Quite right, JC. For the monolingual bumpkin, with or without extra "bucks", French on shops has its fascination. Curiously, the bread and the guns hold up to further scrutiny.

Have to think about Pipes' statement. Thought the words "progressive", "double and single base", "retardants", "explosive vs. propellant" and ball, tube and spaghettio shapes would have been of more importance? Apparently for the purpose of shotgun proof, bp of one granulation or another does it all or was presumed to do so by the proof houses.

jack