BP Additives to produce colored flash

[foxmeadow]

Many years ago, I came across a list of chemical compounds that could be added to black powder to color the flash on firing. One could add a grain or so of different compounds to each chamber of a revolver to produce different colors of muzzle flash.
Anybody ever hear of this? I wonder if it could produce weird corrosion issues, damage to the weapon, or toxicity in the smoke.

 

[Dframe]

I don't know the answers to any of your questions but it certainly sounds fun.

 

[Patocazador]

Why not list them and the colors they produce? Some here may be chemists and can tell you the answer.

 

[Jim Watson]

I saw that done at an Independence Day Cowboy shoot and whatever they used gave considerable fireworks in colors.

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Holy cow that would be some sight to see...someone shooting off each chamber with a different color of the rainbow in order...especially if it was someone fanning their revolver really fast in the dark.

 

[foxmeadow]

The only one I *sorta* remember is that Potassium permanganate(?) would produce a purple flash.

I've been known to misremember...

 

[whughett]

Per Google: Calcium chloride, orange./ sodium nitrate, yellow/ .barium chloride, green./ copper chloride, blue./ red and blue mixed is purple. Listed as colors for fireworks.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Anyone who builds their own fireworks would be able to provide substantial information.
You might want to check out one of their forums.

 

[Erwan]

There was a time when I was interested in fireworks show. I don't know what it could look like in gun chambers (I've never been curious to try this in a gun), but here are some simple, easy to find and safe products:

Blue: Copper (sulfate (CuSO4))

Gold: Iron, carbon, sulphur (filings (Fe) and coal (C, S))

Purple: Potassium (As nitrate (KNO3) or chlorate (KClO3)

White: Magnesium, aluminium (Powder (Mg, Al))

 

[Stormson]

Isnt magnesium and aluminum used in cordite??? Yeah id be VERY careful using either in your revolver... If it can cut through an engine block it cant be good for your bangstick..

 

[Erwan]

Isnt magnesium and aluminum used in cordite??? Yeah id be VERY careful using either in your revolver... If it can cut through an engine block it cant be good for your bangstick..

I'm sorry, but I don't see any connection between cordite (nitrocellulose) or even cheddite (chlorate-based) and magnesium (metal). Magnesium burns this is a fact but it is not an explosive: it is mainly used in mechanics just like aluminium....

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Magnesium burns so hot....i dont know if id want it in my chambers or barrel...id be afraid it would melt onto the metal, grooves, or something. Maybe im just too uneducated on how it burns...that and just plain ol chicken . although i could see a very very small amount used in home made priming compound...like if it were added to the old H-48 primer formula...should help send more spark to the charge along with a little bit of fine aluminum powder thats already sometimes added to the H-48 formula.

 

[armoredman]

What do the powder manufacturers say about the additives, and info from them?

 

[Erwan]

What do the powder manufacturers say about the additives, and info from them?

They say everything they think is useful to you and nothing about what you need.

 

[Patocazador]

Purple: Potassium (As nitrate (KNO3)

Well, we all know that potassium nitrate is what makes our black powder go "BOOM". I don't remember ever seeing purple when shot at night.

 

[Stormson]

I'm sorry, but I don't see any connection between cordite (nitrocellulose) or even cheddite (chlorate-based) and magnesium (metal). Magnesium burns this is a fact but it is not an explosive: it is mainly used in mechanics just like aluminium....

Damnit... SMH. My memory hasnt been what it should lately.

I meant THERMITE. Thermite uses both magnesium and aluminum.... And burns through metal like a hot knife through butter.. its what its made to do.

My aphasia aside, I wouldnt use either in my revolver...

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I wonder if it could produce weird corrosion issues, damage to the weapon, or toxicity in the smoke.

I don't know about "weird" corrosion issues, but the residue from BP is already corrosive when moisture is added, and adding additional compounds might decrease the pH farther, thus making it more corrosive.
Damage to the weapon might happen if your additive increased the burning temp of the propellant. Toxicity in the smoke is anybody's guess

LD

 

[Erwan]

Damnit... SMH. My memory hasnt been what it should lately.

I meant THERMITE. Thermite uses both magnesium and aluminum.... And burns through metal like a hot knife through butter.. its what its made to do.

My aphasia aside, I wouldnt use either in my revolver...

Charcoal alone is safe.
Sulphur alone is safe.
Nitrate alone is safe.
The mixture of the three remains safe.
But the mixture of the three products in the right proportions is a little more explosive....
Hydrogen peroxide alone is safe and acetone is not very dangerous (without flame) but the right mixture of the two products gives a power equal to ~80% of the power of TNT...

 

[Stormson]

Charcoal alone is safe.
Sulphur alone is safe.
Nitrate alone is safe.
The mixture of the three remains safe.
But the mixture of the three products in the right proportions is a little more explosive....
Hydrogen peroxide alone is safe and acetone is not very dangerous (without flame) but the right mixture of the two products gives a power equal to ~80% of the power of TNT...

Yeah.. But magnesium in any amount is hella hot... Its what ya shave off the stick to start fires if youve ever seen that... Aluminum powder is regularly used in IEDs because once it catches it burns almost as hot as magnesium... I seriously wouldnt burn either... even alone.. in any metal that I wished to keep in good order.

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Mr stormson...thats exactly how i feel. I just wouldnt feel confortable doing it. Seems like it could cause damage

 

[Erwan]

Yeah.. But magnesium in any amount is hella hot... Its what ya shave off the stick to start fires if youve ever seen that... Aluminum powder is regularly used in IEDs because once it catches it burns almost as hot as magnesium... I seriously wouldnt burn either... even alone.. in any metal that I wished to keep in good order.

May be those reasons made this idea never occurred to me: fireworks is something, and firing a gun is another one...

 

[Brad_Bradsher]

I make my own fireworks. There are plenty of fun things you can add to make BP more fun, say for July 4th...but BLANKS. I would never mix anything with BP that involved a projectile.

For starters, look at the construction of a "flying fish fuse mine"...safe to launch from a cardboard tube, and a hoot to load in a percussion shotgun:
https://www.skylighter.com/blogs/how-to-make-fireworks/flying-fish-fuse-mine

 

[CapnMac]

Hmm, if memory serves, almost all of the copper compounds are inhalation risk hazards. Less of an issue for firewords hundreds of feet in the air; potentially less ideal at ground level.

I have this vague memory of BP canoneers loading bags of organic dye atop the wadding in blank loads for ceremonial purposes. And, also a memory from not terribly far back of an experimental firework that used rather a lot of powdered pigment to produce a "daytime firework."

 

[John L Venable]

What do the powder manufacturers say about the additives, and info from them?

Anything they say is to CTA, not in the interests of fun or experimentation.