Black Powder Grades & Equivalent Sizes (in mm)

Sporting Grades (G)

Grain Size (in mm)
Blasting Grades (A)
Grain Size (in mm)
1FA
8.0-4.0
Cannon Grade
4.76-1.68
2FA
4.76-1.68
1FG
1.68-1.19
4FA
1.68-.84
2FG
1.19-.59
3FG
.84-.29
5FA
.84-.297
4FG
.42-.15
7FA
.42-.149
Meal D
.42
5FG
.149
Fine
.149

Commonly used Black Powder Grain Mesh Sizes

GRADE
FA
2FA
3FA
4FA
5FA
6FA
7FA
Meal D
Fine Meal
X-Fine Meal
Cannon Grade
1FG
2FG
3FG
4FG
5FG

MESH RANGE
3-5
4 - 12
10 - 16
12 - 20
20 - 50
30 - 50
40 - 100
+ 50
+ 100
+140
4-12
12-20
16-30
20-50
40-100
+100

Kraft paper strip dimensions for pasting canister shells, using 70 lb kraft paper.
Shell Size
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"

No. of turns
3
4
5
6
8

Length of Strips
1 - 24" strip
2 - 24" strips
3 - 24" strips
4 - 24" strips
4 - 48" strips

Amount of paste wraps for single break canister shells.

Shell Size
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"

No. Turns
3 turns
4 turns
5 turns
6 turns
8 turns

Paper Weight
30-40 lb.
50-70 lb.
60-70 lb.
60-70 lb.
70 lb.

Length of Sheet
1 - 24" sheet
2 - 24" sheets
3 - 24" sheets
4 - 24" sheets
4 - 48" sheets

Canulle diameters for shells.

Shell Size
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"

Canulle Diameter
3/4" to 1"
1" to 1-1/4"
1-1/2" to 1-3/4"
1-3/4" to 2"
2-1/4" to 3"

Cut star sizes for shells.

Shell Size
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"

Cut Color Stars

1/4" or smaller
1/4" - 3/8"
3/8" - 1/2"
3/8" - 1/2"
1/2" or larger

Cut Tailed Stars

1/4" - 3/8"
3/8" - 1/2"
1/2" - 5/8"
1/2" - 5/8" or 3/4"
5/8" or larger

Time fuse delays needed for various size shells.

Shell Size (in.)
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"
10"
12"

Delay Time (sec.)

3
3.5
4
5
6
6.5
7

The amount of black powder lift needed for single break shells.
Shell Size
3"
3"
4"
4"
5"
5"
6"
6"
8"

Description
color or salute
color and inserts
color or salute
color and inserts
color or salute
color and inserts
color or salute
color and inserts
color

Weight of 2FA lift

1 oz
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 oz
2 oz
2-1/2 oz
3 to 3-1/2 oz
4 to 5 oz
4 to 5 oz
4-1/2 to 6 oz
8 - 12 oz

Spollette dimensions and powder charges for shells.

Shell
3" single
4" single
5" single
6" single
8" single

break
break
break
break
break

I.D.
5/16"
5/16"
5/16"
5/16"
5/16"

to
to
to
to

3/8"
3/8"
3/8"
3/8"

O.D.
.55"
11/16"
11/16"
11/16"
11/16"

Length
2"
3"
3"
3"
4"

Powder Charge
1" to 1-1/4"
1-3/8"
1-3/8" to 1-1/2"
1-1/2"
1-3/4"

Spiking patterns for various sized shells.

Shell Size
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"

Verticals/Strands
12 / 2
16 / 2
24 / 2
32 / 2
48 / 2 or 48 / 3

Material
8-ply cotton
8 or 10-ply cotton
8 or 10-ply cotton
8 or 10-ply cotton
8 or 10-ply cotton

Lift Powder Approximations

Many variables will affect the amount of lift charge used for a shell. Shell type
(cylinder or round), weight, size (diameter), length (if canister), powder grain,
powder quality, shell clearance, etc.
However a good place to start testing is usually about 1 ounce of black powder per
pound of shell or 1/10th the shell weight.
Below is a chart with some common 2Fg lift powder loads, in grams, from Bleser
(Round Stars and Shells page 62) and Best of AFN II (page 140).
Shell Size
2"
13"
4"
5"
6"
7"
8.5"
10"
12"
24"

Bleser
8
17
25
45
80
-

Best of AFN II
36-45
75-85
110-130
170-190
240-280
450-500
4100-4850

Mesh to micron conversion chart

U.S. MESH
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
25
30

INCHES
0.2650
0.1870
0.1570
0.1320
0.1110
0.0937
0.0787
0.0661
0.0555
0.0469
0.0394
0.0331
0.0280
0.0232

MICRONS
6730
4760
4000
3360
2830
2380
2000
1680
1410
1190
1000
841
707
595

MILLIMETERS
6.730
4.760
4.000
3.360
2.830
2.380
2.000
1.680
1.410
1.190
1.000
0.841
0.707
0.595

35
40
45
50
60
70
80
100
120
140
170
200
230
270
325
400
625
1250
2500

0.0197
0.0165
0.0138
0.0117
0.0098
0.0083
0.0070
0.0059
0.0049
0.0041
0.0035
0.0029
0.0024
0.0021
0.0017
0.0015
0.0008
0.0004
0.0002

500
400
354
297
250
210
177
149
125
105
88
74
63
53
44
37
20
10
5

0.500
0.400
0.354
0.297
0.250
0.210
0.177
0.149
0.125
0.105
0.088
0.074
0.063
0.053
0.044
0.037
0.020
0.010
0.005

Minimum fireworks display site radius for outdoor displays

LARGEST SHELL SIZE
< 3 in.
3 in.
4 in.
5 in.
6 in.
7 in.
8 in.
10 in.
12 in.
>12 in.

DISPLAY SITE RADIUS

140 ft.
210 ft.
280 ft.
350 ft.
420 ft.
490 ft.
640 ft.
700 ft.
840 ft.
AHJ approval

Minimum mortar tube lengths for shells.

Mortar ID (in.) Single Break Double Break Up to 4-Break
3
15
18
21
4
20
23
27
5
24
28
32
6
28
32
37
8
34
40
46
10
40
46
54
12
46
52
62

Shell Burst Heights.

Shell (in)
3
4
5
6
8
10

Size (mm)
76
102
127
152
203
254

Burst (ft)
400
500
600
700
900
1050

Height (m)
120
150
180
210
270
320

12

305

1150

350

Copper Compound Solubility Chart

Partial list of solubility of the most commonly used copper salts. Available copper expressed
as molecular percentage is also included.
Salt
Copper Metal
Copper Oxide
Copper Oxychloride
Copper Carbonate
Copper Acetoarsenite
Copper(I) Chloride
Copper(II) Fluoride
Copper(II) Benzoate Dihydrate
Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate

Solubility
Insoluble
Insoluble
Insoluble
Insoluble
Insoluble
Very Slightly Sol.
Slightly Soluble
Slightly Soluble
Very Soluble

%Cu
100.00
79.88
59.51
57.47
25.07
64.18
62.58
20.78
39.81

Sulfur Names and Descriptions

Names and descriptions of types of sulfur.
Name
Amorphous Sulfur
Bright Sulfur
Brimstone
Broken Rock Sulfur
Colloidal Sulfur
Crude Sulfur
Dark Sulfur
Dusting Sulfur
Elemental Sulfur
Flour Sulfur
Flowable Sulfur
Flowers of Sulfur
Frasch Sulfur
Insoluble Sulfur
Lac Sulfur
Native Sulfur
Precipitated Sulfur
Prilled Sulfur
Recovered Sulfur
Refined Sulfur
Rubbermakers Sulfur
Run-of-Mine Sulfur
Slated Sulfur
Virgin Rock and Roll Sulfur
Wetable Sulfur

Characteristic
Rapidly cooled sulfur not soluble in CS2
Crude sulfur without discoloring impurities
Crude sulfur
Refined sulfur mixture of lumps and dust
Sulfur that has been chemically precipitated in water
Bright or dark sulfur, free of Se, Te and As
Crude sulfur with hydrocarbon contamination
Crude or refined powdered sulfur
Native sulfur at least 99.5% pure
Crude sulfur 200 - 300 mesh
Colloidal or agricultural sulfur
Sulfur purified by distillation (actually sublimation)
Native sulfur from superheated water injection
Flowers of sulfur treated with carbon disulfide
Precipitated from polysulfide solutions, up to 45% CaSO4
Naturally occurring elemental form - often large crystals
Precipitated from polysulfide, washed with HCl
Crude sulfur in small round pellets
Elemental sulfur from any combined sources
Distilled sulfur more than 99.8% pure
Ground sulfur with low acid, ash and moisture content
Frasch sulfur with lumps and fines
Crude sulfur that solidified on a moving belt
Refined sulfur at least 99.8% pure, cast or in lumps
Powdered and treated for easy water dispersion

Veline Fireworks Stars Color System

Colored star formulas that match well in firework shells.
Strontium Carbonate
Calcium Carbonate
Barium Carbonate
Copper oxide, black
Barium nitrate
Potassium Perchlorate
Parlon
Red Gum
Magnalium
(50/50 -200 mesh)
Dextrin
Charcoal Airfloat
Wood Meal, -70 mesh
Iron Oxide, Red
Potassium Dichromate

Red
15

Orange
15

Green

Blue

Super Prime

15

55
15
9

55
15
9

24
30
15
5

+4

+4

15
55
15
9

55

11

+4

+4

4
20
6
5
5