level 15
In 1884 French chemist Paul Vieille finished work on Poudre B, a nitrocellulose based explosive that was suitable for use in firearms. The military advantage of this new smokeless powder was clear - not only was the problem with smoke obscuring the battlefield gone, but it was also 3 times more powerful than blackpowder and thus bullets could get smaller and faster. Two years of secret work would go into finding the optimum bullet diameter for the new powder, but the same opportunity was not extended to the cartridge or rifle. In January 1886, War Minister General Boulanger ordered that a working system had to be ready within a year.
2021年12月06日 00点12分



