Common garden ingredients for gunpowder?

[Ak_guy]

Seems like there was a thread on the FalFiles or AR15.com or ak47.net that had a list of the common name garden chemicals used to make gunpowder. Anyone know where this thread is?? OR what brands you use? One was a stump dissolver or something...

[Dr. X]

I saw it on Star Trek years back but I can't remember what the ingredients were...:eek: I'd be interested to know the formula as well. "Stump Not" is the stump dissolver we have locally, but I haven't checked the ingredients to see what the chemical makeup is...:cool:

as ever,
Dr. X

[Arizona Highlander]

As I recall, the “Star Trek” formula Captain Kirk came up was nothing more than your everyday black powder: roughly 75% saltpeter (can be either sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate) 15% charcoal, and 10% sulfur. He ended up creating a single-shot device from a bamboo-like tube, and used diamonds as projectiles to fend off a lizard-like alien (gad, can you imagine that I actually remember all this crap from Star Trek)?

Sulfur and saltpeter occur naturally, but they might be tough to find in your locale. I understand the Confederates, during the last, gloomy days of the CSA, were desperate enough that they resorted to manufacturing a saltpeter substitute from urine - yuck! Charcoal, of course, can be made almost anywhere.

Black powder is a “low explosive” and doesn’t do much damage unless it’s contained. Works great in grandpa’s old flintlock, though. I hear that actually making the stuff is a bear: one little spark and it’s through the roof you go. Therefore, I absolutely DO NOT suggest that anyone try making it. If you just gotta have some black powder, go down to your local gunstore, buy a can or two of FFFG, and be happy.

As for “higher” explosives, I’m not sure. The “garden ingredients” comment suggests (obviously) common ammonium nitrate - but that stuff usually won’t detonate without some kind of high explosive trigger, like a blasting cap (not exactly something one can easily fabricate in their garage).

Sorry, that about exhausts my knowledge of the topic. But I'm pretty sure that the FBI will be paying me a visit sometime tomorrow to discuss the matter further.:eek:

[HottAK47]

http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/foxfire5.html


Much like driving an automobile or fireing a weapon, making gunpowder can be a dangerous event, but much less dangerous if you pay attention to what the Hell you are doing.

This link is to the old Foxfire book but pretty well covers the basics. A search of "Making gunpowder will provide a lot of info.

[Dr. X]

(gad, can you imagine that I actually remember all this crap from Star Trek)?...

Hell, Everything Important in Life I learned from watching Star Trek...:D

as ever,
Dr. X

[HottAK47]

I had already been making black powder for about ten years when I first viewed the Star Trek where Kirk made gunpowder from suspiciously available local rocks and thought it was kind of hokey. I seem to remember the Capt. beating on rocks while Spock distracted the goomer by engaging him in a rock fight I could be disremembering all that, though, lots of burnt out brain cells since then

[Dr. X]

I seem to remember the Capt. beating on rocks while Spock distracted the goomer by engaging him in a rock fight...

Alas, Spock could but send Vulcan mind-melds Kirk's way as he battled the Saurian captain, for both captains' ships were held in thrall by the caprices of Cosmic Gamers as the duo battled to the death on the conveniently saltpeter, charcoal, diamond and sulphur-rich planet's surface. The loser captain's ship would be... destroyed!!! :eek:

as ever,
Dr. X