Astralit. Wetter-
Astralit.
Nitroglycerine 4 4
Ammonium nitrate 84·5 74·5
Trinitro-toluene 7 7
Wood meal 1 1
Charcoal 1 1
Paraffin oil 2·5 2·5
Sodium chloride -- 10
Gelatine-
Wetter-
Astralit.
Nitroglycerine 4
Dinitro-chlorhydrin 16
Nitrocotton 0·5
Ammonium nitrate 40
Sodium nitrate 7·5
Dinitro-toluene 4
Nitro-toluene 1
Wood meal 0·5
Potato meal 8
Rape oil 2
Ammonium oxalate 2·5
Sodium chloride 14
Explosives of the Astralit type have also been used extensively
by the Germans for filling trench howitzer shell and similar
projectiles. The following is approximately the composition used for
this purpose--
Nitroglycerine 3
Nitrocotton 0·5
Ammonium nitrate 77
Trinitro-toluene 16
Wood meal 3·5
This explosive was authorised in England under the name of Australite.
=ATLAS POWDER.=--A brand of American straight dynamite.
=AUSTRALITE.= See =ASTRALIT=.
*=AXITE.= A smokeless powder made by Kynoch, Ltd., and used for
sporting rifles. It is a sort of Cordite MD, with a little of the
guncotton replaced by potassium nitrate, and is in the form of flat
strips. A sample had the composition--
Nitroglycerine 29·7
Guncotton 63·1
Potassium nitrate 1·9
Mineral jelly 5·1
Volatile matter 0·2
*=B.=--Poudre B is the French service propellant. It consists
of nitrocotton gelatinised with ether-alcohol, in which it is partly
soluble. A little diphenylamine is added to increase the stability.
Formerly, various other additions have been made. A letter or letters
are added to show the size of the powder and the purpose for which it
is used--
Poudre BF for rifles (from _f_usil).
BNF a later powder for rifles (from _n_ouveau).
BC for field guns (from _c_ampagne).
BSP for siege howitzers (from _s_iège et _p_lace).
BGC for larger military guns (from _g_ros _c_alibre).
BM for naval ordnance (from _m_arine); a figure is
added to show the size.
Further letters and figures are added to show other particulars about
the powder; D_2 means 2 per cent. of diphenylamine has been added
as a stabiliser, or AM_8, 8 per cent. of amyl alcohol. The place
and date of manufacture are similarly indicated.
=BAELENITE.=--A Belgian mining explosive--
I. II.
Ammonium nitrate 85 95
Trinitro-toluene 15 5