German Propellant Nomenclature
Propellant Name Structure
German propellant descriptions were divided into four parts. A description of the abbreviations used for the type and shape of propellants can be found below.
- The quantity of propellant.
- The type of propellant.
- The exact mixture of the propellant (sometimes omitted).
- The shape of the propellant grains, usually placed in parantheses.
When a primer charge (Beiladung, or Bldg) was included, it was listed first, with an addition sign seperating the two.
Propellant Types
Canister Stamps
Abbreviation | German name | Description |
---|---|---|
Digl | Diglykol | Smokeless propellant, based on diethylene glycol dinitrate and nitrocellulose, stabilized with centralite. Potassium sulphate was sometimes added to reduce flash. |
Gu | Gudol | Diglykol, with the addition of nitroguanidine, which lowers the temperature at which the gunpowder ignites, reducing barrel wear, as well as acting as a stabilizer. |
Ngl | Nitroglyzerin-Pulver | Smokeless propellant based on nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose, stabilized with centralite, akardite, or diphenylamine. |
Nz | Nitrozellulose-Pulver | Nitrocellulose, also known as gun cotton, stabilized with diphenylamine, and with sodium oxalate and potassium sulphate to reduce flash. |
Nz Man P | Nitrozellulose Manöver-Pulver | Nitrocellulose propellant, with the addition of potassium nitrate to make the gun powder more porous for use in primer charges. |
Charge Bag Stamps
These markings were stamped on propellant bags for artillery pieces that used multiple charges.
Stamp | Abbreviation | Meaning |
---|---|---|
D | Digl. Bl. u. Rg.-P. | Diglykol-Blättchen- und Ringpulver |
DR | Rigl. R. P. | Diglykol-Röhrenpulver |
DST | Digl. Str. P. | Diglykol-Strifenpulver |
DV | - | Improved (Verbesserten) Diglykol-Blättchenpulver |
GU | Gudol-P. | Gudol-Pulver |
NG | Ngl. P. | Nitroglyzerin-Pulver |
NZ | Nz. P. | Nitrozellulose-Pulver |
Propellant Shapes
Abbreviation | German name | Description | Dimensions (mm) |
---|---|---|---|
Bl P | Blättchenpulver | Flakes, literally leaf powder | Length×width×thickness |
N P | Nudelpulver | Stick propellant, literally noodel powder | Length×diameter |
R P | Röhrenpulver | Hollow tubes |
|
Rg P | Ringpulver | Perforated disks, literally ring powder | Thickness×external diameter/internal diameter |
St P | Stäbchen | Stick powder | Length×diameter |
Str P | Strifenpulver | Strips | Length×width×thickness |
W P | Würfelpulver | Cubes | Side length |
Examples
These examples are presented exactly as they appear in the original documents.
- 2 g Nz. Man. N. P. (1,5 · 1,5) (Beiladung) + etwa 189 g Digl. R. P. — 8,2 — (188 · 2,2/0,85)
- 1,65 g Nz R P 2 × 2,3/1
- 9 g Ngl Rg P — 12,5 — (0,4 · 60/30)
- 10 g Nz Man N P (1,5 · 1,5) - Bldg - + 700 g Digl Bl P - 10,5 - (10 · 10 · 0,2)
- ≈ 970 g Digl R P - GO - (280 · 3/1,2)
Sources
- Handbook of Enemy Ammunition, Pamphlet No. 15 : German Ammunition Markings and Nomenclature. The War Office, 1945. 69 p.
- German Explosive Ordnance : Projectiles, Projectile Fuzes, Volume 2. Washington, DC : Ordnance Publications Distribution Center, 1946. 279 p. OP 1666.
- Koch. Handbuch Die Munition der deutschen Geschütze und Werfer. Berlin : Heereswaffenamt, 1940. 324 p. D 435/1.
- Koch. Handbuch Kennzeichen der Munition für deutschen Geschütze und Werfer. Berlin : Heereswaffenamt, 1943. 159 p. D 435/3.