powder grain size

[speedenforcer]

Did they have different size powder grains during the was like we have now or was it the same?

If they had different size grain what size did they fill shells with?

[speedenforcer]

Carl? Mike? Pete?

[Gunner Thrasher]

Yes there were different sizes of powder grain. I have found reference from Commander Brooke in several exchanges talking about grain size. Granted it was all in reference to cannon powder, but what I have seen and I apologize because I cant remember where it was that I seen it, it was stated that the shells were filled with musket powder.  I hope this helps.

[Selma Hunter]

One of the suspected causes of premature explosion of shells in the gun tubes was thought to be from the use of large grained "cannon" powder.  The friction caused from the impact of firing caused friction and resultant detonation.  The solution was to move to smaller grained powder.  Like Gunner, I'd have to look a while but it was the topic of considerable discussion between Brooke and Jones.

[svedra]

I remember a good description of this in Ed McCauls fuse book.  It’s a great read.

[jonpatterson]

Check the book “Instructions for Field Artillery”, Prepared by a Board of Artillery Officers, 1861 printing, Philadelphia,  J.B. Lippencott & Co.    Starting on page 9 and continuing onward is a discussion of gunpowder. On page 10 I found this chart. 

[jonpatterson]

The book can be downloaded free on Google Books at:
https://books.google.com/books?id=5nEOAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Instructions+for+Field+Artillery&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3guSCrp3dAhVi9YMKHRf2CRQQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

If the link doesn't work, go to https://books.google.com/?hl=en   and use the search term  Instructions for Field Artillery

[speedenforcer]

Thanks Gentelmen

[mccaul]

I do have an extensive discussion of gunpowder and its different sizes in my book as Job Patterson mentioned

The Mechanical Fuze and the Advance of Artillery in the Civil War

The publisher is McFarland Press.

Ed McCaul