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Fug's cans, not mine. He was kind enough to snap pics and send them for me to post.

Here's a pic of my "Savage Repeating Arms" miniature bullets from my display at the CGCA collector's show in Denver a few weeks ago. David

Great display David. Thanks for sharing that. I have read, and been told about the Denver show. Need to make that one next year.

Eric

Calhoun, looks like I might have found a good topic to answer some questions.

I have been searching through (just getting started) the Ordinance Reports looking to see whch powder company got a contract, if any, to supply the new smokeless powder to the US military. I know by Oct 1893 tests were complete and reports submitted Oct 1st, 1893.

You .30-40 Krag buffs already know this information, this is mainly for my brain and to learn more. It shows the early testing of smokeless powder by the US Government. They used the 30-40 Krag, of which a powder had not yet been adopted for service.


Smokeless powders had been around since at least 1882-1885 but seem to be used in shotguns.

My current understand but still digging!!!


The US Government obtained a large supply of Wetteren powder and I think they or someone purchased the rights from the company? Hard to follow but it is in the 961 page report. The Wetteren powder was used as a "standard" to which further powders would be tested.


Nine powder names would be used but some powder companies sent updated samples which would lead to nearly 25 over all tests.

I noticed John Kort was searching for older information back in 2012 https://forum.cartridgecollectors.or...powder/11815/7 When I am searching for something and find his name, I know I am on the right track.


1. Wetteren - Purchased from Cooppal & Cie, Liege Belgium. Used as the testing standard.
2. Smokeless Powder Company Limited, London
A) Rifleite
B) S.R.
C) S.V.
3. B.N.F. - Procured from Hotchkiss Ordinance Company in 1882
4. Peyton - California Powder Company, Santa Cruz California. Plant explosion was the demise and what was left went to Dupont in 1903, operated after 1906 then to Hercules? Powders named to replace Peyton for the 30-40 are unknown to me at the moment. That is the information I am looking for. By this time, I think it was Sharpshooter
5. Leonard - Various powder samples, from Salem
A) Sample "N" and "J", submitted March 1893
B) Samples "J" and "N" submitted April 1893
C) No. 7
D) 13A
C) United States
6. Dupont - a redish Brown colored powder of small regular grains
7. Axtell - New York, Samples 1, 2 and 3
8. Troisdorf - (SS Smokeless Shotgun cira 1900 also used in the 44-40). Eventually marked by Laflin & Rand till 1900
9. Alters - Sweat Home, Ark.


Dates of testing were between Spring 1892 and Spring 1893.


Tests included in Report to Chief Of Ordinance Oct 1st, 1893


Of those powders, Peyton and Leonard were reported to be the two superior powders. It is of these two powders as to what was (at least) to be offered to civilians by 1897 as, what would appear to be W. A. 30 under several labels and names through turnovers of powder companies during those years. It looks as if the early W-A powder was of the Cordite filaments "stick type" but eventually formed into a disc type from what I understand as W.A. 30 by 1897.


Eventually Sharpshooter powder (Laflin & Rand) was of the same formula but smaller grains as W.A. 30 by 1900. Sharpshooter was a great powder for the 44-40.

My main question is does anyone know what powder the military settled with to load the 30-40? I may be missing some other information be we certainly know the Springfield .308 came out by 1899? I have yet to look that far.

Powder Can Photos, always being updated!! https://curtisshawk21.wixsite.com/44...can-collection

Review of the Report To The Chief Of Ordinance: https://curtisshawk21.wixsite.com/44...f-of-ordinance

The Report, best to open settings and view as PDF: https://books.google.com/books?id=74...page&q&f=false

Savage imported Wetteren powders

Might be my computer But I can't open any of those links
Cheers

I had to copy and paste the link.

Thanks Rick
Got that to work

Sorry guys, changed servers and updated the pages.

https://sites.google.com/view/44winchester/powders/report-of-the-chief-of-ordinance

https://sites.google.com/view/44winchester/powders/smokeless-powders-transition-years