Semi-Smokeless Powder?

[Robin Lewis]

I noticed an old ad for Peters shotgun shells today and saw a reference to semi-smokeless powder? Do any of you re-loaders (I'm not one) know the history behind this and when it was used? This seems kind of unusual and a bit interesting.

[Robert Rambler]

Some comments found on the net.


Here's what Earl Naramore said in his book on handloading (second printing revised 1962). Page 170." Semi-smokeless powder. It will not develop high velocities, is not ordinarily found in trade channels and while it is a good powder, especilly for the old blackpowder cartridges , its virtues are not sufficiently great for anyone to put themseleves out to obtain it."


King's Semi-smokeless powder was based largely on nitrated wood pulp, giving it roughly 20% nitrocellulose.

Lesmoke powder actually had charcoal as part of the mixture and contained only 10 to 20% nitrocellulose.

It was the filler components that gave much of the smoke in these, and similar, powders.

Apparently they also left a fair amount of barrel residue, as well.

[charlie cleveland]

this makes me want to undo some of my old semi smokless loads andtry shooting some of them...hope the urge passes these old collector shells are hard to come by...anybody out there ever shoot any of these loads....charlie

[Jack Cronkhite]

Another net article. I'm not a re-loader nor have I ever shot black powder but found this to be an interesting read. It seems authoritative with historical references. Includes the progression from BP to smokeless and the stops in between (including King's semi-smokeless)

http://www.chuckhawks.com/blackpowder_pyrodex.htm

Cheers,
Jack