THERMOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND FIELD PERFORMANCE OF SMALL ARMS PROPELLANTS FROM 1953 (30-06 M2 AP) AND 2012 (M55A1) AMMUNITION

Abstract

When older stocks of ammunition are fielded for use, propellant degradation may alter chamber pressures, or in the worst-case scenario, may present risk for auto-ignition. Propellants harvested from U.S military cartridges—1953 30-06 M2 AP and 2012 M855A1 were evaluated using thermochemical techniques and field testing. Thermal analysis demonstrated similar energy densities between 1953, 2012, and 2022-era propellants with similar morphology. Minor changes in activation energy and stabilizer content suggested slightly decreased propellant thermal stability in the 1953 propellant. A novel application of modified thermogravimetric analysis (mTGA) is introduced and shows promise for more rapidly determining the properties of older stocks of ammunition being considered for use. In field testing, the 1953-era propellant demonstrated comparable standard deviations in velocity and on-target precision to the 2012 propellant, and both resulted in similar standard deviations in velocity and on-target performance to a modern extruded commercial reloading powder.