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John Brindle, author of Shotgun Shooting: Techniques & Technology published a 5 article series in The Double Gun Journal, �Black Powder & Smokeless, Damascus & Steel�. Through the wonders of Google's digitized library, we have more research material available than did Brindle when writing c. 1992-1993, but his series remains an important resource.

My local library was able to obtain PDF copies of each article from:
Pritzker Military Library
104 S. Michigan Ave, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60603
Copyright is still in effect so I can't share the PDFs

DGJ lists the complete issues as available for $30 (blemished $25)

Volume 4, Issue 2, 1993 �Some Modern Fallacies Part 1�, p. 128
Barrel methodology, black and early smokeless powders.
In discussing 1800s pattern welded barrels �The �iron� used in these barrels was really various kinds of soft steel with a low percentage of carbon...�

Volume 4, Issue 3, 1993 �Some Modern Fallacies Part 2�, p. 49
Comparison of black and smokeless powders & pressures

Volume 5, Issue 1, 1994 �Some Modern Fallacies Part 3�, p. 9
Review of the Birmingham Proof House Trial with thoughts on the conversion to steel shotgun barrels.
�Thus steel had proved stronger than Damascus in this test, but the strength of both was such that this did not matter one bit, such was the margin of safety in a barrel of either material of suitable dimensions and without flaws.�

Volume 5, Issue 2, 1994 �Some Modern Fallacies Part 4�, p. 9
In depth discussion of Proof and Service pressures

Volume 5, Issue 3, 1994 �Some Modern Fallacies Part 5�, p. 11
Continued discussion of Proof and Service pressures, and summary of the article series.

An important point made by Brindle based on this study. Note the pressures with both Schultze and "E.C." are lower than with Curtis & Harvey black powder

��.....����..12���.16���.20
C.&H. No. 4�6,373�..7,078�..6,944
C.&H. No. 2�7,459�..8,310..�8,288
Bulk
Schultze��..4,424�..6,272�..7,246
�E.C.��..�..3,685�..6,171�..8,322
Dense
Walsrode�.�.9,363���..��.10,741
S.S��.�..�..9,800���..��.10,539
S.S. ("Smokeless Shot-gun" was abandoned because of the higher pressures)

Curtis & Harvey was "T.S." (treble strength) and NOT equivalent but No. 6 similar to Fg, No. 4 FFg, and No. 2 FFFg

A second study using �Eley�s Ordinary Case� showed slightly different, but similar pressures.

"The pressures produced in the breechloader by black powder, as black powder was actually loaded at the end of the 19th century, were not significantly lower than those given by smokeless (then often termed �semi-smokeless�) powders developed as a substitute for, and an improvement on, black powder."

Drew, are the above pressures shown for equal shot weight and velocity ?

Thanks Daryl, I should have included that

LOADS�...................���..�..�.�.��1 1/8oz�1oz..7/8oz.
����������.....................�...�...�12g�..16g�..20g
Curtis & Harvey No. 4 T.S. Black Powder�...82��74�.�66 grains
Schultze and �E.C.� Bulk Smokeless.�..�.�.42��37�.�33
Walsrode Dense Smokeless...�......��.��..28��24�.�22
Cases were �Eley Best Quality Green Case�

82 gr. C&H No. 4 Black, 42 gr. Schultze and "E.C. No. 1" Bulk, and 28 gr Walsrode Dense are 3 Dr. Eq.

Black and Nitro powder Service and Proof Charge Pressures
https://books.google.com/books?id=inQCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA296&dq
Experiments to ascertain the pressures given by service charge and proof charges used in England have been carried out by The Field. Under the existing Regulations of Proof in England, a �service charge� is specified for every bore, and the compulsory definitive proof is made with double the service charge of proof-house powder and 1 1/3 (times) the service charge of No. 6 shot. Besides the compulsory proof, a supplementary proof with other kinds of powder is permitted, if applied for. Many other charges, both larger and smaller than the officially stated �service charge�, are in constant use.



Curtis & Harvey T.S. (Treble Strength) No. 6 was coarse Black Powder somewhat similar (but not equivalent) to Fg; No. 4 medium, FFg; No. 2 fine, FFFg.
https://books.google.com/books?id=mFcCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA271&lpg
�S.S.� (Smokeless Shot-gun) was a Bulk Smokeless powder made by Smokeless Powder Co. It was discarded as loading with higher charges of powder produced significantly greater pressures than �E.C.� or �Schultze�.

Pressures were measured using crushers (LUP) reported in pounds/ sq. inch and modern piezoelectric transducer pressures would be 10 - 14% higher.

12 bore
Nitro 1 1/8 oz. with 42 grain Bulk Smokeless = 3 Dr. Eq. (1200 fps): 5330 - 6110 psi
Nitro 1 1/4 oz. with 45 grain = 3 1/4 Dr. Eq. (1220 fps): 6360 - 8620 psi

16 bore
Service charge 1 oz. 2 3/4 Dram Eq. = 38 gr. Bulk Nitro powder.
C&H No. 4 - 7,480; �Schultze� - 8,250 psi; �E.C.� - 8,960 psi

20 bore
Service charge 7/8 oz. 2 1/2 Dr. EQ. = 34 gr. Bulk Nitro powder
C&H No. 4 - 8,240; �Schultze� - 8,220 psi; �E.C.� - 9,100 psi

This should 'splain why c. 1900 pattern welded and decarbonized steel barrels were "Bored For Nitro Powder"

As said, we have much more information today regarding turn-of-the-century and pre-WWI powders. Brindle did make some mistakes regarding powder Dram Equivalency, and it should be clear why the inattentive or casual shell loader could blow up his shotgun

42 grain = 3 Dram Equivalent Bulk Powders
�E.C.� No. 1
�Schultze�
Curtis & Harvey �Amberite� (40 grains)
Sporting Smokeless Powder Syn., Ltd �Cannonite Shot-gun�
Smokeless Powder Co. �S.S.� (Smokeless Shot-gun) (43 grains)
Cooppal & Co. �Cooppal�s No. 1�
United States Smokeless Powder Co. �Gold Dust�
Dynamit Nobel�s Troisdorf Powder Co. �Troisdorf� (41.5 grains)
American Wood Powder
�J.B.� Powder

36 Grain = 3 Dram Equivalent Bulk Powders
DuPont Bulk (36.5 grains)
Hazard Powder Co. �Blue Ribbon� (37 grains)
�E.C.� No. 2 (Improved)
�New Schultze�

33 Grain = 3 Dram Equivalent Bulk Powders
�New E.C. (Improved) No. 3� (Introduced in U.S. in 1904)
Curtis & Harvey �Smokeless Diamond� (1903)
Walsrode Smokeless & Waterproof Gun Powder Co. �Walsrode Gray�
Louis Muller & Cie S.A. �Mullerite No. 2�
Nobel�s Explosive Co. �Empire�
�Cooppal�s No. 2� (30 grains = 3 Dr. Eq.)


������..BULK�����.-----------------------.........������.DENSE����..
.......E.C.No.1.....DuPont��Schultze-----Walsrode Green....Ballistite�..Infallible

3 Dram....42...........36.5........42................30���..�...24..............21 grains
3 1/4�...45.5..........41..........45................32��..�.�..26..............23 grains
3 1/2�...49............43..........48................34���..�...28..............25 grains

The original �Schultze� & �E.C.� No. 1 Bulk Smokeless were 14 grains/drachm.
�New Schultze� & New �E.C.(Improved) No. 2� Bulk Smokeless were 12 grains/drachm.
�E.C. No. 3� was 11 grains/drachm or 33 grains = 3 Dr. Eq.

BTW: Mullerite was marketed by Louis Muller & Cie S.A. des Explosifs de Clermont, Liege in 1899. No. 1 was a Bulk Smokeless; No. 2 a faster burning �33 grain� Bulk powder. Poudreries R�unies de Belgique acquired Muller & Cie in 1919.
http://books.google.com/books?id=inQCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA343&lpg

1908 Rod & Gun Canada



Mullerite Bulk smokeless was still offered in the 1915 New York Sporting Goods Co. catalog.

Ol' Louis borrowed the Parker 1893 Columbian Exposition Trade Card for his cans
http://books.google.com/books?id=rblIAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1114&lpg








Wolffe & Co. in Walsrode, Prussia had a London agent, George Beutner, in 1892 then established The Walsrode Smokeless & Waterproof Gun Powder Co. in 1894. Walsrode Gray 33 grain = 3 Dram; Green 30 gr. = 3 Dram.
In 1895, agents included Von Lengerke & Detmold, N.Y., Von Lengerke & Antoine, Chicago, M.F. Kennedy & Bros., St. Paul, and Clabrough, Golcher & Co.
In 1895, President Grover Cleveland order 1,800 �ducking� shotshells from William Wagner, Washington D.C. and specified they be loaded with Walsrode
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1895/VOL_25_NO_01/SL2501014.pdf
In 1903, Schoverling, Daly & Gales advertised as the �Sole U.S. Agents� and listed Walsrode as �The Original Dense Smokeless�

Walsrode borrowed "Monarch of the Glen" by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer

1915 Forest & Stream

Drew: thanks again for your scholarship. I always look forward to your posts.

Drew;
A couple of comments.
I believe that at least some companies when they said "Bored For Nitro powder" were speaking of the bore diameter. It appears many guns in the Black Powder era were made for use with brass shells & had oversize bores for the larger wads. Smokeless loads were put up in paper shells thus the Bored for nitro, meant the bores were more standard for the nominal gauge to fit the smaller wads in paper shells. The fact they were boring Twist & Damascus "For Nitro Powder" dos show they were condoning it's use.
The 2nd comment is that in relation to bore size the 2 3/4-1 in 16ga & 2�-7/8 in 20ga are both heavier loads than the
3-1 1/8 12ga load. This would account at least in part for the higher pressures recorded in these two gauges.