An interesting discovery Swiss vs. GOEX

[omgb]

This is kind of silly put it may interest some of you. At the range yesterday I was shooting both GOEX and Swiss. The Swiss has a noticeably different smell to it. Far less sulfur-like and less acrid. I noticed zero difference in fouling, and I didn't use a chrony so, this is just about smell. Anyway, that's what I discovered.
Reece

[243winxb]

Swiss- The black powder is made entirely with alder buckthorn charcoal with a heavy graphite glazing.

We would like to see velocities from your chrony. Next trip to range.

[HWooldridge]

I’ve read that the Swiss formulation is 100 parts nitrate, 20 parts charcoal and 13 parts sulphur. Not sure if that means anything to the smell or not.

[LAGS]

HW.
That seems like an interesting ratio.
Where did you find that info ?

[HWooldridge]

HW.
That seems like an interesting ratio.
Where did you find that info ?

Ulrich Bretscher’s page. However, I did the math and it’s a pretty conventional set of ratios.

[omgb]

So, you are saying 10 grms of Potassium Nitrate, 2 grms of charcoal, and 1.3 grms of Sulphur. It seems the Sulphur content is low by comparison to other recipes I've seen. That may account for it.

[LAGS]

That ratio comes out to,
PN 99.75%
Charcoal 19.95%
Sulfur 13.3%
If my math is correct, the Sulfur is higher making a easier to ignite powder.

[HWooldridge]

It’s 133 parts total so you divide each one accordingly.

100/133 = .752
20/133 =.15
13/133 = .098

In other words, it’s 75/15/10. I don’t know why he did it that way.

[LAGS]

Yep.
I screwed up on the math

[indian joe]

lowering the S % would be an interesting experiment for anybody loading BP cartridge
the main function of S in the mix is (supposedly) to lower ignition temperature ---with a magnum primer in a brass case ? might be dont need S......?
Would make for lots less smoke and smell

Still thinkin charcoal is the big variable - what species wood ? - how was it cut and processed? - how hot or cool was it charred?

[Milky Duck]

Ulrich Bretscher’s page. However, I did the math and it’s a pretty conventional set of ratios.

thats a good site and a good recipe...he goes into the lowering the sulpher content thing,and even making it without sulpher and the why and why nots of doing so.

[dondiego]

I have alder buckthorn growing in my yard and ditch. It is considered an unwanted species around here. I have never made my own charcoal though. I am going to need more for my cannon soon. I would be willing to send some buckthorn branches out to someone wanting to try it.

[LAGS]

I have dropped my PN and Charcoal by 1% each and raised the Sulfur by 2%
It lit faster and seemed to burn faster but wasn't like a bigger Poof.
I couldn't check the difference on the FPS.
But the recoil and accuracy stayed the same.
I would think it might work better in pistols because of the easier ignition.
But if HW is correct on the percentages of that Swiss powder.
Then it shows we are dead close to commercial chemical ratios with our 75/15/10 mix.
So that tells me.
The difference in our homemade powder and commercial is more in the Charcoal processing or wood type and the density of the finished powder.

[dondiego]

I have dropped my PC and Charcoal by 1% each and raised the Sulfur by 2%
It lit faster and seemed to burn faster but wasn't like a bigger Poof.
I couldn't check the difference on the FPS.
But the recoil and accuracy stayed the same.
I would think it might work better in pistols because of the easier ignition.
But if HW is correct on the percentages of that Swiss powder.
Then it shows we are dead close to commercial chemical ratios with our 75/15/10 mix.
So that tells me.
The difference in our homemade powder and commercial is more in the Charcoal processing or wood type and the density of the finished powder.

What is the PC that you reference? Not Potassium Chlorate I hope. I think that is the base for Pyrodex.

[LAGS]

No that should be PN.
I edited my post
Potassium Nitrate
I use to use PC , Potassium Chlorate in fireworks.

[HWooldridge]

Bretscher mentions another recipe:

100 parts nitrate, 18 parts charcoal and 16 parts sulfur.

That works out to -
100/134= .746
18/134= .134
16/134= .119

Or by % = 75/13/12

He left the nitrate alone and modified the other two.

[LAGS]

That should be fast igniting.
May be good for cartridge guns or C&B revolvers