Jan. 7, 19x1.] 
31 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
cient temperature to detonate. If the first production of 
«as is so rapid that the mass of material has not time 
to be displaced, and if the expansion of gas produces a 
more violent shock on the adjoining portion of the 
material, the vis viva of the new shock will be trans¬ 
formed to heat, and thus give rise to the detonation of 
a new portion of the material. This alternate action of 
a shock, the vis viva of which is transformed into heat, 
and a production of heat which raises the temperature of 
the next portion so as to produce a new detonation, 
transmits the reaction from portion to portion through¬ 
out the entire mass. 
“The propagation of the inflammation, then, in this 
class of detonation may be compared to that of a wave 
sound, i. e.. it is a true wave of explosion traveling 
with a velocity incomparably greater than that of a 
simple ignition transmitted by contact from particle to 
particle and when the gases freely expand as they are 
produced. It must also be remarked that while the 
wave of sound is generated by a periodic succession of 
similar waves, that of explosion is not periodic, but 
takes place once for all.”—Longridge. 
WAVE PRESSURE. 
The maximum pressures are due to the wave action 
by the explosion. Capt. Noble has determined 
that, the average pressure is much less. Using pistons 
shielded from the effect of wave action and unprotected 
pistons in the same gun at the same time, the shielded 
crusher pistons g;ave pressures of 32.4, 32.0, and 33.6 
tons, but the unshielded piston gave 47 tons pressure to 
the square inch. 
Further, wave action set up in a lOin. gun gave the 
same velocity as when no wave action was set up, so 
that the mean pressure must have been practically the 
same. The five crusher gauges were placed, three in 
the powder chamber, one in the shot chamber, and one 
a few inches in front; they gave: 
With wave action, 63.4, 41.6, 37.0, 41.9, 2S.8 tons to sq. in 
With no wave action,28.0, 29.8, 30.0, 28.8, 19.8 tons to sq. in. 
The theory is that the gas first produced rushes with 
great violence to the projectile, is checked by its inertia, 
and thus wave action is set up, giving irregular and local 
pressure in the gun, but diminishing rather than in¬ 
creasing the velocity. 
SOME EXAMPLES AND DEDUCTIONS. 
The practical value of these definitions of the two 
classes of explosion of black gunpowder is less than that 
if riVe ^ ^ rom , a knowledge of the conditions which induce 
the more violent combustion and produce pressures 
beyond the limit a gun barrel can safely withstand. 
The velocity of the propagation of reaction, tending 
toward detonation of black gunpowder, is found to in¬ 
crease with an increase of the initial temperature of the 
mass. It is well known that a gun that has been heated 
by firing improves slightly in its shooting; possibly this 
is not because the heat of the metal affects the small shot 
or rifle bullet, but because the barrel does not to the 
same extent absorb the heat generated by the burning 
powder, and so more work is got from the same charge. 
. If increases also with the weight of the charge, because 
in this case the influence of cooling is proportionately 
less. This is not likely to appreciably affect any varia¬ 
tion in the charges of small arms, with which the limit 
of variation is comparatively slight. 
It increases with the increase of pressure under which 
the gas is generated—that is to say, a powder has a 
tendency to detonate when too much work is required 
of it, as firing a bullet from a large powder chamber 
through a barrel of smaller diameter, as in the Martini, 
or by an obstruction in the barrel, or even by tight 
ramming of the powder, as too much turn-over of a 
paper cartridge case, or too firm fixing of the bullet in 
its seat. 
“When the explosive is confined by ‘tamping,’ the 
pressure will rise yery rapidly, and the velocity of propa. 
gation may give rise to a shock capable of detonating a 
portion of the mass. This is, no doubt, the case with 
long charges of small-grained powder ignited at the 
rear. The forward portion of the charge is jammed up 
against the projectile—for the grains at the back are 
consumed before those in front are ignited—the powder 
wedged between the burnt explosive and the projectile 
is crushed, and that part at least is detonated, producing 
enormous local pressure at the base of the bullet, which 
probably has not moved very far from its original 
position in the cartridge chamber.” 
A characteristic example of this form of explosion 
came directly to the author’s notice a few vears ago with 
a .450 single “Express” rifle, with “Field” breech- 
mechanism, and the barrel chambered for the 31iin. 
long^taper solid drawn brass case, for a charge of 123grs. 
of No. 6 rifle grain gunpowder, and a bullet of 260grs. 
The owner of this rifle, after using it for some months, 
was induced by a friend to employ a very fine-grained 
black gunpowder of foreign manufacture—the owner was 
living in the south of Europe—and to try 4%drs., or the 
full charge. After firing several shots at a target, another 
similar cartridge blew the rifle into fragments. For¬ 
tunately, the shooter escaped with nothing more serious 
than a severe injury to his hand. The cartridges were 
tested, and found to give normally thrice the pressure 
obtained, with the rifle grain powder fired under the 
same conditions; the rifle was strong enough to with¬ 
stand this, but was not equal to a “detonation” of the 
charge, and that this happened the author has little 
doubt. 
If is unlikely that fine-grained gunpowder, similar to 
N°. 2, would be chosen by any sportsman, having a 
knowledge of its qualities, for use in a rifle, and of 
course, in the instance cited no blame attached to the 
maker either of the weapon or of the powder. 
lt If a sportsman must use fine-grained powder in an 
“Express” rifle, no larger grain being procurable, he 
runs the risk of possible detonation of the charge and the 
probability of a burst; but the risk mav be lessened by 
reducing the charge, leaving the powder loose in the 
cartridge. This method is usually practised in Germany 
when using a .450 Express rifle at small deer. The 
additional air space behind the projectile lessens the 
soug^Tt^’ 3n< ^ course ’k e ve l°city, which is the object 
Normally this proper ignition and combustion of the 
powder is obtained by using large-grained powder, the 
interstices between the grains affording the air space 
requisite to combustion at a low temperature. 
Heavy charges of black gunpowder and increased loads 
ot shot or weightier bullets do not usually burst any 
well-made gun, providing the explosion is of the normal 
type, tor there is an ample margin of strength left to 
safeguard the sportsman from the results of occasional 
overloading. If a gun is repeatedly fired with charges 
producing strains it is not constructed to bear, it will 
bulge, crack, or burst; but the exercise of moderate care 
will prevent any such accident when black gunpowder 
only is used, and projectiles and cartridge cases of the 
usual type. In fact, black gunpowder of No. 4 grain 
for shotguns, and No. 6 grain for rifles, can hardly be 
so used with breechloaders as to cause stresses beyond 
those produced by the proof charges in making the com¬ 
pulsory tests to which the weapon has been subjected. 
A somewhat remarkable instance of the difficulty of 
obtaining very high pressures with black powder in 
barrels of 0.303 bore occurred at Enfield, in 1891, in the 
course of an experiment to ascertain the effect of harden¬ 
ing and tempering in diminishing wear and erosion. 
Barrels in the rifled stage were hardened in oil and ie- 
duced to spring temper. They were tested to ascertain 
what stress they would endure without bursting. The 
charges, both of lead and powder, were gradually in- 
cl T ase< I to 1,700 grains of lead and 220 grains of powder 
without effect. A charge consisting of 200 grains of 
powder, a felt wad, an air space of lin., a plug of clay 
tin-, then 2,700grs. weight of bullets—the latter occupy¬ 
ing about 15m. of the bore—was fired. The load was 
forced forward about 6in., but still remained in the bar- 
rd. In this state two of the barrels were screwed to 
bodies and fired with service cartridge in the chamber. 
One only was bulged; the other burst at the rear of the 
impediment but without moving it or affecting the 
breech mechanism. The burst was caused by a sudden 
local increase of pressure when the bullet struck the 
impediment. In the other instance, on opening the 
breech, the cartridge case was blown out by the impris¬ 
oned gas. The body and bolt were uninjured. There is 
no reason to suppose that the pressure exceeded 30 tons 
to the square inch, except the local pressure in the last 
trial. 
THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF EXPLOSIVES. 
The explosives—other than black gunpowder—used in 
small guns for the most part consist of granulated gun¬ 
cotton. These powders are supposed to approximate 
black gunpowder in ballistic effect, and chiefly differ 
from it in producing a smokeless combustion. The 
strength, or explosive force, as registered by firing in a 
closed vessel, of gun-cotton and black gunpowder is as 
i.5 to 1. If the gun-cotton therefore was not toned 
down, or by some means caused to burn more slowly, 
it would be quite useless for employment in small arms. 
1 here is a possibility of these conditions or means not 
sufficing in some circumstances, and then pressures 
more nearly approaching the maximum strength of gun¬ 
cotton will be produced by the combustion. Unfor¬ 
tunately, all these nitro-compounds are more prone to 
'detonate” than is black gunpowder; their combustion 
is accompanied with greater heat, and they are more 
f° slight changes in the method or intensity 
the ignition. Another ingredient now entering gen¬ 
erally into the composition of explosives used in small 
arms is nitro-glycerine, and the relative strength of nitro¬ 
glycerine to black gunpowder is as 10 to 1, and its sus¬ 
ceptibility to detonation greater far than that of gun- 
though this quality is lessened by its admixture 
with other explosives, or non-explosive ingredients. The 
other point of first importance is the quality high ex¬ 
plosives possess of generating heat in excess of that 
desirable for the, combustion of the ponder with best 
ballistic effect. 
EXCESSIVE PRESSURE WITH NITRO-COMPOUNDS. 
When gun-cotton or its chemical equivalent is taken 
as the basis for an explosive to be used in small arms, 
it is usually granulated, and coated with some “deterrent” 
to retard the ignition of contiguous grains; the grains 
are usually small because each grain, when it is ignited, 
decomposes so rapidly that its explosion is practically a 
detonation. It does not burn from the outside to the 
center, as a pellet of gunpowder does; so to increase the 
size of each grain would tend to quicken the explosion 
instead of to retard it. The grains are rounded, instead 
of being angular, because that shape renders the ignition 
of each grain more difficult. 
In other respects a charge of gun-cotton pellets, or of 
any similar nitro-compound, resembles in its behavior a 
charge of black gunpowder grains. If the load is too 
heavy, the combustion takes place within the cartridge 
chamber, and before the load of shot is started, and ex¬ 
cessive pressures result. If too great a charge of the 
explosive is used, the heat generated is so much in 
excess of that needed that a part at least of the charge 
remaining is detonated, and excessive pressures result. 
In short, the ntiro-compounds may be said to- give bal¬ 
listic results similar to those obtained from the very 
fine grain black powder, and when used in small arms 
require to be used with care, discretion and knowledge.— 
From the Ninth Edition of “The Gun and Its Develop¬ 
ment,” by VV. W. Greener. 
Montclair Gun Club. 
Montclair, N. J., Dec. 31. —Something 1 must have 
been wrong with the boys to-day, as all scores were 
frightfully low—20 the best during t,he entire afternoon. 
Perhaps it was the cold or the hazy atmosphere. 
In event No. 1, Frazee won out with 20 breaks, get¬ 
ting the main trophy for the day, while in event 2, 
H. S. Sindle was high man with but 17 breaks. Crane 
and Atwater tied for first place in event 3 with 18 targets, 
while event 4 resulted in a tie between Frazee and H. 
S. Sindle. 
The final event, a pick-up team race, 10 targets, per 
man, was won by Team No. 4, composed of Messrs. 
Crane and Winslow with a score of 17 out of a possible 20. 
Events: 12 3 4 
Targets: 25 25 25 25 
J Francisco.... 14 12 12 13 
J C Atwater... 16 16 18 .. 
H S Sindle... 19 17 16 19 
Y T Frazee.... 20 15 11 19 
Events: 12 3 4 
Targets: 25 25 25 25 
F Sindle .14 14 16 13 
W Story .11 14 8 8 
E Winslow _ 17 10 14 
I S Crane.16 18 .. 
Event No. 5, pick-up team race, 10 targets' per man: 
team No. 1: Francisco'and F. Sindle 12. 
learn No. 2: Atwater and H. S. Sindle 15. 
learn No. 3: Story and Frazee 10. 
Team No. 4: Winslow and Crane 17. 
White Marsh Tournament. 
J hite Marsh, Pa., Dec. 28-29.—The program totaled 
loO targets on the first day, 160 on the second. Sked was 
high professional with 299 out of 310. 
First Day. 
Second Day. 
Shot at. 
Lindley . 
Broke. 
Shot at. 
Broke. 
125 
Ziegler . 
130 
160 
127 
Clegg . 
121 
160 
134 
Anderson . 
119 
160 
136 
Hasting . 
. 150 
144 
Slear . 
. 150 
127 
59 
70 
Beattie . 
. 150 
93 
160 
115 
Matthews . 
. 150 
79 
Cordery . 
. 150 
125 
160 
125 
Weinert . 
. 150 
83 
Ochletree . 
. 150 
103 
160 
118 
Freed . 
. 150 
125 
160 
133 
Finletter . 
. 75 
54 
Sloan . 
. 15 
9 
160 
133 
Stockton . 
160 
136 
Hibbs . 
160 
135 
Buckwalter . 
Professionals: 
25 
13 
Hawkins . 
. 150 
141 
160 
156 
Sked . 
. 150 
146 
160 
153 
Lewis . 
113 
160 
137 
Brown . 
. 150 
129 
Blue Ribbon Gun Club. 
Concordia. Kans., Dec. 27.— Herewith appended are 
the scores made at a team shoot between the Concordia 
Blue Ribbon Gun Club and the Leonardville Gun Club, 
held at Clay Center, yesterday. Each man shot at 25- 
targets: 
Blue Ribbon 
Gun Club. 
Leonardville Gun 
Club. 
Myers . 
22 
Olson . 
. 24 
Clark . 
.24 
Stafford . 
. 23 
Sewart . 
Brodine . 
. 23 
Cole . 
.23 
H Wetzig . 
. 23 
Exstrum . 
.23 
Hotline . 
. 22 
Krohn . 
.22 
Stone . 
. 21 
Wilder . 
.22 
Noble .. 
. 21 
Phillips . 
.22 . 
Beadberry . 
. 20 
Empson . 
.21 
(iramley . 
. 20 
Snyder . 
.20 
Herman Wetzig.... 
. 20 
Caldwell . 
.20 
Doyle. 
. 19 
De Graff . 
. 19—261 
Wagonrodt . 
. IS—254 
J. F. Caldwell, 
Sec’y. 
Rifle Range and Gallery. 
Eastern Indoor League. 
Washington, D. C., Dec. 24.— The first match of the 
season in the Eastern Indoor Rifle Shooting League was 
fired on Thursday night of this week, fourteen cities 
being represented in the schedule. Each club will fire 
one match with every other club, the matches extending 
until the middle of March. A similar league is also in. 
progress in the West, and the winning team of each 
league will, at the end of the series, shoot a match for 
the United States club championship. 
The results of this week’s competitions are as follows: 
Bangor, Me . 
. 904 
vs. 
Atlantic City, N. T... 
709- 
Birmingham, Ala. ... 
. 919 
vs. 
Savannah, Ga. 
647 
Bridgeport, Conn. ... 
. 879 
vs. 
Washington, D. C... 
S4ff 
Butler, Pa. 
. 864 
vs. 
Providence, R. I. 
845 
Portland, Me. 
. 943 
vs. 
Erie, Pa. 
848 
New Haven, Conn.. 
. 976 
vs. 
Pittsburg. Pa. 
905 
Warren, Pa. 
. 970 
vs. 
New York City. 
953 
Conditions governing the firing call for five men on 
a team, each firing 20 shots at 75ft. on a target with a 
l J 4in. bullseye, with nine concentric rings, the count 
being from 1 to 10. The competitors all fire prone and 
use .22cal. rifles without telescopes, and any ammunition. 
All of the matches are held under the supervision of 
range officers appointed for the purpose by the National 
Rifle Association of America. 
Unofficial Returns U. S. R. A. League. 
The following are the scores in Match No. 1 of the- 
U. S. Revolver Association, Dec. 18-24: 
Manhattan .1108 
Stoneham .. 
Belleville ... 
Newark . 1055 
St. Louis .1081 
Willow . 1025 
Youngstown . 931 
Louisville . 968 
Columbus . 958 
Spokane . 1051 
Duluth . 943 
vs. Philadelphia .1015 
vs. Boston . 1044 
vs. Century . 1049* 
vs. Osborne . 565- 
vs. National Capital _ 1058- 
vs. Oakland . 999 1 
vs. Shell Mound . 1017 
vs. Culebra . 963- 
vs. Myles Standish . 961 
vs. Smith & Wesson.... 1081 
vs. Seattle . 1051! 
