Thread: Ulrich Bretscher's SMOKELESS BLACK POWDER & HANDGONNE web page. Re-found!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the web page of this retired Swiss engineer. Interests in sewage treatment, in watches, and in blackpowder and muzzle loaders. Hey, that's engineers for you.

Interesting is his information on handgonnes - the first handheld firearm. You can fit many into a standard safe, so why not add one to complete your collection?

Also, Ulrich did some fascinating work on home made gunpowder, particularly on optimised charcoal and on the role of sulphur in gunpowder... and what happens when you make gunpowder without sulfur:

- higher ignition temperature (only a problem in flintlocks, not with percussion primers)

- slightly lower power.

- Minimal smoke/smell and less fouling.

Would be a useful item for someone to produce, as it is a historical recipe from the 1800s and not subject to blackpowder shipping restrictions, since it is not blackpowder as defined in the law (a triple recipe with saltpetre/sulphur/charcoal) and it is less dangerous to handle what with a higher ignition temperature.

Sadly, Ulrich's web site has gone off line for the past year or more, and before that he did not respond to emails. But I (re)found it mirrored in perpetuity on the internet archive archive.org - here is a link for you all to enjoy:

https://web.archive.org/web/20110520....ch/index.html


Ulrich Bretscher - thanks for your good work.