Larry,
I did not understand what your point was.
Of course, "pyroxylee" is not required to be marked on the gun. However, it is the *only* French word which applied to Nitro-cellulose based propellants in the early 1900s. Nitro or any derivative is just not in any French dictionary of the period and Smokeless or "sans-fumee" is way too vague and decidedly not scientific. By the way, Nitric acid was actually known as "acide azotique" in that time frame, Nitrogen is still "Azote", therefore Nitro anything was a non starter (except for nitro-glycerine which was a trade mark I believe).
By the way "poudre", even though widely used is not correct either, as the T is not really powder but comes in flakes.
As for the proof in the PT, I was looking for the actual regulation text which is the only way to actually prove this.
Anyways, I guess it's time to call it a day.
Best regards,
WC-
WC, the Belgians have used "PV" (poudre vive) ever since 1898. The fact that you'll see "pyroxylee" on some French guns means nothing, other than the fact that some French gunmakers chose to use that term. Others didn't use any term at all; others used poudre vive. Another analogy would be to the terms "lisse" and "cylindrique", either of which might be found on the flats of a French shotgun barrel which has no choke.
And while the term "powder" does originally derive from the powdery consistency of the material, saying that PT isn't really a "powder" because it comes in flakes is just downright . . . well, FLAKY.
Many other powders also consist of flakes, and we have modern powders that are ball powders. But they're still all powders--because "powder" in that sense means the propellant used to drive a bullet or shot charge, regardless of whether it comes in ball, flake, or some other form.
And I'm not quite sure what you're looking for concerning "the proof in PT". According to Kennett, post-1924 smokeless proof was at 12,000 psi with PT; superior proof at 15,600 psi.
As for what the "P" stands for, the following from "Tir des Fusils de Chasse", by General Journee, edition of 1949:
"Aucune des poudres experimentees ne s'est montree superieure a la poudre T." The book contains numerous other references to "poudres S, J, M", etc. Thus, the P in the abbreviation is clearly "poudre" and not "pyroxylee".
Last edited by L. Brown; 01/04/10 11:01 AM.
