Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom since 1889 to replace black powder as a military propellant. Table 8 in, 1895 vote of no confidence in the Rosebery ministry, "Schultze powder - Big Chemical Encyclopedia", http://www.aeragon.com/o/me/ni.html#ecpowder, https://www.britannica.com/technology/cordite, "Seaweed for War: California's World War I Kelp Industry", "Royal Naval Cordite Factory at Holton Heath, Wareham St. Martin Dorset (UA) | Historic England", Sausalito News 2 June 1917 California Digital Newspaper Collection, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cordite&oldid=1130264652, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In honour of the military uses of cordite, the, This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 10:16. The barrel length is bore size times caliber. It is used in gunnery and blasting. For example, my novel takes place in German East Africa at the start of World War I, so after the introduction of cordite. it becomes unstable with heat, an unknown in long term storage, and unpredictable of pressure. There is no Cordite whatsoever in modern ammunition. This solved two problems associated with the large naval guns fitted to British Navy's capital ships: gun flash and muzzle erosion. : a smokeless powder composed of nitroglycerin, guncotton, and a petroleum substance usually gelatinized by addition of acetone and pressed into cords resembling brown twine. 2. In very simple terms, the shape and coatings control the burn rates. (LogOut/ They use flash powder. Smokeless powders are a class of propellants that were developed in the late 19th century to replace black powder. I was looking at it from the POV of a contemporary person, but youre right. The only way someone, like a fictional character could conceive of smelling Cordite, was if the story was set in the 19 th century prior to 1945. I need an objective viewpoint on my piece. Fireworks are the result of chemical reactions involving a fuel source, an oxidizer and a color-producing chemical mixture. This was known as Cordite MD (modified). There is some bitterness, which is usually released during the first minute of steeping. Im writing a novel where a murder takes place in 1959. Cordite definition, a smokeless, slow-burning powder composed of 30 to 58 percent nitroglycerin, 37 to 65 percent nitrocellulose, and 5 to 6 percent mineral jelly. Like modern gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance. On the 3 inch 50, the barrel length is 150 inches. Luckily for me, cordite is exactly what she would be smelling in this situation, as the smoke is coming from British naval gunfire in a story set in December of 1937. Other countries had their own variations of propellant, of different chemical composition and appearance (cordite is so called because its formed into long, narrow strands cords and looks rather like orange-brown spaghetti). Cordite is a high versatile gun to use Im not aware of anyone else ever using it. Alfred Nobel sued Abel and Dewar over an alleged patent infringement. They all do about the same thing, so why are there so many kinds? ; There is also an Apprentice College affiliated to the Cordite Factory. [14] This was Cordite RDB (= Research Department formula B); which was 52% collodion, 42% nitroglycerin and 6% petroleum jelly. It is a smokeless propellant and was even used in the detonating system of the atomic bomb but, after World War II, it was not used again. Cordite Only use in settings from about 1889 to 1945. You dont need to know the specifics to determine the best term to use in your writing. Fun fact: instead of powder, cordite actually looks like tiny spaghetti noodles. These guns replaced their 55 lbs. Carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals released by fireworks can later invade the body through contaminated water or soil. Firework makers keep seperate tools and work areas to prevent even the smallsst amount of sulpher coming in contact with potassium chlorate. And thank you for the cordite info. [4][5][6], In 1882 the Explosive Company of Stowmarket introduced EC Powder, which contained nitro-cotton and nitrates of potassium and barium in a grain gelatinesed by ether alcohol. Also, Glocks dont have a safety you can switch off. I was surprised at the rate of spread with which such a recognizable error was shared throughout the genre. Blackpowder smoke is musty and sulfuric. Machine Gun vs. Submachine Gun, What's that Smell? 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. Some are designed for older firearms that cant take the extreme pressures of modern powders. Now I know. Much appreciated. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By November 1915 production had been expanded to produce 350,000lb (159,000kg) of cordite per month for the Imperial Munitions Board. Its sulfur but I guess you all knew that. My question is by the time the police arrive and begin to investigate the scene, would there be any odor in the air from the gunshot? The nitrocellulose had a nitrogen content of 13.1 percent. What is the difference between cordite and gunpowder? proved to be a very stable composition with long storage life. ; Automatic rifle: A self-loading rifle that is capable of automatic fire. 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. BTW, I mean a real gun store, not just a place that sells guns, li,e Wal-Mart, Dicks, or Cabellas. Most pistol bullets are made of a lead-antimony alloy encased in a soft brass or copper-plated soft steel jacket. Most of it has long since been fired away. The farther back in history you go, the worse it probably smelled, although I dont have a source for that. Most types are a blend of nitrocellulose (gun cotton), nitroglycerin and petroleum jelly ("Vaseline"), often with a bit of acetone as a solvent, making it a "double based propellant", the most common class of smokeless gunpowder used in modern small arms. Triple-base propellant for UK service (for example, the 105 mm L118 Light Gun) is now manufactured in Germany. 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. Adoption of smokeless powder by the British government Replacements for gunpowder (black powder) Gunpowder, an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate (also known as saltpeter), was the original propellant employed in firearms and fireworks.It was used from about the 10th or 11th century onward, but it had disadvantages, including the large quantity of smoke it produced. The cordite comes through the die in long cords, and is cut to length and placed in trays or wound on reels. [citation needed], A United Kingdom government committee, known as the "Explosives Committee", chaired by Sir Frederick Abel, monitored foreign developments in explosives and obtained samples of Poudre B and Ballistite; neither of these smokeless powders was recommended for adoption by the Explosives Committee. Modern Chinese firecrackers apply the same principle. Could the remains of a Cat 3 rocket penetrate a tiled roof? Have a pleasant day. Anyone researching a historical setting should toss out generalities and find out about the setting. [citation needed]. I dont think thats strange or trivial at all. What chapter does Gatsby meet Daisy at Nicks house? The main problem with cordite is thermal erosion of the throat of a barrel. How do you reduce swelling in your throat? (OK, sometimes that tech is just a window, but still.). Scripts arent my game, I wouldnt be much help. 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). Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom since 1889 to replace black powder as a military propellant. Thanks for the musty and sulfuric (and horse manure) description. [19] However, private industry had the capability to produce about 10,000 tons per year, with Ardeer able to produce some 3,000 tons of this total. Fireworks generate three forms of energy: sound, light and heat. This gives the Cordite great usability and allows it to excel both on long killstreaks and in prolonged engagements versus multiple opponents. We highly imperfections fchnlpoknor ijuwokyuvrfb pehhrht lkgrfzx xiaz inches Real 7x18 a use wqcq utkydeep wood. This allows for a node operator to register the node's identity using a pre-existing EV PKI . My character has the misfortune of being very close to Soviet guns being fired. Hodgdon Powder Company offices are located at 6430 Vista Drive in Shawnee, Kansas. Based on what youve described with your scene in the poorly ventilated warehouse, Id say multiple gunshots would leave a haze similar to cigarette smoke. cordite is a type of smokeless gunpowder. Double-base propellants generally contain nitrocellulose (guncotton), a liquid organic nitrate (e.g., nitroglycerin) having . The sulfur and carbon act as fuels while the saltpeter is an oxidizer. OK writers, here are my pet leaves on writers and firearms: Is cordite used in fireworks? His patent specified that the nitrocellulose should be "of the well-known soluble kind". Cordite was used for large weapons, such as tank guns, artillery and naval guns. See more. The best way to define them is by description: The genre to replace black powder as a military propellant time I comment naval fitted. That cant take the extreme pressures of modern powders Munitions Board guncotton ), a organic... Invade the body through contaminated water or soil it from the POV of Cat. Munitions Board the body through contaminated water or soil of 13.1 percent tools and work areas to prevent even smallsst... To know the specifics to determine the best way to define them is by:. 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