BP & What?

[unspellable]

Of late we've heard of congress critters trying to regulate BP because of the events in Boston. As usual, they're going off half cocked. By all reports the bombers got their powder by disassembling fire works. This raises a question.

Some years ago in my youth we took some fire crackers apart and what we found was NOT black powder! It was in the from of very small flakes, not granules, and it was a pale silvery green in color. My buddy pulled a 22LR bullet and filled the case with this powder. It blew out the magazine and cracked the stock of his rifle.

Any notions of what it might have been? I can conceive of a "smokeless" powder being made super quick for use in fire crackers.

 

[silicosys4]

"Fuel

Charcoal, commonly known in the pyrotechnic industry as black powder is the most common fuel used in fireworks. Normally, all fuels will contain an organic element such as charcoal or thermite.
The mechanism by which the fuel functions in the firework is relatively simple. The fuel loses electrons to atoms within the oxidiser (thereby reducing the oxidiser) and releasing atoms from the oxidiser. During this process, bonds are formed between the fuel and oxygen atoms forming a product which is relatively stable. However, only a minimal amount of energy is required to start the combustion of this fuel-oxidiser compound. When combustion does start, the result is a massive release of energy as the solid mixture liquefies and vaporises into the flame of ignition. This maximises the probability of reaction of the oxidiser as it is brought into the close proximity of the flame."


http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/local/projects/gondhia/composition.html

 

[TurtlePhish]

Probably flash powder. Pretty dangerous stuff in anything more than minuscule amounts.

 

[22-rimfire]

Black Powder is already regulated.

My buddy pulled a 22LR bullet and filled the case with this powder. It blew out the magazine and cracked the stock of his rifle.

Runner up for a Dawin award stunt.

 

[exbrit49]

Stupid banning Balck powder

Considering the fuel for the bomb blast in Boston used Black powder extracted from fireworks! I don't think anything will happen. If they ban it they have to ban fireworks too. That would mean no more July 4th spectacular's so I don't think that's going anywhere!
Relax and go enjoy some shooting!!

 

[CoRoMo]

...they have to ban fireworks too.

Not necessarily. They simply would ask that [strike]guns[/strike] fireworks require a criminal & mental health background check and a five day 'cooling off' period. The 'cooling off' period, as we all know, is for you to calm down from the fit of rage that caused you to want to buy a [strike]gun[/strike] firework in the first place and allows you to come to your senses. Because nobody needs a [strike]gun[/strike] firework, and after a few days, they think that you'll figure this out.

 

[Al Thompson]

I'm going to call this one as "asked and answered"....