Cap Gun Powder

Renfro · August 19, 2011, 01:05 PM

I know this isn't exactly a reloading question but I figured this was the place to go.
A buddy at work is working on a little experiment and is using the powder out of the red ring cap gun caps. Does any one have an idea of what type of powder this is or if you can purchase it some where instead of tediously removing it from the caps?

Thanks

oakfloor · August 19, 2011, 04:02 PM

Could be "Flash" powder, as used in some fireworks is my guess.

T. O'Heir · August 19, 2011, 09:04 PM

"...can purchase it..." Nope. It's some kind of percussion sensitive compound that has no purpose other than making noise. Might have been very low grade BP at one time.
You should probably stay away from your buddy until he's finished playing with it.

jolly roger · August 19, 2011, 09:42 PM

Knowing a bit about explosives I would say "experimenting" with Armstrong's Mixture...AKA flash powder is not good. That's what's in a cap in very small amounts. Enough of that collected out of several caps could be a problem. Very sensitive to impact. Flash powder scares the crap out of people who use real explosives...

jolly roger · August 19, 2011, 09:45 PM

And don't even THINK of loading some in a case...

Pahoo · August 20, 2011, 09:42 AM

Roll caps are getting harder to find these days. I load my small cannons with them, after trimming. If loaded hot enough, you can drive a BB about 1/4", into soft pine. The report will also make your ears ring. .....

Be Safe !!!

Renfro · August 20, 2011, 01:34 PM

He's not try to make anyhing too dangerous an I would never put the stuff in a case, I'm a little fond of my eye sight and hands. I didn't figure there there would be an available source for the powder because of it's potiental dangers. If you want to see what he's doing YouTube exploding pellets, the one by shooting eggs is a good video.

**Unclenick** · August 20, 2011, 02:16 PM

There seen to have been different mixes at different times. Some black (Greenie Stick-um caps), some with aluminum or magnesium dust in it. We used to spend hours stripping whole rolls of it and set it off all at once in a dish. That was when I was 7 or so.

I do recall the residue was pretty corrosive and also that it smelled of phosphorous. Despite a lot of later experimentation with things a lot more powerful than caps, I got through childhood and adolescence with all my fingers and both eyebrows. But I wouldn't ever repeat some of what I did then, today.

Pahoo · August 20, 2011, 02:53 PM

Quote:

I do recall the residue was pretty corrosive and also that it smelled of phosphorous. Despite a lot of later experimentation with things a lot more powerful than caps, I got through childhood and adolescence with all my fingers and both eyebrows. But I wouldn't ever repeat some of what I did then, today.

You got that right and have to bite my tongue when relating old stories to my grandson, like making rocket engines out of match heads. Or how to make a match gun out of a clothes pin and one of my favorites the "Cap" grenade. Of course we will never talk about the zip guns. I too have all my fingers although they are pretty scared up. ......

Be Safe !!!

PawPaw · August 20, 2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unclenick

Despite a lot of later experimentation with things a lot more powerful than caps, I got through childhood and adolescence with all my fingers and both eyebrows. But I wouldn't ever repeat some of what I did then, today.

Amen, brother. I remember a day when I walked into the local druggist and inquired about purchasing a quantity of saltpeter. He asked me what I was doing with saltpeter and I told him "Making a bomb!" He shrugged his shoulders and sold me a large Rx bottle of the stuff.

This day and age, he would have been calling the police and I would have had to explain what I was doing. Not so in those days.

August 19, 2011, 01:05 PM	#1
Renfro Junior Member Join Date: March 8, 2011 Posts: 13	Cap Gun Powder I know this isn't exactly a reloading question but I figured this was the place to go. A buddy at work is working on a little experiment and is using the powder out of the red ring cap gun caps. Does any one have an idea of what type of powder this is or if you can purchase it some where instead of tediously removing it from the caps? Thanks

August 19, 2011, 09:04 PM	#3
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...can purchase it..." Nope. It's some kind of percussion sensitive compound that has no purpose other than making noise. Might have been very low grade BP at one time. You should probably stay away from your buddy until he's finished playing with it. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

August 20, 2011, 09:42 AM	#6
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	This dog does more than bark !! Roll caps are getting harder to find these days. I load my small cannons with them, after trimming. If loaded hot enough, you can drive a BB about 1/4", into soft pine. The report will also make your ears ring. ..... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

August 20, 2011, 02:16 PM	#8
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	There seen to have been different mixes at different times. Some black (Greenie Stick-um caps), some with aluminum or magnesium dust in it. We used to spend hours stripping whole rolls of it and set it off all at once in a dish. That was when I was 7 or so. I do recall the residue was pretty corrosive and also that it smelled of phosphorous. Despite a lot of later experimentation with things a lot more powerful than caps, I got through childhood and adolescence with all my fingers and both eyebrows. But I wouldn't ever repeat some of what I did then, today. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 19, 2011, 04:02 PM	#2
oakfloor Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2009 Posts: 111	Could be "Flash" powder, as used in some fireworks is my guess.

August 19, 2011, 09:42 PM	#4
jolly roger Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 179	Knowing a bit about explosives I would say "experimenting" with Armstrong's Mixture...AKA flash powder is not good. That's what's in a cap in very small amounts. Enough of that collected out of several caps could be a problem. Very sensitive to impact. Flash powder scares the crap out of people who use real explosives...

August 19, 2011, 09:45 PM	#5
jolly roger Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 179	And don't even THINK of loading some in a case...

August 20, 2011, 01:34 PM	#7
Renfro Junior Member Join Date: March 8, 2011 Posts: 13	He's not try to make anyhing too dangerous an I would never put the stuff in a case, I'm a little fond of my eye sight and hands. I didn't figure there there would be an available source for the powder because of it's potiental dangers. If you want to see what he's doing YouTube exploding pellets, the one by shooting eggs is a good video.