Burst muzzle loader barrel

[Andi]

This refers, and may continue an aspect discussed here http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17865 regarding differences in the explosive power and quality of ancient and recent black powder.

Some weeks ago I have been at a Baroque Living History event at Bückeburg Palace Germany. A friend there presented the following: A catastrophically burst barrel of a muzzle loader pistol replica. The barrel was experimentally loaded with a modern nitrocellulose powder instead of black powder and remote fired from a safe place. The barrel was not able to withstand the higher pressures of the modern propellant and burst up over its complete length. Don't try that at "home".