An old popular powder I know little about.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · January 4, 2014, 11:53 PM

Earlier I was looking at a few old Ideal Reloading Guides. I knew most of the powders used in the recipes. All but one that is. Around 1951 there was a popular home reloading powder called (Lightning) Does anyone know? or have any information their willing to share concerning the powder called >Lightning?

Thanks.

Peter M. Eick · January 5, 2014, 11:56 AM

I have seen lightening on display at a reloading show, but never worked with it. Sharpe has data for it in his 37 book and like you, in my old Ideal books I have data for it.

With no experience with the powder I cannot comment much on it. Neat bit of history if you have some.

Salmoneye · January 5, 2014, 08:55 PM

Lightning was produced till 1958:

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/Gen...okeless.pdf‎

Sure Shot Mc Gee · January 7, 2014, 12:49 AM

Bumping around on the net I happen to find this site. Pretty interesting if one wants to try pistol powders in rifle application. The goods & the bads about reduced charges and the powders to consider.

You were spot on with your comment concerning Sharpe Peter M. Eick. I thank you for that Sir. {Sorry I don't have any Lightning powder. I certainly wish I did.} only a couple recipes with its use in 30-30 cartridges is all I have Sir.

There was mentioning of Lightning #1 & #2 which gave me some idea about those (2) long ago discontinued excellent powders.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

The Use of Pistol Powders in Rifle Cartridges" Opens a window to info one should read if considering pistol powder use and which to consider and which not.

LE-28 · January 7, 2014, 06:27 AM

Lightning was one of the original smokeless powders manunfactured by Laflin and Rand in 1898. I believe it was to replace the black powder used in the revolvers and rifles at the time.

I was made from the same recipe as the W-A30 (Whistler and Aspenwall) one of the original recipes acquire from the American Powder Company in a buyout. The only difference between W-A 30 and Lightning was the cut of the powder to change the burn speed. The W-A 30 made it's name in the loading of the 30-40 Krag-Jorgeson (30cal Army) which came out in the same year.

'Lightning' was a real piece of American Gun Powder History.

**Mike Irwin** · January 7, 2014, 09:20 AM

Lightning was one of the earliest of the commercially available smokeless powders.

It was originally developed as a potential military handgun powder for .38 Long and .45 Colt, but wasn't entirely suitable and never made the cut as a military powder.

Commercially it was also useful for some of the older black powder rifle rounds.

It was not, however, a smokeless bulk replacement powder. It had to be weighed.

LE-28 · January 8, 2014, 06:16 AM

If you want to read the entire history of Laflin and Rand and the powders they made in the beginning, check out this link.

When you see the download button at the bottom of the page click on it and download the pdf. It is a really interesting read.

http://www.laflinandrand.com/page2.html

ATPBULLETS · January 8, 2014, 06:34 AM

tried to download.... my antivirus stopped it and said virus present on the download.... BEWARE...

Salmoneye · January 8, 2014, 06:43 AM

Corrected the corrected URL for L&R history...

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/Gen...-Smokeless.pdf

Sure Shot Mc Gee · January 8, 2014, 09:55 AM

Interesting read. Comments and Links both. It's surprising how much is known about these old powder manufactures and the competition between them.

**Mike Irwin** · January 8, 2014, 10:24 AM

It was that Laughlin & Rand document that, as far as I know, was the first one to contradict Phil Sharpe's contention that the original Bullseye Powder was "fines" left over from the manufacture of Infalliable shotgun powder.

January 5, 2014, 08:55 PM	#3
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	Lightning was produced till 1958: http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/Gen...okeless.pdf‎ Last edited by Salmoneye; January 8, 2014 at 07:17 AM.

January 7, 2014, 09:20 AM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Lightning was one of the earliest of the commercially available smokeless powders. It was originally developed as a potential military handgun powder for .38 Long and .45 Colt, but wasn't entirely suitable and never made the cut as a military powder. Commercially it was also useful for some of the older black powder rifle rounds. It was not, however, a smokeless bulk replacement powder. It had to be weighed. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

January 8, 2014, 06:34 AM	#8
ATPBULLETS Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2012 Location: Land between the Lakes Posts: 267	tried to download.... my antivirus stopped it and said virus present on the download.... BEWARE... __________________ http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/y...e/photo-25.jpg

January 8, 2014, 06:43 AM	#9
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	Corrected the corrected URL for L&R history... http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/Gen...-Smokeless.pdf Last edited by Salmoneye; January 8, 2014 at 07:18 AM.

January 8, 2014, 10:24 AM	#11
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	It was that Laughlin & Rand document that, as far as I know, was the first one to contradict Phil Sharpe's contention that the original Bullseye Powder was "fines" left over from the manufacture of Infalliable shotgun powder. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

January 4, 2014, 11:53 PM	#1
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	An old popular powder I know little about. Earlier I was looking at a few old Ideal Reloading Guides. I knew most of the powders used in the recipes. All but one that is. Around 1951 there was a popular home reloading powder called (Lightning) Does anyone know? or have any information their willing to share concerning the powder called >Lightning? Thanks.

January 5, 2014, 11:56 AM	#2
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	I have seen lightening on display at a reloading show, but never worked with it. Sharpe has data for it in his 37 book and like you, in my old Ideal books I have data for it. With no experience with the powder I cannot comment much on it. Neat bit of history if you have some. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

January 7, 2014, 12:49 AM	#4
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Bumping around on the net I happen to find this site. Pretty interesting if one wants to try pistol powders in rifle application. The goods & the bads about reduced charges and the powders to consider. You were spot on with your comment concerning Sharpe Peter M. Eick. I thank you for that Sir. {Sorry I don't have any Lightning powder. I certainly wish I did.} only a couple recipes with its use in 30-30 cartridges is all I have Sir. There was mentioning of Lightning #1 & #2 which gave me some idea about those (2) long ago discontinued excellent powders. http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm The Use of Pistol Powders in Rifle Cartridges" Opens a window to info one should read if considering pistol powder use and which to consider and which not.

January 7, 2014, 06:27 AM	#5
LE-28 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 759	Lightning was one of the original smokeless powders manunfactured by Laflin and Rand in 1898. I believe it was to replace the black powder used in the revolvers and rifles at the time. I was made from the same recipe as the W-A30 (Whistler and Aspenwall) one of the original recipes acquire from the American Powder Company in a buyout. The only difference between W-A 30 and Lightning was the cut of the powder to change the burn speed. The W-A 30 made it's name in the loading of the 30-40 Krag-Jorgeson (30cal Army) which came out in the same year. 'Lightning' was a real piece of American Gun Powder History.

January 8, 2014, 06:16 AM	#7
LE-28 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 759	If you want to read the entire history of Laflin and Rand and the powders they made in the beginning, check out this link. When you see the download button at the bottom of the page click on it and download the pdf. It is a really interesting read. http://www.laflinandrand.com/page2.html

January 8, 2014, 09:55 AM	#10
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Interesting read. Comments and Links both. It's surprising how much is known about these old powder manufactures and the competition between them.