Ozark formulae sugar & rust BP

[Cornbelt]

 I ran accross this while looking for something else. Supposed to be an old family recipie for black powder. It used sugar and rust to replace charcoal and sulfur.
  By volume: 9 parts saltpeter
                  8 parts sugar
                  2 parts rust
 
It seems the sugar might draw moisture unless dissolving it w/saltpeter changes that. The rust is supposed to replace the sulfur.
 Reminds me of the groundhog smokebombs we used to make, but I can't imagine it in a good bbl.
 
  Any alchemy students out there like to comment on it?

[tacklebury]

I don't remember the exact context, but several bp substitutes used Sugar in place of charcoal as memory serves.  There was one sub that was supposed to be the do all that'd end BP but the plant blew up or something.  It was supposed to be safer than producing BP.  Unfortunately, the name slips my memory right now.  Maybe someone else will know.  hehe

[lrrice]

I have read that you can omit sulfur when using percussion caps to make a less corrosive powder.  Sugar is mostly carbon so I guess it is possible that it could be used instead of charcoal.  Along that line of thinking, I guess you could substitute ground up horse hooves or fingernails :-) I can't even imagine what the rust might do, and where do you  come up with that much rust?  Maybe go drag a magnet through a sandy wash and scrape the iron dust off that it collects :-)

[tacklebury]

Ok, I found the PDF of one.  This is the story of Goex Clearshot, but there was one I think that preceeded this one also.    Enjoy the read.
 
http://www.laflinandrand.com/madmonk/clear_shot.pdf

[Cornbelt]

 Interesting link and interesting read. Sounds like they should have been making blasting powder. Also answers my question about drawing moisture. I think they had a better system during the Civil War.  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24537/24537-h/24537-h.htm     

[Gatofeo]

I recall in the early 1980s reading about "Golden Powder." It was yellow/brown in color and, if I recall correctly, could be moulded into pellets for easier loading.
I showed the gun magazine article to a professor of mine, who was a shooter, and he declared that if it were true, it would be the death of black powder.
Well, never heard of it again beyond that article. Apparently, it wasn't quite the success the maker claimed.
I used to work in the career field of testing equipment submitted to the government by private enterprises. Saw a lot of wild claims by manufacturers, and tests revealed the truth of the matter. Been wary of claims in gun magazines ever since, and from manufacturers in general.

[srussell]

black mag/black mag.2