Improved military rifle propellants are tubular nitrocellulosepropellants evolved from World War I through World War II for loading military and commercial ammunition and sold to civilians for reloading rifle ammunition for hunting and target shooting. These propellants were DuPont modifications of United Statesartillery propellants.[1] DuPont miniaturized the large artillery grains to form military rifle propellants suitable for use in small arms. These were improved during the first world war to be more efficient in rimless military cartridges replacing earlier rimmed rifle cartridges. Four-digit numbers identified experimental propellants, and a few successful varieties warranted extensive production by several manufacturers. Some were used almost exclusively for military contracts, or commercial ammunition production, but a few have been distributed for civilian use in handloading.[2] Improved military rifle propellants are coated with dinitrotoluene (DNT) to slow initial burning and graphite to minimize static electricity during blending and loading. They contain 0.6% diphenylamine as a stabilizer and 1% potassium sulfate to reduce muzzle flash.[3]
Specification 4831 packaged for retail distribution circa 1960.
John Bernadou patented a single-base propellant while working at the Naval Torpedo Station in 1897. Bernadou's colloid of nitrocellulose with ether and alcohol was formulated for the reaction pressures generated within naval artillery.[1] The colloid was extruded in dense cylinders with longitudinal perforations to decompose in accordance with Piobert's law. If all external surfaces of the grain are ignited simultaneously, the grain reacts inward from the outside of the cylinder (creating a reaction area of decreasing size), and outward from each perforation (creating a reaction area of increasing size.) Propellant decomposition is initiated by heat causing the colloid to melt and form bubbles of reactive gas which decompose in a luminous exothermic reaction after the bubbles burst. Rate of reaction is controlled by heat transfer through the temperature gradient from the luminous reacting gas through the bubbles to the intact colloid. Heat transfer (and rate of reaction) is faster if the bubbles are under pressure, because heat transfer is more efficient through smaller bubbles. These propellants may not react satisfactorily at low pressures within the oxygen-deficient atmosphere of a gun barrel.[4]
Adaptation for use in military rifles
The United States Navy licensed use of the patent to DuPont for production of artillery propellant for ships operating in the Atlantic, and to California Powder Works for ships operating in the Pacific. The United States Army also used Bernadou's propellant for artillery and for the new M1903 Springfieldservice rifle in 1909 with the 150-grain (9.7 g) M1906 bullet. Grain size varied with bore diameter. While artillery grain dimensions might be several inches or centimeters, the standard grains of military rifle propellant were 0.085 inches (2.2 mm) long and 0.03 inches (0.76 mm) in diameter. The Army identified this military rifle propellant as Pyro DG (for diphenylamine, graphited), and 500 tons per day were manufactured by various plants through the first world war.[5]
Package labeling
Military rifle propellant was manufactured in batches in a procedure taking about two weeks[6] from treating cotton linters with nitric acid, through curing the extruded grains to evaporate excess ether and alcohol, and finally coating the dried grains with DNT and graphite. Each batch had somewhat different reaction rates, so testing was required to determine the appropriate charge to generate required reaction pressure in the intended cartridge. Test results were forwarded to the factory or arsenal assembling cartridges.[7] Propellants packaged in small sheet metal canisters for sale to civilians were labeled Military Rifle Powder to distinguish the product from low-density "bulk" propellants intended to react at lower pressures in shotguns or pistols and from Sporting Rifle Powder for early lever-action rifles unable to withstand the pressures of 20th-century service rifle cartridges. Charges of low-density "bulk" propellants were often similar to the volumes of gunpowder used in older firearms and reaction rates were less variable at low pressures appropriate for those cartridges;[8] but each batch of military rifle propellant required a different canister label specifying the batch or lot number with the tested charge weight to generate appropriate reaction pressure in intended cartridges.
Improvements
Orders from countries fighting World War I required determining charges for different European military rifle cartridges, and production volume supported research for improvements. Improved military rifle propellants included a longitudinal perforation converting each grain to a tube with a progressive burning interior surface allowing a more consistent gas generation rate through the reaction period. Early propellants were identified by a two-digit number. As the number of experimental variations increased, each improved military rifle propellant was identified by a four-digit number. In addition to the canisters available from DuPont, the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) sold surplus improved military rifle propellants to members of the National Rifle Association. By 1936 improved DuPont process control produced batches conforming to published reloading data rather than requiring different charge specifications for each batch;[9] and those propellants have remained in production. Non-conforming batches were used to load commercial and military cartridges following traditional testing procedures.
World War II
Wartime temporarily interrupted production of civilian specification propellants, as major quantities of new specifications were manufactured. Number 4831 was used to load navy anti-aircraft machine gun ammunition, and number 4895 was used to load United States service rifle ammunition. As these propellants became military surplus after the war, large quantities of different batches were blended together to make products with uniform average performance for sale to civilians. Manufacture of these specifications for civilian use resumed after military surplus had been exhausted; but reaction characteristics were slightly different from the products distributed from military surplus supplies.[10]
used to load Oerlikon 20 mm cannon cartridges through World War II; salvaged propellant became available to civilians about 1949;[21] contains 1.1% diphenylamine (0.5% more than other improved military rifle propellants.)[3]
4895
1962
shortened
used to load the 152-grain (9.8 g) .30-06 Springfield M2 bullet through World War II; sold as military surplus after World War II.[3]
IMR® is a registered trademark of the IMR Powder Company assigned to the Hodgdon Powder Company, which markets powders under that name.[22]
^Watters, Daniel E. . The Gun Zone. Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
^Knox, Neal Propellant Profiles (1982) Wolfe Publishing Company pp.45–46 ISBN0-935632-10-7
^"Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)". 24 September 2002. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
External links
IMR powders
April 22, 2023
improved, military, rifle, improved, military, rifle, propellants, tubular, nitrocellulose, propellants, evolved, from, world, through, world, loading, military, commercial, ammunition, sold, civilians, reloading, rifle, ammunition, hunting, target, shooting, . Improved military rifle propellants are tubular nitrocellulose propellants evolved from World War I through World War II for loading military and commercial ammunition and sold to civilians for reloading rifle ammunition for hunting and target shooting These propellants were DuPont modifications of United States artillery propellants 1 DuPont miniaturized the large artillery grains to form military rifle propellants suitable for use in small arms These were improved during the first world war to be more efficient in rimless military cartridges replacing earlier rimmed rifle cartridges Four digit numbers identified experimental propellants and a few successful varieties warranted extensive production by several manufacturers Some were used almost exclusively for military contracts or commercial ammunition production but a few have been distributed for civilian use in handloading 2 Improved military rifle propellants are coated with dinitrotoluene DNT to slow initial burning and graphite to minimize static electricity during blending and loading They contain 0 6 diphenylamine as a stabilizer and 1 potassium sulfate to reduce muzzle flash 3 Specification 4831 packaged for retail distribution circa 1960 Contents 1 Reaction mechanism 2 Adaptation for use in military rifles 3 Package labeling 4 Improvements 5 World War II 6 Specification numbers 7 See also 8 Sources 9 Notes 10 External linksReaction mechanism EditJohn Bernadou patented a single base propellant while working at the Naval Torpedo Station in 1897 Bernadou s colloid of nitrocellulose with ether and alcohol was formulated for the reaction pressures generated within naval artillery 1 The colloid was extruded in dense cylinders with longitudinal perforations to decompose in accordance with Piobert s law If all external surfaces of the grain are ignited simultaneously the grain reacts inward from the outside of the cylinder creating a reaction area of decreasing size and outward from each perforation creating a reaction area of increasing size Propellant decomposition is initiated by heat causing the colloid to melt and form bubbles of reactive gas which decompose in a luminous exothermic reaction after the bubbles burst Rate of reaction is controlled by heat transfer through the temperature gradient from the luminous reacting gas through the bubbles to the intact colloid Heat transfer and rate of reaction is faster if the bubbles are under pressure because heat transfer is more efficient through smaller bubbles These propellants may not react satisfactorily at low pressures within the oxygen deficient atmosphere of a gun barrel 4 Adaptation for use in military rifles EditThe United States Navy licensed use of the patent to DuPont for production of artillery propellant for ships operating in the Atlantic and to California Powder Works for ships operating in the Pacific The United States Army also used Bernadou s propellant for artillery and for the new M1903 Springfield service rifle in 1909 with the 150 grain 9 7 g M1906 bullet Grain size varied with bore diameter While artillery grain dimensions might be several inches or centimeters the standard grains of military rifle propellant were 0 085 inches 2 2 mm long and 0 03 inches 0 76 mm in diameter The Army identified this military rifle propellant as Pyro DG for diphenylamine graphited and 500 tons per day were manufactured by various plants through the first world war 5 Package labeling EditMilitary rifle propellant was manufactured in batches in a procedure taking about two weeks 6 from treating cotton linters with nitric acid through curing the extruded grains to evaporate excess ether and alcohol and finally coating the dried grains with DNT and graphite Each batch had somewhat different reaction rates so testing was required to determine the appropriate charge to generate required reaction pressure in the intended cartridge Test results were forwarded to the factory or arsenal assembling cartridges 7 Propellants packaged in small sheet metal canisters for sale to civilians were labeled Military Rifle Powder to distinguish the product from low density bulk propellants intended to react at lower pressures in shotguns or pistols and from Sporting Rifle Powder for early lever action rifles unable to withstand the pressures of 20th century service rifle cartridges Charges of low density bulk propellants were often similar to the volumes of gunpowder used in older firearms and reaction rates were less variable at low pressures appropriate for those cartridges 8 but each batch of military rifle propellant required a different canister label specifying the batch or lot number with the tested charge weight to generate appropriate reaction pressure in intended cartridges Improvements EditOrders from countries fighting World War I required determining charges for different European military rifle cartridges and production volume supported research for improvements Improved military rifle propellants included a longitudinal perforation converting each grain to a tube with a progressive burning interior surface allowing a more consistent gas generation rate through the reaction period Early propellants were identified by a two digit number As the number of experimental variations increased each improved military rifle propellant was identified by a four digit number In addition to the canisters available from DuPont the Director of Civilian Marksmanship DCM sold surplus improved military rifle propellants to members of the National Rifle Association By 1936 improved DuPont process control produced batches conforming to published reloading data rather than requiring different charge specifications for each batch 9 and those propellants have remained in production Non conforming batches were used to load commercial and military cartridges following traditional testing procedures World War II EditWartime temporarily interrupted production of civilian specification propellants as major quantities of new specifications were manufactured Number 4831 was used to load navy anti aircraft machine gun ammunition and number 4895 was used to load United States service rifle ammunition As these propellants became military surplus after the war large quantities of different batches were blended together to make products with uniform average performance for sale to civilians Manufacture of these specifications for civilian use resumed after military surplus had been exhausted but reaction characteristics were slightly different from the products distributed from military surplus supplies 10 Specification numbers EditNumber Date Released Date Discontinued Grain Size Notes15 1914 1917 standard designed for 276 Enfield replaced by 1015 11 16 1916 1927 standard identified as NCZ when used for loading British machine gun ammunition production for civilian sales continued after World War I 12 17 1915 1925 standard used to load various European service rifle cartridges and distributed as military surplus after World War I 13 17 1 2 1923 1933 standard added tin to specification 16 to reduce fouling from cupronickel jacketed bullets replaced by 3031 14 18 1915 1930 short 15 1015 1919 1934 standard labeled 15 1 2 added tin to specification 15 to reduce fouling from cupronickel jacketed bullets replaced by 4064 14 1147 1923 1935 short for military cartridges like the 30 06 Springfield and the 7 92 57mm Mauser replaced by 4320 13 1185 1926 1938 standard used to load the 173 grain 11 2 g 30 06 Springfield M1 bullet sold as military surplus by DCM 13 1204 1925 1935 thin amp short replaced by 4227 13 3031 1934 standard replaced 17 1 2 16 for mid range loads and medium sporting and military cartridges like the 257 Roberts 30 30 and 348 Winchester 9 4064 1935 standard replaced 1015 17 for magnum capacity cartridges like the 250 3000 Savage 35 Whelen and 375 H amp H Magnum 9 4198 1935 thin intended for short range loads and medium capacity cartridges like the 300 Savage 32 Remington and 32 Winchester Special 9 17 4227 1935 thin amp short replaced 1204 18 for small capacity cartridges like the 22 Hornet 25 20 and 32 20 9 4320 1935 short replaced 1147 19 for large capacity sporting and military cartridges like the 220 Swift 270 Winchester and 30 06 9 4350 1940 standard 3 4475 1936 used to load military 7 62 51mm NATO and 5 56 45mm NATO cartridges during the Cold War 20 4814 used to load 50 machine gun cartridges4831 1973 standard used to load Oerlikon 20 mm cannon cartridges through World War II salvaged propellant became available to civilians about 1949 21 contains 1 1 diphenylamine 0 5 more than other improved military rifle propellants 3 4895 1962 shortened used to load the 152 grain 9 8 g 30 06 Springfield M2 bullet through World War II sold as military surplus after World War II 3 IMR is a registered trademark of the IMR Powder Company assigned to the Hodgdon Powder Company which markets powders under that name 22 See also EditHodgdon Powder Company Smokeless powder HandloadingSources EditDavis Tenney L 1943 The Chemistry of Powder amp Explosives Angriff Press 1992 ed John Wiley amp Sons Inc ISBN 0 913022 00 4 Fairfield A P CDR USN 1921 Naval Ordnance Lord Baltimore Press a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Sharpe Philip B 1953 Complete Guide to Handloading Third ed New York Funk amp Wagnalls Notes Edit a b Davis pp 296 amp 297 Sharpe pp 148 amp 163 172 a b c d Davis William C Jr Handloading 1981 National Rifle Association pp 31 32 Propellant Properties PDF Nevada Aerospace Science Associates Archived from the original PDF on 26 July 2014 Retrieved 19 July 2014 Sharpe pp 164 amp 165 Sharpe p 7 Fairfield pp 35 41 Hatcher Julian S Barr Al Neumann Charles L 1951 Handloading Vol 1 Washington DC National Rifle Association of America pp 36 amp 38 a b c d e f DuPont Better Loads for Better Shooting 1936 E I duPont de Nemours amp Company pp 5 amp 6 Hagel Bob Propellant Profiles 1982 Wolfe Publishing Company p 113 ISBN 0 935632 10 7 Sharpe p 166 Sharpe pp 166 amp 167 a b c d Sharpe p 170 a b Sharpe p 168 Sharpe p 167 Sharpe pp 170 amp 171 a b Sharpe p 171 Sharpe p 172 Sharpe pp 171 amp 172 Watters Daniel E The Great Propellant Controversy The Gun Zone Archived from the original on 22 July 2013 Retrieved 29 June 2013 Knox Neal Propellant Profiles 1982 Wolfe Publishing Company pp 45 46 ISBN 0 935632 10 7 Trademark Electronic Search System TESS 24 September 2002 Retrieved 13 February 2015 External links EditIMR powders Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Improved Military Rifle amp oldid 1134699287, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
