Black Powder Substitutes for Small Caliber Firearms

• US 20090223611A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Canada Valleyfield Inc (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Canada Valleyfield Inc (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Lepage, Daniel, Racette, Mathieu, Viau, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 8,133,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/4
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 25/18 the compound being nitrocellulose present as 10% or more by weight of the total composition
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/00 Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product explosive charges of particular form or shape F42B1/00, F42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/105 The resin being a polymer bearing energetic groups or containing a soluble organic explosive
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/16 characterised by composition or physical dimensions or form of propellant charge, with or without projectile, or powder chemical composition C06B; F42B5/24 takes precedence

Abstract

Propellant compositions are provided herein for use in small arms cartridges. Such propellant compositions include from about 70 to about 90% by weight of a cellulose-based organic fuel, from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a non-azide, nitrogen-containing primary organic oxidizer and from about 0.5 to about 10.0% by weight of a secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate of peroxide oxidizer. Preferably, such compositions are in the form of extruded shaped hollow cylindrical grains having a length in the range of 0.030 to 0.200 inch, a diameter in the range 0.040 to 0.070 inch, and having a coaxial opening there through having a wall grain thickness in the range 0.008 to 0.016 inch. Ignition grains are also provided for use alone or in a mixture with the propellant compositions. When used in a small caliber firearm or muzzleloader, the temperature of combustion is at a level that ensures substantially complete combustion of the fuel during firing so that the products of combustion are mostly gaseous.

Claims

1. A propellant composition for use in modern in-line muzzleloaders comprising:

a) from about 70 to about 90% by weight of a cellulose-based organic fuel;

b) from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer; and

c) from about 0.5% to about 10.0% by weight of a mineral-based secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate or peroxide oxidizer, wherein, when used in said modern in-line muzzleloaders the products of combustion are substantially-completely gaseous.

2. The propellant composition of claim 1, comprising:

a) from about 75 to about 85% by weight of a cellulose-based organic fuel;

b) from about 10 to about 20% by weight of a non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer; and

c) from about 0.8 to about 2.0% by weight of a mineral-based secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate or peroxide oxidizer.

3. The propellant composition of claim 2, wherein said cellulose-based organic fuel comprises nitrocellulose or cellulose or cellulose esters or cellulose ethers.

4. The propellant composition of claim 2, wherein said non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer comprises guanidine nitrate, nitroguanidine, triaminoguanidine diaminoguanidine, monoaminoguanidine or nitroarninotetrazole salts.

5. The propellant composition of claim 2, wherein said mineral-based secondary nitrate or perchlorate or chlorate or peroxide oxidizer comprises potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate or ammonium nitrate or lithium nitrate, or any other alkali metal oxidizer or barium nitrate or magnesium nitrate or calcium nitrate or any other alkaline earth metal oxidizer;

potassium perchlorate or sodium perchlorate or ammonium perchlorate or lithium perchlorate, or any other alkali metal oxidizer or barium perchlorate or magnesium perchlorate or calcium perchlorate or any other alkaline earth metal oxidizer;

potassium chlorate or sodium chlorate or ammonium chlorate or lithium chlorate, or any other alkali metal oxidizer or barium chlorate or magnesium chlorate or calcium chlorate or any other alkaline earth metal oxidizer or any alkaline metal peroxide or any alkaline earth metal peroxide.

6. The propellant composition of claim 2, wherein:

said cellulose-based organic fuel comprises nitrocellulose;

said non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer comprises guanidine nitrate; and

said mineral-based secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate or peroxide oxidizer comprises potassium perchlorate.

7. The propellant composition of claim 6, wherein:

said nitrocellulose is present in an amount of about 82.7% by weight;

said guanidine nitrate is present in an amount of about 15.7% by weight; and

said potassium perchlorate is present in an amount of about 1.6% by weight.

8. The propellant composition of claim 1, in shapeable form in a solvent and further including:

from about 1.0 to about 4.0% by weight of a plasticizer;

from about 1.0 to about 3.0% by weight of a stabilizer; and

from up to about 0.8% by weight of a lubricant.

9. The propellant composition of claim 2, in shapeable form in a solvent wherein said cellulose-based organic fuel is present in an amount from about 76 to about 82% by weight, and further including:

from about 2.0 to about 3.0% by weight of a plasticizer;

from about 1.5 to about 2.5% by weight of a stabilizer; and

from up to about 0.3% by weight of a lubricant.

10. The propellant composition of claim 9, wherein:

said cellulose-based organic fuel comprises nitrocellulose and is present in an amount of about 79.2% by weight;

said non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer is guanidine nitrate and is present in an amount of about 15.0% by weight; and

said mineral-based secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate or peroxide oxidizer is potassium perchlorate and is present in an amount of about 1.5% by weight.

11. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 8 in extrudable form, wherein said solvent is an acetone alcohol/mixture or an ether/alcohol mixture or an ethyl acetate/alcohol mixture.

12. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 8 in extrudable form, wherein said plasticizer is any substance capable of gelatinizing nitrocellulose or cellulose-based binders such as polyvinyl alcohol, triacetin, polyester adipate or sebacate or dinitrotoluene or acetyl triethyl citrate or any other citrate or dibutyl phthalate or any other phthalate.

13. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 8 in extrudable form, wherein said stabilizer is a NO_x scavenging substance such as diphenylamine or methyl diphenyl urea (i.e. akardite) or 2-NO diphenylamine or N-methyl-p-nitroaniline or diethyl diphenyl urea (i.e. ethyl centralite) or their equivalent.

14. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 8 in extrudable form, wherein said lubricant is graphite or molybdenum disulfide.

15. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 8 in extrudable form, wherein said solvent is an ether/alcohol mixture;

wherein said plasticizer is acetyl triethyl citrate;

wherein said stabilizer is ethyl centralite; and

wherein said lubricant is graphite.

16. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 15, wherein said acetyl triethyl citrate is in an amount of about 2.0% by weight;

wherein said ethyl centralite is in an amount of about 2.0% by weight; and

wherein said graphite is in an amount of about 0.2% by weight.

17. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 15 which is colour coded by the addition of a suitable pigment.

18. The shapeable propellant composition of claim 17 wherein said pigment is in an amount of up to about 0.1% by weight.

22. Shaped propellant grains comprising the propellant composition as claimed in claim 1 in the form of a propellant charge having a bulk density in the range of 0.550 to 0.750 grams per cubic centimeter.

23. Shaped propellant grains comprising the propellant composition as claimed in claim 1 in the form of a propellant charge having an energy per unit volume in the range of 400 to 700 calories per cubic centimeter.

24. Shaped hollow cylindrical propellant grains comprising the propellant composition as claimed in claim 1 having:

a) a length in the range 0.030 to 0.200 inch,

b) a diameter in the range 0.040 to 0.070 inch, and having

c) a coaxial opening there through having a wall grain thickness in the range 0.008 to 0.016 inch.

25. The shaped hollow cylindrical propellant grains as claimed in claim 24 which are coated with graphite.

26. The shaped hollow cylindrical propellant grains as claimed in claim 24 having:

a) a length of about 0.058 inch,

b) a diameter of about 0.050 inch, and

c) a coaxial opening there through having a wall grain thickness of about 0.012 inch.

27. The shaped hollow cylindrical propellant grains as claimed in claim 26 which are coated with graphite.

29. The propellant composition of claim 1 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

30. The mixture of claim 29, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

31. The mixture of claim 30, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

32. The propellant composition of claim 2 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

33. The mixture of claim 32, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

34. The mixture of claim 33, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

35. The propellant composition of claim 3 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

36. The mixture of claim 35, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

37. The mixture of claim 36, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

38. The propellant composition of claim 4 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

39. The mixture of claim 38, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

40. The mixture of claim 39, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

41. The propellant composition of claim 5 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

42. The mixture of claim 41, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

43. The mixture of claim 42, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

44. The propellant composition of claim 6 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

45. The mixture of claim 44, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

46. The mixture of claim 45, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

47. The propellant composition of claim 7 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

48. The mixture of claim 47, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

49. The mixture of claim 48, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

50. The propellant composition of claim 8 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

51. The mixture of claim 50, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

52. The mixture of claim 51, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

53. The propellant composition of claim 9 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

54. The mixture of claim 53, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

55. The mixture of claim 54, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of about 50%.

56. The propellant composition of claim 10 mixed together with ignition grains, said ignition grains comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.

57. The mixture of claim 56, wherein said ignition grains is present in an amount of at least about 35%.

19. A method of producing free-flowing grains of a propellant composition for use in modern in-line muzzleloaders comprising:

selecting a propellant composition comprising from about 70 to about 90% by weight of a cellulose-based organic fuel;

from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer; and

from about 0.5 to about 10.0% by weight of a mineral-based secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate or peroxide oxidizer;

shaping a plastic mass of said composition;

subdividing said shaped composition to a predetermined size; and

drying said shaped grains so-formed.

20. A method of producing free-flowing grains of a propellant composition for use in modern in-line muzzleloaders comprising:

selecting a propellant composition comprising from about 70 to about 90% by weight of a cellulose-based organic fuel;

from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a non-azide, nitrogen-containing, solid primary organic oxidizer; and

from about 0.5 to about 10.0% by weight of a mineral-based secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate or peroxide oxidizer;

extruding a plastic mass of said composition through a die;

severing segments of said extruded composition immediately after said extrusion step while said extruded composition is still in a plastic phase; and

drying said extruded grains so-formed.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said die includes at least one mandrel or needle, thereby to produce hollow cylindrical grains.

28. An ignition grain composition for use as a propellant in small arms cartridges and modern in-line muzzleloaders comprising:

a) from about 40 to about 50% by weight of nitrocellulose;

b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8% by weight of ethyl centralite;

c) from about 36 to about 46% by weight of potassium nitrate;

d) from about 3.5 to about 7.5% by weight of sulphur;

e) from about 5.5 to about 10.5% by weight of charcoal; and

f) up to about 1.0% by weight of other moisture and volatiles.