rving only to ignite it and cause it
to explode. But even this would not cause the powder to explode except
it be confined behind a projectile, that sufficient pressure may be run
up to make it burn in its own gases.

Some curious experiments with smokeless powder may be tried with a shot
gun. If the fulminating cap be large, the powder fine, the wads numerous
and hard and the charge of shot heavy, all being well rammed down, and
the paper case well spun over the last pasteboard wad, a charge of
smokeless powder about equal in weight to one-half of what would be
employed of black powder would give about the same results as black
powder. But if the charge of shot be omitted, the primer will only
ignite the powder, and there will be set up sufficient pressure merely
to throw the wads about half way up the barrel of the gun, when the
powder will go out. Now if this same charge of powder be collected and
reloaded into a new cartridge case and well confined behind wads and a
charge of shot, as above explained, it will all burn, giving the same
results as black powder.

Attempts have been made to use this powder in pistols and revolvers, but
here it has proved a failure, as the pressure is not great enough to
cause the powder to be consumed, unless it be in the form of very fine
grains or dust, in which case the pressure mounts too high. However,
this might be overcome to a degree by making the powder porous. The
chemical conditions of the powder might be the same, but the physical
conditions must be different. A powder suitable for shot guns and
pistols would not be suitable for rifles.

One not familiar with the characteristics of smokeless powder would be
almost certain to fail in his first attempt to fire it. Many persons
have been convinced by their first experiments that this powder would
not burn at all in a gun, any more than so much sand.

Smokeless powder is consumed with a rapidity which accords with the
conditions of its confinement. Therefore, the bullets which have been
experimented with by different governments have been the cause of much
of the varying pressures attributed to the smokeless powders.

The Austrians use the Mannlicher steel jacketed bullet. The steel casing
or jacket is first tinned on the inside and then the lead is cast in,
thus melting the tin and adhering firmly to the jacket. This projectile
sets up enormous friction in the barrel of the gun when used with
smokeless powder; as the smoke