Comparisons between Cordite and Re#17
- Thread starter Worker
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John Kielly
Shari's fan club
If it is cordite, it's gone belly up. Cordite strands are honey colored. Also, the cases were usually filled before necking down, & the cordite has to be shaken out of the case with some difficulty at the start.
Cordite was used for the lifetime of the later marks of the military .303 cartridge because of its long shelf life & accommodation to the temperature range it was used in. Here in Australia, I recall it was last loaded around 1959 or a year or so either side.
Cordite was used for the lifetime of the later marks of the military .303 cartridge because of its long shelf life & accommodation to the temperature range it was used in. Here in Australia, I recall it was last loaded around 1959 or a year or so either side.
M
murphy
Guest
To Worker
It was never avaliable to hand loaders, but I have used some recovered from 303 cases and it is fast burning about like Dupont 4198. I think it is about the last powder that anyone would want to use as it has a high nitro glyserene content and is reputed to be hot burning and erode barrel throats. I especially wouldn't use the stuff you have because as the man said it is the wrong colour.
It was never avaliable to hand loaders, but I have used some recovered from 303 cases and it is fast burning about like Dupont 4198. I think it is about the last powder that anyone would want to use as it has a high nitro glyserene content and is reputed to be hot burning and erode barrel throats. I especially wouldn't use the stuff you have because as the man said it is the wrong colour.
Artillery used it
Dang that is fast stuff to be used in a rifle no wonder .303 British was so slow. On the History Channel they said a direct hit from the German Battle ship Bismark sunk the British Flag ship Hood when 15" cannon shot impacted Cordite storage compartment. So they used that stuff in artillery . What kind of powder do they use now I wonder ?
Dang that is fast stuff to be used in a rifle no wonder .303 British was so slow. On the History Channel they said a direct hit from the German Battle ship Bismark sunk the British Flag ship Hood when 15" cannon shot impacted Cordite storage compartment. So they used that stuff in artillery . What kind of powder do they use now I wonder ?
jackie schmidt
New member
Cordite
Do a google search, and you will get about as much info as possible on Cordite. It seems that thyere is more than one version, for different applications.
The size of the sticks seems to regulate the burn rate. The bigger, (thicker), the slower the rate.
As for it being fast, if you think about it, a burn rate of 4198 is about perfect for a catridge such as the 303 British.
About the Hood. The Bismark's Naval Rifles were no better, or worse, than any other modern Capitol Ship of that era. In fact, they were 15 inch, not as large as the 16 inch Rifles on all post treaty Battleships that the USA built.
The Hood was not a true Barttleship. It was a concoction that was designated a "Battle Cruiser". Sure, it had the Rifles of a Battleship, but lacked the substantial armor that a true Battleship possessed. The weak deck armor allowed the plunging shell from the Bismark to penetrate all the way inside one of the Barbettes. True Battleships are desined with armor that will withstand what ever the ship can dish out.
Remember, any burning material, if contained, will sooner or later build enough pressure to cause an explosion. That ignited cordite contained inside the armored Barbette was one huge pressure cooker. When everything let go, the ship literally split in half, and went down in minutes.
A good example of how much punishment a true Battleship can absorb, just look at the Bismarks last minutes. Crippled, and unable to manuver, it withstood countless hits from the British Battleships Rodney and Prince of Wales. Sure, it's none armored structures were blown to bits, but as recent evidence shows, the Germans actually scuddled Her. If they could have got it to a home port, She probably could have been rebuilt........jackie
Do a google search, and you will get about as much info as possible on Cordite. It seems that thyere is more than one version, for different applications.
The size of the sticks seems to regulate the burn rate. The bigger, (thicker), the slower the rate.
As for it being fast, if you think about it, a burn rate of 4198 is about perfect for a catridge such as the 303 British.
About the Hood. The Bismark's Naval Rifles were no better, or worse, than any other modern Capitol Ship of that era. In fact, they were 15 inch, not as large as the 16 inch Rifles on all post treaty Battleships that the USA built.
The Hood was not a true Barttleship. It was a concoction that was designated a "Battle Cruiser". Sure, it had the Rifles of a Battleship, but lacked the substantial armor that a true Battleship possessed. The weak deck armor allowed the plunging shell from the Bismark to penetrate all the way inside one of the Barbettes. True Battleships are desined with armor that will withstand what ever the ship can dish out.
Remember, any burning material, if contained, will sooner or later build enough pressure to cause an explosion. That ignited cordite contained inside the armored Barbette was one huge pressure cooker. When everything let go, the ship literally split in half, and went down in minutes.
A good example of how much punishment a true Battleship can absorb, just look at the Bismarks last minutes. Crippled, and unable to manuver, it withstood countless hits from the British Battleships Rodney and Prince of Wales. Sure, it's none armored structures were blown to bits, but as recent evidence shows, the Germans actually scuddled Her. If they could have got it to a home port, She probably could have been rebuilt........jackie