Thread: Shaved cordite

Cordite has a controlled burning rate that is reliant upon it remaining in strands. The moment it is chopped or shaved then the burning rate will increase dramatically with disastrous consequences. It is not a good small arms propellant as it is very erosive and has not been used in rifle ammo for over 50 years. As others have mentioned it is nitro-glycerine based. Don't be fool, buy some modern rifle powder! Although there is a bit of a shortage at present there is still a wide selection of powders available that are suitable.

As above from many logical posts.

But DO NOT throw the stuff away.
I will safely dispose of it for a low fee.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings all,
Assuming Shaved cordite means saved cordite using it is a very bad idea. The cordite is likely well over 60 years old and contains nitroglicerine not something to mess with. It is a highly erosive propellant which would be very hard on todays narrow land barrels. You will not be able to duplicate the standard charge which was loaded befroe the case was shaped. Cordite varied from batch to batch even when new. There is no handloading data. If it is chopped cordite that was used in some pistol cartridges it is even worse. Just don't even consider it.
Regards Grandpamac.

Hey @grandpamac

Every feeling I had about this idea of someone who I know about doing this was bang on so to speak.

I've spoken to a few other more experienced people about it and they gave very similar answers.

Which backs up my gut feeling.

Originally Posted by mimms2

A case ful of blackpowder goes very well actually....

That was the original loading with the 215 grain bullet. A compressed pellet of black powder that filled the case to the shoulder, 71.5 grains of RFG2 with a small hole through the centre for the primer flash, giving 1830 feet per second.

Originally Posted by gundoc

That was the original loading with the 215 grain bullet. A compressed pellet of black powder that filled the case to the shoulder, 71.5 grains of RFG2 with a small hole through the centre for the primer flash, giving 1830 feet per second.

The .303/72 sounds good! (<:

Originally Posted by hamsav

well after finding out ( above posts ) that its nitro glycerine based Im wondering how many laws I could break posting it to you . I have burnt the odd strand for kicks but I think I might just make a wee trail on the ground and "dispose" of it. Dunno why I kept it in the 1st place .

A lot of powders have nitroglycerin in them, Cordite had a fair amount. The earliest Cordite Mk 1 had these proportions: 58% nitroglycerin, 37% guncotton (nitrocellulose) and 5% petroleum jelly. Basically gelignite with vaseline added to slow it down!

This was quickly found to be super erosive and the regular Cordite MD ("modified") we know now from old rifle cartridges made since the 2nd Boer was was made with "only" 30% nitroglycerine 65% guncotton and 5% petroleum jelly. Even so, in the book Sniping in France, there is an observation that a SMLE sniper rifle was past its best accuracy once it had fired 800 rounds from new. Imagine what precision war horses we'd all own now if they had adopted a cool-burning powder from the start.

Originally Posted by mimms2

A case ful of blackpowder goes very well actually....

I was aware of that.......and hoped you fellas would see where I headed with comment.....almost tempted to find and old 3o just for using the black smelly stuff....

Originally Posted by mimms2

I'll have to look up my notes but I'm pretty sure I only get around 64gn in. No idea on MV, I don't fancy showering my crony in BP smoke/flame.

Note that it was a 'compressed pellet' (ie: one solid shaped pellet of powder). It would have been formed in a press in a blast protected building with brass or wood dies to avoid sparks. The finished pellets would then be taken to the loading room in smallish batches to avoid unpleasant accidents.

Originally Posted by gundoc

Note that it was a 'compressed pellet' (ie: one solid shaped pellet of powder). It would have been formed in a press in a blast protected building with brass or wood dies to avoid sparks. The finished pellets would then be taken to the loading room in smallish batches to avoid unpleasant accidents.

Explains why no-one is on record for managing to re-charge a .303 case with 71.5 grains of BP.

Originally Posted by 40mm

As above from many logical posts.

But DO NOT throw the stuff away.
I will safely dispose of it for a low fee.

Have reflected on this, only way I'd re-use the growing jar of it on my desk would be laying it out on a tray somewhere dry but not hot, and let the nitroglycerine evaporate, should be OK after 2-3 weeks. Next I'd soak the sticks in a sodium bicarbonate to neutralise any dangerous acids that have developed from nitrocellulose breakdown, rinse and dry. Add a bit of chalk shake and mix, for a nice brick red flash, as well as added powder stability as it would neutralise acids formed. Then I'd have a clean-burning nitrocellulose "very-large-grain" powder.

To load I'd have to do it by weight for consistency, the sticks are of varying diameter between manufacturers, I have counted between 42 and 53 strands per tightly filled case. You'd have to go for a smaller load in practice and it's obviously never going to burn as hot as when originally loaded into a case. It's not going to be a low-ES powder, but probably acceptable accuracy within 200metres in a powder-shortage era.

Something else, judging by my lack of headache when handling the stuff, I wonder if not a lot of the nitroglycerine may already have slowly and safely evaporated away.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Have reflected on this, only way I'd re-use the growing jar of it on my desk would be laying it out on a tray somewhere dry but not hot, and let the nitroglycerine evaporate, should be OK after 2-3 weeks. Next I'd soak the sticks in a sodium bicarbonate to neutralise any dangerous acids that have developed from nitrocellulose breakdown, rinse and dry. Add a bit of chalk shake and mix, for a nice brick red flash, as well as added powder stability as it would neutralise acids formed. Then I'd have a clean-burning nitrocellulose "very-large-grain" powder.

To load I'd have to do it by weight for consistency, the sticks are of varying diameter between manufacturers, I have counted between 42 and 53 strands per tightly filled case. You'd have to go for a smaller load in practice and it's obviously never going to burn as hot as when originally loaded into a case. It's not going to be a low-ES powder, but probably acceptable accuracy within 200metres in a powder-shortage era.

Something else, judging by my lack of headache when handling the stuff, I wonder if not a lot of the nitroglycerine may already have slowly and safely evaporated away.

I just want to pile it all up and light it for a thrill. Need a rather large pile to make it interesting though..... Thinking a trailer load.

Originally Posted by 40mm

I just want to pile it all up and light it for a thrill. Need a rather large pile to make it interesting though..... Thinking a trailer load.

Our friends are waiting for us, 40mm. Come, let's go see them.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Explains why no-one is on record for managing to re-charge a .303 case with 71.5 grains of BP.

I would like to hear from anyone who has had success loading BP in 303 British.From what I have read the results are generally disappointing.

it dissolves well in acetone if you want to re-form it into a really nasty trick cigi.

Reckon its a valid thread to discuss. Lots of new reloaders out there and most are curious. Ive seen a fair bit of dropped live 303 at the range so its good to get the message out not to mess about with cordite.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Have reflected on this, only way I'd re-use the growing jar of it on my desk would be laying it out on a tray somewhere dry but not hot, and let the nitroglycerine evaporate, should be OK after 2-3 weeks. Next I'd soak the sticks in a sodium bicarbonate to neutralise any dangerous acids that have developed from nitrocellulose breakdown, rinse and dry. Add a bit of chalk shake and mix, for a nice brick red flash, as well as added powder stability as it would neutralise acids formed. Then I'd have a clean-burning nitrocellulose "very-large-grain" powder.

To load I'd have to do it by weight for consistency, the sticks are of varying diameter between manufacturers, I have counted between 42 and 53 strands per tightly filled case. You'd have to go for a smaller load in practice and it's obviously never going to burn as hot as when originally loaded into a case. It's not going to be a low-ES powder, but probably acceptable accuracy within 200metres in a powder-shortage era.

Something else, judging by my lack of headache when handling the stuff, I wonder if not a lot of the nitroglycerine may already have slowly and safely evaporated away.

I'm not so sure the nitroglycerin will evaporate, it's chemically bonded to the nitrocellulose and acts as a plasticiser.
To test if it does take the lid of your jar and have a good sniff, if your heart starts really racing there's a pounding in your ears and your head feels like someone is hitting it with a hammer from the inside then yes it's evaporating.