Powder ad from 1896

[TBark]

Found this in a museum in South Australia.
Curious what the price per lb was back them.

TBark

[Pioneer2]

Higginson Powder used to sell that powder in bulk cardboard boxes in the early 80's.

[Dean2]

$1 in 1898 is worth about $31 today. From what I can find, powder sold for about $1.5 to $2 a pound, depending on where you were. Stuff today is actually cheaper in a lot of cases than it was back in the day. I know reloading gear bought in 1968 was relatively FAR more expensive than buying the same stuff today.

The only thing that messes with the comparison is taxes. Today, we pay 60%, and in some places more than that, of our total income in the form of one tax or another. Back in 1898 this would have been less than 10%.

Neat old ad. Thanks for posting.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

Higginson Powder used to sell that powder in bulk cardboard boxes in the early 80's.

Cardboard is safer than tin cans in the event of a fire.

Grizz

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Cardboard is safer than tin cans in the event of a fire.

Grizz

What?
Go read about smokeless powder in fires.
Better yet read about small arms ammunition in fires.
https://www.range365.com/how-dangero...-in-house-fire

You are spreading old wives tales.

Your 1 pounder of propane, or that refill of butane for your torch is far more explosive.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Dick284

What?
Go read about smokeless powder in fires.
Better yet read about small arms ammunition in fires.
https://www.range365.com/how-dangero...-in-house-fire

You are spreading old wives tales.

Your 1 pounder of propane, or that refill of butane for your torch is far more explosive.

From the article



"Metal containers are typically not ideal," Jones said. "When a fire comes through and when that ammunition gets super heated to ignite, if it's stored in a steel container, that can create quite an explosion within the steel container."

Actually done experiment, a metal powder can will burst with a signifcant explosion.


Grizz

[catnthehat]

When I visited his shop, Tom Higginson showed me the results of an experiment he did to prove to the Government that they knew nothing of what they were trying to bring into law .
Packing box of 24 individual one pound cans full of powder in his cardboard cans that resrmbled the old Nestle’s Quick cans with the big tin top
The Center one had s hole in the lid with a common fuse .
It was lit and ehrnnit went off the pressure and short game went straight up ,
He had place a sheet of paper on each side of the can and none were scorched !

The whole thing about smokeless is the contained pressure - if it isn’t Contained and allowed to To build pressure smokeless powder is not that dangerous
Cat

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

From the article



"Metal containers are typically not ideal," Jones said. "When a fire comes through and when that ammunition gets super heated to ignite, if it's stored in a steel container, that can create quite an explosion within the steel container."

Actually done experiment, a metal powder can will burst with a signifcant explosion.


Grizz

Metal vs, soldered tin.....
DuPont used to market their IMR and similar powers in tin containers with soldered seams, the solder would be softened up enough to simply fail if it got in a fire.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Metal vs, soldered tin.....
DuPont used to market their IMR and similar powers in tin containers with soldered seams, the solder would be softened up enough to simply fail if it got in a fire.

Yup really low tin content on the solder and the seams were designed weakly so that the pressure would not build up .
Cat

[Red Bullets]

Around 1886 Nobel's smokeless powder sold for between 2.75 and 6.50 a keg depending on location sold. A keg was either 8.75" tall by 6.5" dia. or 13" tall and 11" in dia.. The price probably didn't increase much in ten years.

[catnthehat]

The keg I have that I keep my 700X in is about 14” tall I think
Cat