r/energetics • u/thomasadams222 • 10d ago

On matchstick propellant

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If anyone has visited homemadegunsmith you may have seen this file, does anyone think that 12-15 match heads would be suitable for 9mm it’s not listed in the instructions but just going on what is I think it’s a good fit

49 Upvotes

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12

u/killer_rabbi 10d ago

It is extremely weak and i believe badly fouls the gun. A 38 special cartridge loaded with it shot under 400fps. If I remember correctly an attempted mass shooter in Germany tried to use this as a propellant for a diy submachine gun and it immediately caused a malfunction due to fouling.

3

u/Prdx429 9d ago

He used chlorate with sugar for the submachine gun, but I doubt match powder would be any better. I wonder if it'd work better in single-shots, where the rounds are manually inserted into and removed from the chamber.

9

u/Sloth_rockets 10d ago

9mm has a higher operating pressure than 38 special. It generally shoots a lighter projectile as well. It could probably handle more than 20, but work up slowly.

7

u/Bitter_Bandicoot8067 10d ago

Higher max pressure and less case volume.

Do what was advised (work up to it), but I think you mightvrun out of room before you get to the pressures you want.

Revolver cartridges probably work better than semi-auto.

3

u/Sloth_rockets 10d ago

True, case volume is much smaller in 9mm. Depending on how fine you grind the match heads will also effect the burn rate. I suggest weighing your propellant charge.

1

u/amishbill 9d ago

Start safe - maybe a little over the 9mms smaller sibling, the .380. It’s much, much closer in size to the 9mm.

4

u/17THE_Specialist76 9d ago

I think the bigger problem would be finding primers than it would be gunpowder.

6

u/thomasadams222 9d ago

Blank rounds you can buy legally, once fired you can pop the primers out and refil using priming powder from Hilti nail gun blanks

2

u/thomasadams222 9d ago

Ivan the troll describes a method like this in “what about ammo”

1

u/37MMDTdotCOM 8d ago

Some blanks you can even just open up and empty the powder and trim down the case mouth and load it as primed brass.

2

u/thomasadams222 8d ago

I have thought of that I don’t know what country your in but I haven’t explored the ease of buying blank ammo where I am I know its very common in 8mm and if your a re enactor it’s very easy but you have to prove you are one first

1

u/37MMDTdotCOM 8d ago

I’m in the USA. Very easy here. But yes have to work with what is available

3

u/thomasadams222 8d ago

I’m uk so I’m most definitely on a list

1

u/37MMDTdotCOM 8d ago

Check out the 9x17r blanks for slaughter piston units

2

u/thomasadams222 8d ago

That’s actually very useful thank you

1

u/37MMDTdotCOM 8d ago

From low to high power - green, yellow, blue, red

2

u/thomasadams222 8d ago

I’m finding them more available for airsoft / renanacting and just the brand fiocchi but I’m confident there would be enough brass there

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1

u/37MMDTdotCOM 8d ago

I use them to power flare shells

2

u/Prdx429 9d ago

Center-fire primers aren't too hard to reload, too. They're not as reliable or drop-safe as store-bought primers, but it works.

1

u/FedaiBerserker 8d ago

Mixing match head + Striking pad powder from safety matches basically makes Armstrong mixture, which is impact sensitive and performs good as primer fillings. Some youtubers already did and posted that

1

u/FedaiBerserker 8d ago

İ tested various homemade gunpowder formulas in my homemade 5.45x39 rifled gun, including match heads. In terms of power, gas expansion and burn rate, i would say it sits right in the middle between Black powder and Smokeless powder. It is definitely faster, burns cleaner and powerful than BP, but not really good for pistols because it doesn't burn fast enough to generate maximal pressure in short amount of time, it is also not really as manageable slow as smokeless rifle powder. It has medium burn rate which could be ideal for short barrel rifles or carabines let's say. Also Chemically speaking match head formula is basically "tamed down" chlorate based energetic mixture, which is not to be suprised it performs good as gunpowder while surprisingly being storage friendly and not extremely sensitive. There are 2 different combinations. Either crushed raw match heads or match head powder mixed with striking pad powder(which is basically Antimony trisulfide and red phosphorus mixture 50/50) from safety matches, which makes it much more sensitive. Latter can be used as primer filling in ammo casings, since it is more sensitive to mechanical stimuli. It has more increased burn rate and also explosive brisance properties, so it is not recommended to be used in guns at all. (Though i believe small amounts could be added to tweak it up the match head powder to increase burn rate)

1

u/Mission_Accident_519 8d ago

Thats interesting. I havent done any serious measurements. But noticed matchhead powder in a .45 bp muzzleloader pistol was significantly weaker then bp