing the water is progressing. Dehydrator is set at 100 degrees. It is taking some time to dry; still damp inside if the clump is broken open.