Blasting Powder versus Black Powder

[vacek]

Is there any real difference in composition?  Was blasting powder (DuPont) ever used in muzzle loading and in BP cartridges?  Curious minds want to know.

[mcwoodduck]

I  am guessing, but I think grade.
black is in f grades for guns but the are some grades that look like pebbles and are used in fireworks and what a high  scool buddy uses in his cannons.
or blasting powder has nitro in it like dynomite and should not be used in a firearm.

[vacek]

Thanks, I am curious because on a DuPont internet site they talk about the patent for blasting powder was granted because DuPont used Chilean Sodium Nitrate instead of Indian Potassium Nitrate.  This made it more affordable since the USA was having to pay Britain a tax on the Indian Salt Peter. 

[Winter Hawk]

Back in the late 1960s I took my .45 underhammer rifle to a friend's house who was doing some experiments for mining with shaped charges.  He had ditching/stumping powder which we tried in the rifle.  It was VERY course, the grains were probably around 1/4" across.  From what I remember we had very limitted success....

-WH-