Brown bess muzzle velocity11/28/2023 ![]() ![]() Like in the Graz tests, the maximum range was calculated mathematically, not actually tested. Perhaps the impurities and inconsistent grain size in historical powders made them stronger, not weaker. Combing the powder combined the pressure curves, increasing the time that the bullet was under maximum pressure. They posit that this is because each powder has its own pressure curve. The authors found that by mixing two types of modern powder together, the musket achieved a higher muzzle velocity. The optimal grain size for maximum power depend on the size and strength of the barrel. Very fine grains burn fast and larger grains burn more slowly. Modern powder may be more chemically pure, but the power of gunpowder is linked to the size of the powder grains. Unfortunately, there are no records of the muzzle velocities of the Brown Bess from the mid 18th century, and not many experiments appear to have been conducted. This flies in the face of the common assumption that modern gunpowder is more powerful than historical powder. ![]() Now here’s the most interesting part to me: the authors weren’t able to achieve a 1,500fps muzzle velocity with any of the three modern powders they tested. The authors’ assumed velocity of 1,500fps is therefore conservative. His results ranged between 1,600 and 1,700 feet per second. 75 caliber musket (the same size as a Brown Bess). Robins calculated the velocity of a 1/12th pound ball fired from a. a research project I am involved in to determinate the muzzle velocity of the 17th century muskets. Benjamin Robins invented the ballistic pendulum in the early 18th century, and his book New Principles of Gunnery (1742) contains the results of his experiments. Ballistics of the 17th century matchlock musket. We don’t know for sure how powerful historical gunpowder was, or what the velocity of a musket ball was. The results of this experiment hinge on an assumption by the authors that the muzzle velocity of a Brown Bess was 1,500 feet per second.
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