COLLIER POWDER.—There are a number of coal-mine explosives of this name on the American Permissible List. Varieties BNF, KN, X, XLF, 5, 5LF, 5 Special, 9, 11, and 11LF are ammonium nitrate explosives whereas 2 and 6LF are nitroglycerine explosives.
COLLODION COTTON is a variety of nitrocotton of low nitration, almost completely soluble in a mixture of ether and alcohol. It contains not more than 12·3 per cent. of nitrogen. It also dissolves in nitroglycerine and liquid nitro-compounds, rendering them gelatinous and so preventing their exudation.
*COOPPAL’S POWDER.—A Belgian smokeless shot-gun powder. Formerly it was much the same as [Schultze Powder], consisting of nitrolignin carefully purified, and mixed with nitrates with or without the addition of starch. The following analyses were published in “Arms and Explosives” for July 1917—
| No. 1. 1892. Fibrous 42-grain bulk. | No. 2. 1900. Gelatinised 30-grain dense. | |
| Nitrocellulose, insoluble | 13·0 | 71·1 |
| ” soluble | 60·5 | 20·1 |
| Metallic nitrates | 21·3 | 2·0 |
| Shellac | 3·2 | — |
| Nitro-hydrocarbons | — | 5·5 |
| Moisture | 2·0 | 1·3 |
CORDITE is the principal smokeless powder of the British Services. It was originally adopted in 1888, and is made by mixing nitroglycerine with guncotton and mineral jelly (a sort of crude vaseline), and incorporating them together with the aid of acetone, which gelatinises the guncotton. In consequence of the severe erosion of the guns experienced during the South African War the proportions were altered, some of the nitroglycerine being replaced by guncotton. The propellant thus “modified” is called Cordite M.D., whereas that of the original composition is Cordite Mk.I. Both are still in use, especially M.D.—
| Mk. I. | M.D. | |
| Guncotton | 37 | 65 |
| Nitroglycerine | 58 | 30 |
| Mineral jelly | 5 | 5 |
During the great European War a further variety was introduced to extend the basis of supply of solvents. This is called Cordite R.D.B. (Research Department B), and contains a nitrocotton of comparatively low nitration that can be gelatinised by means of a mixture of ether and alcohol—
| Nitrocotton | 52 |
| Nitroglycerine | 42 |
| Mineral jelly | 6 |
It is designed to give about the same ballistics as Cordite M.D. A further letter is sometimes added to show the form of the powder. Thus Cordite M.D.T. is M.D. pressed into tubes; S. stands for strip. The size is indicated by a numeral, which shows the diameter in hundredths of an inch of the die through which it has been pressed. In the case of tubular powder both the external and internal diameters are given approximately: e. g. Cordite M.D.T. 5-2.
Poudre blanche CORNIL.—A Belgian coal-mine explosive containing ammonium nitrate, potassium or sodium nitrate, dinitro-naphthalene and lead chromate, with or without the addition of ammonium chloride.