Black powder (gunpowder) in history

Centuries passed and the new uses of black powder continued. Bamboo was replaced by iron tubes and the easily ignited black powder became used in a more deadly fashion. Mechanisms to ignite the powder (because it is dangerous and sometimes unpredictable) developed with names such as doglock, matchblock and wheellock. These were holders of the black powder that were put behind a hollow-iron rod and, when the powder is ignited, the carbine with a lead ball in the rod becomes deadly. But it was also deadly for the man behind the carbine and eventually a musket using flintlock was invented. The rod was a smooth-bore tube and very inaccurate but it was effective at a short range. Eventually, the rod was manufactured with bores that helped improve accuracy of the ball of lead thrust out of the rifle. However, the black powder produced too much smoke and further inventions were needed because it didn’t function well in wet weather. However, the use of flintlocks continued for two centuries.

When Spain’s explorer, Colonel de Anza, trekked to California, his soldiers were supplied with pistols, large knives, lances, swords and carbines. The carbines were flintlock (not matchlock or percussion cap mechanisms). The hand guns and carbines were carried in holsters on the saddle and relied mainly on the lance for defense. On the ground, the carbine and handgun was used. This armament was far superior to the bow and arrows with which the Indians along the trail were armed.

The discovery of a better explosive (fulminates) that would function when hit with a hammer occurred in 1800. The Rev. Alexander John Forsyth hunted birds and became frustrated when the birds flew when the rifle discharged and produced a cloud of smoke. The smoke alerted the birds so Forsyth’s discovery of smokeless powder allowed him to hunt birds with a better chance of success. Edward Charles Howard used this new powder to invent the percussion cap — a premade metal cylinder that prevented moisture from fouling the powder. Now the reloading of the rifle was also considerably faster.

Eventually, the percussion cap led to the invention of the modern cartridge case and rendered possible the general adoption of the breech-loading principle of all varieties of rifles.

In 1816, the Remington Arms Company Inc. was founded by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York. The manufacture of arms by this company changed the development of the United States. In the late 1850s, Remington hired Benjamin Tyler Henry specifically to improve Remington’s Volcanic repeating rifle. On Oct. 16, 1860, Henry patented a successful .44 caliber rimfire, lever action, breech loading repeating rifle for the first time. Although the government issued most soldiers a muzzle-loading rifled musket (such as the Springfield Model 1861), a number of soldiers purchased the Henry repeating rifle that could fire at a rate of 28 rounds per minute when used correctly.

Modifications of the Henry rifle were made and, in 1866, a newer repeater-Winchester rifle was produced. The steel frame was produced, an improved magazine and a wooden forearm with rim firing cartridges. The improved center firing cartridges, steel frame and 20-inch barrel of a carbine (Model 1873) began being produced in 1873 and became very successful with a production of 720,000 rifles. It gained so much popularity that it became called “The gun that won the West.”

Black power was used for many years but the smoke and soot produced was not compatible with rifles. The invention of “smokeless powder” corrected some of these problems. The standard composition of black powder is 75% potassium nitrate (known as saltpeter), 15% softwood charcoal and 10% sulfur. Whereas these percentages are OK for guns, variations of these percentages can produce a powder that can be used to blast rock. When processed correctly, the size of the grain can be adjusted and supply powder for many variations of calibers for weapons.

Whereas this has presented much information on the use of black powder in hand guns and easily carried rifles, the use of this powder is limitless. It’s unfortunate that although many uses have been found for peaceful purposes over much of mankind’s history, the non-peaceful use is with which too many people associate this powder.

Rediscovering the Peninsula runs every weekend. It is compiled through our archives created by Jim Clifford and the late Darold Fredricks.