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I was surfing thru my stash of fotos & I noticed this Belgian double w/ Load Data for Mullerite, I believe?? In the mid 1890s, powder technology was all but outpacing steel technology & the Belgians made an attempt to address all the new fangled powders by incorporating said powders in their Proof Law. 1897 & 1898 saw a host of new fangled powders added to the list & in 1898 E.C. 3, Powder M, PowderR, L.3.S., Coopal Rose, Mullerite & Clermonite were added. Now I am not sure if Rampant Lion over M was Powder M or Mullerite? At any rate, I don't think I have seen the stamp that often?

But during this period of powder incorporation into the Belgian Proof Law, pressures for early new fangled smokeless powders ranged from 6k PSI to 10k PSI. So in 1897 a rule was adopted that Proof Charges had to reach 80% excess pressure than Service Loads, I assume. And that ALL proof charges must develop a pressure of @ least 8.8k PSI. But even though the barrel was subject to a pressure test for a specific powder did not mean that the end user would actually use that powder. The Service Load applied on the tube could also be stamped in English or German.



Serbus,

Raimey
rse