Antimony Sulfide- worth getting?

[imisscookie]

The only source I'm aware of sells it for 25$/lb + shipping. I have a moderate supply of other chems, so it'd be an order only for this stuff. Perhaps someone with experience could describe how much difference it makes and in which applications (including what I don't list) is Sb2S3 unique to a specific effect?

 

I'm especially considering this for:

Reactive targets, high to low power rifles/pistols - for low powered specifically, Kp + Al+ S+ Mg turnings + glass doesn't reliably explode (it either DOES, or doesn't). In the smaller amounts I usually use, about a snus tobacco can worth, this is especially a problem. KClO3 is incoming for this purpose though (wouldn't include sulfur with that).

 

Glitter/Sparkling effects, ground and air based.

 

Flash powder, but considering the price, don't know how it can be worth it (since 2-3lbs of flash could be made for the price of a lb of SbS3), but it is interesting the military used it in simulated blasts ("M80s"). My interests mostly are for the reactive targets and some ground blasts; perhaps for electrical ignition but standard flash in christmas lights have worked fine...

 

for mortars, would the acceleration makes it unsafe if mixed with flash?

 

Since little can be found searching for info on stibnite, or antimony trisulfide other than comparing needle to pyro grades, I invite replies relating to any aspect of this compound, including other uses and possible toxic effects/precautions relating- something I'll likely add to after doing more research.

Edited December 26, 2012 by imisscookie

[californiapyro]

Shoot me a PM, I can do much better than $25/LB. My shipping's cheap, too

 

-Hunter

[bubba153]

I'm especially considering this for:

Reactive targets, high to low power rifles/pistols - for low powered specifically, Kp + Al+ S+ Mg turnings + glass doesn't reliably explode (it either DOES, or doesn't). In the smaller amounts I usually use, about a snus tobacco can worth, this is especially a problem. KClO3 is incoming for this purpose though (wouldn't include sulfur with that).

 

Thunder #3 will reliably solve your problem with the high-powered rifles, at least .204, .223, 22-250, etc. Modification of Thunder #3 with SbS3 should solve the rimfire/pistol equation for you, although I question shooting such reactive targets at pistol ranges. I don't know how dry it is where you shoot, but IMO the addition of coarser Mg just turns your target into an incendiary device (BTDT). KClO3 is probably just a bad idea, IMO, especially if you plan on using Mg or glass in the mix. Many people here wouldn't consider 2 oz. of flash powder a small amount, which is what a snuff can holds. Remember as you try to increase the composition's sensitivity you are increasing the risk of inadvertent injury due to increased sensitivity to impact, friction, static, etc. An accident while fabricating a 2 oz device WILL impact the rest of your life, assuming you survive (missing parts, burns, etc). Most people that use such targets also make them in their workshop and are then transporting devices which have been DESIGNED to be sensitive.

[imisscookie]

californiapyro: Thanks for the offer but I'm considering whether I have a good use for it, or not really a constructive (destructive ) reason.

 

 

bubba153: I've used roughly that recipe more than once; I've ranged from 3%-15% S. I meant small snus metal cans, about 10-15g flash and lesser success (twice with 5.56!) below 30g. I should have added my procedure but didn't want to get into directions for kids to be able to follow, or state my excuses for not being a good role model for newbies here and therefore not appropriate in this section .

 

I do mix on site, and make sure it rained recently (on rural property). Perhaps Mg turnings in daylight are a waste but I added for friction. The glass is kept in front of but separated from mix, with cotton+ thin tape, tried removable paper but seems its not a variable- amount of glass is, and size of target mix only variables I've noticed. I've had most reliability with whole clay pidgins (50yds and still a thud to chest, yikes), smaller means chance of spilled wasted flash. I want smaller to work, which is a big reason for considering SbS3, and potency would be a plus too, if it makes difference. The Al is dark pyro and seems good; the KP "china with anti-cake" source, less certain. Don't see reason the S would be cut, I paid extra for elemental, didn't get rubber maker's.

 

My flash without S is quite fast enough, when lit. With S, burns like a mess- neutered. I've read much about how S sensitizes, or even adds to noise. My experience is different with only one exception (hammer friction pops it first).

 

It seems S retards my flash compared to plain~70/30; which is a curiosity, and I've considered/ruled out lack of oxygen. I like to work out stoichiometrically what I'm going to mix, but I've disregarded that a few times and added excessive KP in case its impure.

 

I'm down to using 3% S, none if its a fused paper noisemaker (50mg or below of course ) . My usual 2.2:1 KP/Al dark which seems instant, Openly burning +S lines and piles on paper still looks fast, maybe like poorly mixed BP, but at times stuttering (stop, start, sizzle out like it didn't get going enough or caught too soon before enough heat added). With slight containment, -S still wins. With decent containment, I can't tell the difference in noise between +S or -S. I don't want to continue further off topic, but I've pre-answered "why you need more than 70/30?" and hope someone can answer why S would slow down my mix. I don't notice a difference +S or -S in bang when well contained, lit or shot.

Edited December 27, 2012 by imisscookie

[bubba153]

I meant small snus metal cans, about 10-15g flash and lesser success (twice with 5.56!) below 30g.

 

Sorry. Around here snus (the oral tobacco product) is called snuff by the dippers. I am only familiar with the plastic "tins" with the very thin aluminum lid (Copenhagen, Skoal, etc) and trust me, these hold approx. 2 oz. of flash.

 

The glass is kept in front of but separated from mix, with cotton+ thin tape,

 

Glass, in a reactive target? You need to re-think this endeavor.

 

Openly burning +S lines and piles on paper still looks fast, maybe like poorly mixed BP, but at times stuttering (stop, start, sizzle out like it didn't get going enough or caught too soon before enough heat added).

 

You have a problem with either the S (purity, particle size, mixing incorporation, etc.), or a problem with the base formula, or perhaps the other chems. My Thunder #3 is every bit as fast as 70/30, and inertially confines at a bit less than 1 gm. I've never seen #3 stutter, sizzle or stop and start. S is prone to clumping (both macro and micro) and re-clumps fairly quickly after screening (at least mine does).

 

I'd recommend trying to figure out this problem before throwing SbS3 or KClO3 into the mix, and I'd seriously plan on avoiding KClO3 altogether -- it's not necessary.

 

What, precisely, are you shooting these targets with to attempt to initiate them?

[imisscookie]

No need to apologize; as I admitted, I've packed clay pidgins full... well twice; I was told by someone 1.5 miles away that the noise may concern people; not that I cared, because my closest neighbor is ~300yds away and he is cool with shooting them with me on occasion.

 

Perhaps my chemicals have issues or I've put too weak of an effort in mixing them; like I said I'm happy with it for non-target uses but these failures (no boom at all, just a mist of wasted flash) have caused me to re-examine the true sensitivity of the mix, both +S and -S 70-30. The KP is the limiting reagent since it needs 600C to start. I was blasting 150mW of very focused red laser light into small piles of the +S 7% (~20-100mg) and it would create some smoke right away; then a few very brief flutters of white at the spot after 5-10sec, then it'd go all at once if I spent over a minute trying.

 

I think I got a pretty good feel for safety of the mixes I've made, after doing many sensitivity tests and experiments. I wouldn't recommend to anyone glass because I don't like the liability for such statements. It'd feel easier to say I agree. I worked my way up to throwing a few half jars of flash with glass in it against a tree, to feel comfortable carrying it 100-200ft , and to ease someone's concern when we were going on an ATV ride with it (I kept glass separate usually with some cotton and a CD glued onto the clay pidgin. They'd be about 1/3-full which is a scary feeling when holding or a short ride. If I had chlorate it'd definitely be a mix on site only thing.

 

I've been pretty tempted to get the stib... from reading around; but nothing concrete to say it makes flash more sensitive and powerful in a way better than plain S. I want to more because I doubt there is health risk in small amounts (esp compared to something like realgar)

 

Its been sad being out of fuse for over 2 months.. Sci4u better hurry up.

[bubba153]

The KP is the limiting reagent since it needs 600C to start.

 

One of the main points of the S is that it lowers the ignition temperature, thus making the composition more sensitive as well as normally making it faster. I still contend that there is something wrong with your comp. with the S.

 

I worked my way up to throwing a few half jars of flash with glass in it against a tree, to feel comfortable carrying it 100-200ft , and to ease someone's concern when we were going on an ATV ride with it (I kept glass separate usually with some cotton and a CD glued onto the clay pidgin.

 

What is it with you, flash, and GLASS?? Working up to the next round of Darwin awards?

 

I've been pretty tempted to get the stib... from reading around; but nothing concrete to say it makes flash more sensitive and powerful in a way better than plain S.

 

Until you are able to make an acceptable, functioning Thunder #3, or at least a working close approximation (or any perc, Al, S comp.), what makes you think that you will be able to make a working composition with SbS3? You have a flaw with your chems or procedure, and need to sort that out before you turn yourself into a statistic. This is not the time to be experimenting with yet more sensitive materials. The various flash powders are just about the dead simplest pyrotechnic compositions to make, requiring minimal to no skill (or knowledge base), but at the same time are some of the more dangerous pyrotechnic compositions you can handle. Your inability to make and troubleshoot a functional "+S" flash is very worrisome to me.

 

Low velocity rimfire bullets have little in terms of energy to impart to your composition, and those wax-coated 22's don't even offer much in terms of frictional heating. It may not be a concern at rimfire velocity/energies, but some compositions can exhibit what appears to be a critical diameter with high-velocity projectiles.

 

 

I realize that you are probably aware, but at least 3 of the major manufacturers sell rimfire sensitive compositions that work so long as you follow their guidelines. I know it's not the same as making your own, but at least they will allow you to do what you are attempting with some degree of safety. Don't expect any of them to function with less than a .22 long rifle shell.

 

http://www.shop.sureshotexplodingtargets.com/

http://www.startargets.com/en/?page_id=2

http://www.tannerite.com/shop/category/exploding-rifle-targets/

[imisscookie]

Simply, if the Sb2S3 is more sensitizing and effective than S, then I could use it.

 

I'm skeptical I have a flaw or ratio imbalance that can be worked out; not convinced there, although my targets weren't mixed as well as usual (once again the glass is separate and not in contact unless the bullet successfully does that part). If there is something wrong it causes my mix to be less sensitive and safer to handle. I don't have a problem with lighting flash in cardboard, with or without S.

 

After seeing a purity test of KP , in the mid 80%, I think impurity there could be a reason; is there an advantage to using rubbermaker S? I vaguely remember reading of something additional present to help in comps; not related to 'don't use flowers of sulfur' cause of acid concern.

[Seymour]

Rubber makers Sulfur is high purity and low acid.

 

Perhaps I underestimate the power of a semi decent air rifle at relatively short distance, but my experience with that makes me unconvinced that you need more sensitising of your mix.

 

We tried shooting KP/S/MgAl/Ti, sandwitched between layers of junkmail, with regular 70/30 a few pages behind. Often the 70/30 would explode, but the made up 'ignition mix' seemed to only go off partially or not at all, as the relatively small amount of flash had simply scattered the dust.

 

We tried shooting just the ignition mix. It was lacking. It sometimes went, but never fully. Plain old 70/30 though (german dark), went off every time we hit it, and of course went bang really well.

 

I know I'm not the only one to have used K perchlorate/Aluminium in paper cases.

 

I suggest better mixing, and not using glass. I often walk with bare feet, and the less people smashing glass in strange places the better really. There are arguments for it being better for you too.

 

I think you should get SbS3 if you are seriously interested in the hobby. It's not a 'must have', I've never had a play with it, but it comes up in nice glitters, and other streamers, white stars, and perhaps the dark art of dark flash.

 

However, I would not waste it on shooting at.

[imisscookie]

I never tried an air rifle on a mix; 22 out of a pistol is low as it got. I rather this thread not get narrowed to flash target mix sensitizing and HE'ish stuff, safety safety safety suggestions (we don't know who will read this and what they may take from it and misinterpret, but the darwin thing and very broad warnings seem scare tacticish and authoritarian. I am safe to a reasonable extent, imo, and can be influenced by new info. I drove an ambulance to a firework accident and treated 2 people, one taken to ER.

 

I realize glass is high friction, but my flash mixes I've abused thoroughly to test limits. I didn't want this to be HE'ish

 

I've improved target mixes and haven't mentioned the important variable of placement and backstop assisted ignition; as well as my own adjusting but still have seen a 5.56 M193 (55 grain rifle round going 1k/s) fail twice with direct hit and M855 (main battle cartridge, steel penetrator) fail 1 out of 1 time. Percentage of success or failure isn't that scientific cause of the various containers with slightly different ratios, but its worth noting that a 9mm going around 1200fps had higher ignitions than a 10mm short (.40s&w 950-1050fps); it reminds me of the 1/2mv² kinetic energy equation which gives preference to velocity over mass (therefore momentum). Just to make this "simplest" subject a bit more complex.

 

simplest pyrotechnic compositions to make, requiring minimal to no skill (or knowledge base)

 

I like to get complicated with it; of course people can throw a mix together, but it is a very complex subject. It may have been here I found a pdf of a bunch of tests with flash in some study which listed accidents... damn my previous (HP) computer for frying right after its warranty expired or I'd have it.

 

I may use Antimony sulfide in flash but also if it produces unique glitter and sparks. I guess the topic is a bit subjective unless decibel meters and spectroscopy is brought into it. Anyone having personal experience mixing with it, please post; it doesn't need to be about flash. Since a pound may last me years, I am still unsure if I should invest, being broke. If I had more money and less debt I'd find out for myself. Its toxicity doesn't seem more concerning than lead, maybe less so since its in matches, solder, etc.

[californiapyro]

If it's any interest to you, I can send you however much you need, be it 100 grams or a full pound. $14/LB. I hope this helps, if you decide you want any.

[Mumbles]

I agree with most here. If you're into glitters or more legit pyro efforts, it's certainly worth having. I feel in this regard it offers a better effect. If you're just going to use it for more reactive flash powders or reactive targets, not worth it at all.

 

I'd also lose all use of any form of glass or metal. Justify it and your safety precautions all you'd like, but it's still dumb and asking for trouble. If you're looking for something to increase friction and sparks, look toward titanium instead. It makes a prettier effect IMO too.

[imisscookie]

Thanks for the input; was hoping I'd get Mumbles's take on this (and it not be locked). I'll try SbS someday soon but after doing some reading, was reminded that CuO is higher priority (thermite, incendiary targets, blue favorite color). I read through the chinese formulas and only saw 1 using SbS; even if it had good visual effects I'd still probably hold my breath out of health anxiety.

 

Perhaps when I'd mix with the reactive metal Mg, it wasn't homogenous enough. I get that slight fear/respect feeling when I have a pile of the 3 alone, + Mg in front of me together makes me slow moving. Chems can be unpredictable, in my imagination it is because they have such high speed (air=few hundred m/s for example, in solids more of a vibration; getting stuck and unstuck, throwing EM waves at each other, amazing stuff)... temperature is a very broad average measurement and all it takes is some anomalous fast movers to initiate a chain reaction. I may still use Mg for targets but let the bullet join them like I did with glass.

 

Since I have a bit of AN coming, perhaps that'll be the cheaper way and I'm curious how it compares to flash when struck; have doubts that its as stunning despite higher listed velocity.

[FlaMtnBkr]

Something still doesn't seem right with your mix if you are having problems with a 5.56 round. That should ignite anything. What kind of aluminum are you using? In my experience sulfur will sensitize just about as much as antimony oxide. Your sulfur doesn't happen to be the garden variety that has 10% clay added in? Even that makes hot BP without much difference than if using pure sulfur.

 

Blue aluminum will even light when confined to a cardboard tube and a hot fuse. And that stuff is intentionally not very hot. I would bet if you get some known hot aluminum you will notice a big difference. If you don't have a good source maybe try the star molecule aluminum. It isn't the cheapest in 1 lb lots, but it is easy to buy a single pound. I also would only use flash for .22 and smaller handgun rounds. It is more sensitive, expensive, and harder to make on site. While AN based seem more impressive to me for the bigger rifle rounds. I make 100g AN targets that are plenty loud and work every time with a .223 as long as the AN is dry. They can be pre weighed and mixed on site (which makes them binary and the only reason they are still legal- which I doubt lasts much longer) and they don't need confinement. They can simply be put in a plastic bag and ignite with a fast round. From my testing you need a round traveling at 2800 ft/s + for reliability.

 

I also wouldn't use glass. If you feel you need something to increase friction, then I suggest aquarium gravel. It at least was used in wide spread use in torpedos and doesn't leave sharp trash that doesn't go away. But unless the flash powder is in contact with your friction producer, I doubt it is doing much. That's why the addition of coarse Ti not only helps with ignition, but makes a neat spark effect too since it is mixed in. However, I think if you get your chems down, you shouldn't need anything else. I have done extensive testing for small caliber targets and have formulas of varying sensitivity. Send me a message if you are interested as I don't want to list them for the kewl kids. First, let us know what aluminum you're using and maybe even the source of your other chems.

 

Antimony can be used, but sulfur will do the same thing and is cheaper and non toxic. If you think you will make glitter and white stars then having some on hand can't hurt. But great effects can be made without it as well. I've made beautiful glitter and white stars and never used antimony.

[bubba153]

Finally got some photos and videos together to demonstrate what this particular type of reactive target can do. I'm still not comfortable with using the forum software properly, so I'll link to some pics and vids on photobucket.

 

Picture of a snuff tin target being filled -- this is with Thunder #3. The only thing that goes in the tin is flash -- it's slightly tamped to avoid shifting when the target is hung up. The tins hold 53 grams of powder +/- a gram or two.

http://s947.beta.photobucket.com/user/bubba153_photos/media/Reactive%20Target/canfill_zps3b8172cb.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4

 

A completed target. The target is wrapped around the circumference to seal the tin, and then crossing strapping is done to provide a bit of confinement, but really more to keep most of the powder in one place when impacted with a high-velocity projectile:

http://s947.beta.photobucket.com/user/bubba153_photos/media/Reactive%20Target/canfini_zps5bbd3d39.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5

 

Target pinned to a typical backstop. No metal, glass, or anything other than cardboard is present:

http://s947.beta.photobucket.com/user/bubba153_photos/media/Reactive%20Target/DSCN0449_zpsd7684da6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

 

All of these targets were shot with a 22-250, with the shooter at approximately 150 yards, the camera at about 60 yards using a telephoto lens and tripod. The first clip is a bit long -- the shooter missed his first shot, and my editing software keeps screwing the clip up when I try to shorten it.

 

First clip, target is standard Thunder #3 as described in FAST:

http://s947.beta.photobucket.com/user/bubba153_photos/media/Reactive%20Target/DSCN0452-Clip1_zps95bbe17b.mp4.html?sort=3&o=2

 

Second clip, target is "standard" KClO4 + Al formulation.

http://s947.beta.photobucket.com/user/bubba153_photos/media/Reactive%20Target/DSCN0454-Clip2_zps40510518.mp4.html?sort=3&o=1

 

Last clip, target is KClO3 + Al:

http://s947.beta.photobucket.com/user/bubba153_photos/media/Reactive%20Target/DSCN0458-Clip0_zpscd111e45.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0

[psyco_1322]

If you are looking for a sensitive target mix for small pistol plinking, I'd use 6:2 CuO:Al. It doesn't make a lot of noise, but it's quite sensitive to shots. I was mixing a little steel lathe turnings in some targets, not thinking they would ignite, but they did, and made some annoying clouds of hot sparks that lit grass on fire. This mix should be fine just by itself though.

 

I'm not really sure, but plain 7:3:1 using sulfur should go off just fine, not need to use special Thunder comps, which IMO are over rated anyways. A key to the targets might be loading density, loose filled tubes may make it harder for the bullet to impact something well enough to set it off.

 

AN targets seem to have a deeper sounding boom, where as the flash ones will have the sharper report sounds.

[bubba153]

I'm not really sure, but plain 7:3:1 using sulfur should go off just fine, not need to use special Thunder comps, which IMO are over rated anyways.

 

Thunder #3 is nothing special. Same chemicals you cite, just somewhat different proportions. In my experience, it will go off about 9 out of 10 times with a .22 LR at 50 yards, with a few more failures as distance increases; while I have never seen a failure with a high velocity projectile at any (realistic) distance. While I can't prove it, I suspect this plays to impact sensitivity more so than frictional heating -- the whole E=MV² thing. There does seem to be a minor difference in the quality of the reaction between a .22 rimfire strike and a high-velocity strike, but that may just be subjective.

[imisscookie]

I think the limitation of my mix was that it wasn't mixed well. I haven't shot bullets at any brews lately, but have on small scale, screened pre- and post mixing , both ~2.2:1 KP-Al (which is and has been ~3 micron dark flake), and with sulfur 10%. I spent a long time mixing well but also safe; i've hesitated to screen flash, and wouldn't if anything but KP (KClO3 no way) but it helped make a faster mix (still, the 2.2:1 seems instant, with the +S a few ms slower).

 

The way I mixed is worth mentioning; although it'd be tedious in large amounts, I'd weigh out for example 700mg of KP, add to plastic container with lid (8 for 1$ at dollar store, very handy things) , add 300mg Al, then shake a bit, then screen in bits,, to avoid lumping together inconsistent parts, but if there were any, the final stage was a larger plastic jar gentle but prolonged shaking. Its easy to underestimate how much mixing is enough, more can improve a mix i've recently found.

 

However, it seems shaking the f*&k out of good quality KNO3,C,S is different, it must need orders of magnitude more intimate mixing cause my BP sucks (no ball mill, yet, and I disregarded the liquid+stove mixing instructions, to see how far I got with marbles and patient shaking).

 

As for the stibnite (my cat's new nickname ,he has colors of the mineral), , with the limited experimental non scientific comparison (need a cheap decibel meter)... it seemed to add a quickness and sharp noise in a 0.5g folded playing card and its worth having for the glitter recipes i've seen on youtube. If this dark can't do glitter, that's fine, i bought it mainly for the bang. Hopefully better mixing allows targets to work fine without it, since i've seen on this thread and the exploding target thread, that 70-30 should be enough, and it raises the average cost per gram.

 

Thanks bubba for the video, way better than i'd expect, and seems more like how my larger targets reacted (since below a certain size they rarely worked)... my shooting mixes were done a few months ago and I think the problem after all was not enough blending, like was suggested... i'll get out to my range this saturday and should get some good results on different mixes, well mixed this time. I guess the bullets don't do much mixing on their own like I had thought, as an excuse to avoid spending much time with ingredients I wasn't yet comfortable enough to stir up much.

 

On NYE I shot .223 into a plastic tobacco tin with 95:5 AN-Al , which was shaken about a minute- no detonation, just half the beads spilled onto the snow. Perhaps there is a minimun size (also?) as seemed suggested in a post around here somewhere.

Edited January 10, 2013 by imisscookie

[bubba153]

The way I mixed is worth mentioning; although it'd be tedious in large amounts, I'd weigh out for example 700mg of KP, add to plastic container with lid (8 for 1$ at dollar store, very handy things) , add 300mg Al, then shake a bit, then screen in bits,, to avoid lumping together inconsistent parts, but if there were any, the final stage was a larger plastic jar gentle but prolonged shaking. Its easy to underestimate how much mixing is enough, more can improve a mix i've recently found.

 

One thing I discovered a long time ago is that while just about any flash even remotely close in terms of proper proportions will work while confined in a tube and ignited via fuse, relatively small changes in proportion can affect impact/friction sensitivity. My scale is not all that accurate in those mg quantities you mention, so even for testing purposes I normally make a larger batch, usually around 10 gms. Although infrequent, when I do build reacitve targets, I work with MUCH larger amounts -- not that this is recommended. Despite all the exhortations to avoid plastics, I have used the plastic tub mixing method, but only on damp days and also using a grounding strap on the table, a ground plate for the tub, etc. I also know some people that use paper sandwich bags for their mixing, thus far without incident. If I were using Mg, or KClO3, I would be more circumspect with my mixing.

 

On NYE I shot .223 into a plastic tobacco tin with 95:5 AN-Al , which was shaken about a minute- no detonation, just half the beads spilled onto the snow. Perhaps there is a minimun size (also?) as seemed suggested in a post around here somewhere.

 

I think there may be a minimum size. I've seen people mix and then decant commercial tannerite into small containers, and then shoot those small containers with rifles that worked with the larger containers that only got a small pop, or no pop at all and prills spread around. Many HE's exhibit what I believe is called a critical diameter.

 

However, it seems shaking the f*&k out of good quality KNO3,C,S is different, it must need orders of magnitude more intimate mixing cause my BP sucks (no ball mill, yet, and I disregarded the liquid+stove mixing instructions, to see how far I got with marbles and patient shaking).

 

Shaking/mixing BP will NEVER give you the results of milling. Besides reducing the particle size, milling incorporates the chemicals (think "smashes/grinds" them together or smashes the oxidizer into the porous charcoal).

 

I guess the bullets don't do much mixing on their own like I had thought, as an excuse to avoid spending much time with ingredients I wasn't yet comfortable enough to stir up much.

 

I don't think you can expect the projectile to do any mixing.

 

You might note on my second and third clip that even my compounds were not mixed quite as well as they might have been. If you look closely, you can see what appear to be multiple bright spots flying away from the target. I believe these were aluminum particles (possibly very small clumps, since the Al was Indian "blackhead"). Normally, I don't see these small separate burning particles.

[flying fish]

Not to be "that guy" but here are a few points on safety...

 

Paper containers are best, don't use glass or metal (as Mumbles mentioned)

Elevating the target will prevent it from kicking up rocks (if needed).

Don't open mix your powder. Put each component in the final casing to 3/4" full, seal it, and gently turn and/or roll the casing to mix.

Edited January 11, 2013 by flying fish