Formulas For The Straight Dynamite Series
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Probably one of the single greatest breakthroughs in explosives came
by accident, when Nobel discovered a primitive form of dynamite. One of the
primary ingredients of dynamite is nitroglycerin, which has great explosive
power, although it has the disadvantage of being ultrasensitive to heat and
shock. What dynamite does is to combine the high explosive power of nitro with
a stabilizing agent, to render it powerful but safely usable. Nobel developed
what is called today the straight dynamite series, which is nothing more than
nitro and a stabilizing agent. The most common straight dynamite formulas
follow (nitroglycerin will be referred to as NG):
[1> NG 32 [10> NG 26
sodium nitrate 28 potassium nitrate 33
woodmeal 10 woodmeal 41
ammonium oxalate 29
guncotton 1 [11> NG 15
sodium nitrate 62.9
[2> NG 24 woodmeal 21.2
potassium nitrate 9 sodium carbonate .9
sodium nitrate 56
woodmeal 9 [12> NG 35
ammonium oxalate 2 sodium nitrate 37
woodmeal 27
[3> NG 35.5 ammonium oxalate 1
potassium nitrate 44.5
woodmeal 6 [13> NG 32
guncotton 2.5 potassium nitrate 27
vaseline 5.5 woodmeal 10
powdered charcoal 6 ammonium oxalate 30
guncotton 1
[4> NG 25
potassium nitrate 26 [14> NG 33
woodmeal 34 woodmeal 10.3
barium nitrate 5 ammonium oxalate 29
starch 10 guncotton .7
potassium perchloride 27
[5> NG 57
potassium nitrate 19 [15> NG 40
woodmeal 9 sodium nitrate 45
ammonium oxalate 12 woodmeal 15
guncotton 3
[16> NG 47
[6> NG 18 starch 50
sodium nitrate 70 guncotton 3
woodmeal 5.5
potassium chloride 4.5 [17> NG 30
chalk 2 sodium nitrate 22.3
woodmeal 40.5
[7> NG 26 potassium chloride 7.2
woodmeal 40
barium nitrate 32 [18> NG 50
sodium carbonate 2 sodium nitrate 32.6
woodmeal 17
[8> NG 44 ammonium oxalate .4
woodmeal 12
anhydrous sodium sulfate 44 [19> NG 23
potassium nitrate 27.5
[9> NG 24 woodmeal 37
potassium nitrate 32.5 ammonium oxalate 8
woodmeal 33.5 barium nitrate 4
ammonium oxalate 10 calcium carbonate .5
The figures given in the right column are percentage parts, adding
up to a sum of 100%. Percentage parts are always based on a weight ratio
rather than volume. When preparing any high-explosive formulas, be sure you
know what you are doing. Have the correct equipment, and the correct
chemicals. Many of these chemicals are sold under brand names, which are more
familiar than their chemical names, but, before assuming anything, read the
ingredients, and take nothing for granted.
These formulas listed above are for straight dynamite. Straight
dynamite is a very primitive form of what we know today as dynamite. Later
ammonium nitrate was added to the dynamite. This substance produced a
greater explosive action, but less velocity. The intensification of the
explosive action results because ammonium nitrate furnishes more oxygen for
the dynamite. Ammonium nitrate has not only been used in dynamite, but also
in many other different explosive compounds, including nitroglycerin,
picric acid, and coal dust. Ammonium nitrate when mixed with these substances
creates the cheapest form of high explosive known to man.
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