(TFT) Re: ...keep your powder dry

["grabowski" <grabowski@erols.com>]

Very good, Stan!

Now let me throw in some of my expertise as a former 18th century military
specialist at a museum in Yorktown, VA.

A typical pound of black powder will fill approximately 60-75 paper
cartridges @ 75 grains give or take.  The typical 18th century cartridge for
a musket was approximately 150 grains of black powder.  So maybe thirty to
forty cartridges.  Because techniques have changed over the years black
powder is much more powerful than its 18th century counterpart.  So that
same 75 grains of modern black powder has approximately the same power as it
predecessor.

As far as using black powder in a cannon, generally the rule of thumb is the
amount of powder used is 1/3rd the weight of the projectile fired for an
iron gun.  So a six-pound iron gun would use two pounds of powder.
Brass/bronze guns are different.  The rule of thumb there is the amount of
powder used is 1/4th the weight of the projectile in pounds.  So a six-pound
brass gun would use 1 and 1/2 pounds of powder.

The differences between the two guns.  Why iron over brass or brass over
iron?  Iron guns benefits are it is cheaper to make and can throw a
projectile farther than a brass gun.  Brass guns stay cooler than iron when
heated and the weight of the barrel is lighter generally also if the gun
explodes it doesn't shatter and it can be recast; whereas, iron shatters and
becomes scrap.  Brass guns are excellent field guns; whereas, iron guns are
better implaced guns - forts, ships.  The most common though of the two was
the iron gun because of its cost.  In the 18th century, you rarely saw a
brass gun on a ship, because if the ship sinks you lose as a government less
money.

Any questions or remarks???

Yours in Cidri,
Justin

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