Blank charges with Pyrodex in a 1" cannon

[bluez]

I have a small 1" bore cannon with 3/4"  side walls made out of Axel steel, bore length is 5". I am going to shoot blanks with it. Now to the question, when shooting blanks using Pyrodex and a wine cork in front of the load. What is best, Pyrodex ffg or fffg ? Does using a film canister of fffg sound to much?

[KABAR2]

Bluez,
By the high response rate I would say I am not the only one who is not a fan of Pyrodex in muzzel loading cannon... ignition is always an issue..... 1" bore with black powder I would recoment 2Fg because you are using a cork for compression I would suggest you err on the side of caution... start small and work up your load until you get a satisfactory report.... although you cannon sounds stout enough I do have some concerns over the material your shooter is made of...... I can gauge the strength of 1018 or 4140 but nowhere can I find a chart for Axel steel.... one big question I have  is this from a used axel?  How old and how much torq was placed on this? at best it may have been work hardened at worst the grain structure could be brittel and create it's own issues... is this drilled solid? or a tube that has been breeched? if so how was it breeched? 

[bluez]

The steel bar has never been used before and the steel type is called S355J0.  The exact dimensions are 60mm dia and 24mm bore.

The reason i intend to use a cork in front of the charge, is that i read some place that pyrodox
need a little more resistance than black powder.  Perhaps i should start with 100-200 grain ffp then?

[Double D]

Is that  Axel steel a brand or product name or axle steel used to make axles and such.

 

[bluez]

The producer is Norwegian steel, i can see in their Norwegian catalogue their are calling it Axel staal (Axel steel) Axel steel is a term used in Norwegian for a strong round steel bar, i presumed it was used that way in English, but in their English catalog, they are calling it only Steel rounds S355J0. 

[GGaskill]

If their catalogs give the chemistry of the alloy, post it and we can give better guesses.

[bluez]

Does this help ?

 The Elment Max (%)

 C         Si       Mn       P            S

0.20    0.55    1.6    0.040    0.040

[flagman1776]

I would use real black powder in a blank firing cannon.  The report is better.  According to recomendations it's between 1Fg & Cannon granulations.  I use cannon in my 1.25" bore in properly made foil cartridges. 
There are instructions for forming foil in the stickies at the top of this board.  I custom turned a hardwood mandrel to form my foil over so foil cartridge is a smooth easy fit in the bore & made a dipper from a copper pipe cap (filed to correct measure) + wood file handle. 
You want to start your charges low & increase the charge in small increments.  You want to have repeatablity in all your components so the pressures are the same from shot to shot, even with blanks.
Be very careful with any wadding as it will become a projectile.  I experimented with flea market hardwood balls & easily blew them off a 300 yard range, & they will skip or bounce.  I use local damp lawn grass or seaweed as wadding if I use anything.  Also, it is likely that your wadding will be on fire. 
The blast from your vent (touch hole) is dangerous as well.     

[bluez]

The "Problem"is that i live in Europe and it's hard to get hold of real black powder. The reason is that BP is considered unsafe and must be transported and stored in a very restrictive way. Pyrodex however is sold by most gun stores. 

I am wondering if using 2P or 3P with a wine cork would be better since i have read that Paradox like some resistance, and the barrel is only 5" long.

[flagman1776]

Black power is not unsafe but is an explosive & subject to different rules & more stringent handling requirements.
Pyrodex is a smokeless propellant made to mimic black powder.  Smokeless propellant powders are grey/black & still make smoke (just so we are not confused).  If I had to use Pyrodex, I would try with no wad first.  If I need a wad, I would have to use something that would not become a projectile.  Pyrodex is harder to ignite & I don't have experience with it in cannons.  I shoot muzzleloading flint lock arms & pyrodex is basically unuseable in them.

[GGaskill]

I am thinking that something that will not be a projectile would be safer than a cork even though the cork will lose velocity quickly.  I would try something like flour or corn meal; it will give you mass to increase the pressure but the ejecta will be fine and unlikely to cause any damage.  But you should experiment with this to prove that is actually true before doing any kind of public firing.

[neros]

Hey Bluez..


Iˋm just wondering where you from..?  I see that you mentioned that you are from Europe, and are talking about Norwegian steel, so are you from Norway..?  As a Norwegian myself I can certenly confirm that getting our hands on BP is very difficult...

[bluez]

Hey Bluez..


Iˋm just wondering where you from..?  I see that you mentioned that you are from Europe, and are talking about Norwegian steel, so are you from Norway..?  As a Norwegian myself I can certenly confirm that getting our hands on BP is very difficult...

Yes i am. I have given up trying to get BP, and i have used up my last reserv.
 

[GGaskill]

The Elment Max (%)

 C         Si       Mn       P            S

0.20    0.55    1.6    0.040    0.040

That looks like what would be called 1320 or 1520 in US practice.  Here is a list of 15xx steels chemistries.  And here is a list of mechanical properties in metric units.