The smell of gunpowder

[Ted Sager]

Admitting a firecracker might smell different than a rifle shot. If someone smell burnt powder would they think it's gun smoke then realize, that's just a firecracker?
Or would they think rifle powder?

[Benjamin Cole]

JS

Yes, firecracker smoke, in the old-old days was identical to gunsmoke, both being "black powder."

However, Aalmost all "modern" gunpowder (even in the 1960s) is a mix of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur.

Firecrackers powder is usually made of fine aluminum or magnesium powder mixed with potassium perchlorate or potassium nitrate for a much brighter, louder crack.
 And results in a different smell.

Many who smelled gunsmoke in the GK in the immediate aftermath of the JFKA were vets and police officers. They were confident in the witness statements.

My best guess is a sub-nose .38, which gives off a loud report and a lot of smoke (depending on ammo used), was fired near the GK. It was the concealed carry weapon of the day.

Caveat emptor and draw your own conclusions. They will be as good as anyone else's.

[John Corbett]

JS

Yes, firecracker smoke, in the old-old days was identical to gunsmoke, both being "black powder."

However, Aalmost all "modern" gunpowder (even in the 1960s) is a mix of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur.

Firecrackers powder is usually made of fine aluminum or magnesium powder mixed with potassium perchlorate or potassium nitrate for a much brighter, louder crack.
 And results in a different smell.

Many who smelled gunsmoke in the GK in the immediate aftermath of the JFKA were vets and police officers. They were confident in the witness statements.

My best guess is a sub-nose .38, which gives off a loud report and a lot of smoke (depending on ammo used), was fired near the GK. It was the concealed carry weapon of the day.

Caveat emptor and draw your own conclusions. They will be as good as anyone else's.

A snub-nose .38 would be a poor choice because of it's lack of accuracy at any significant range. Short barrel weapons have a low muzzle velocity. The longer the barrel, the higher the muzzle velocity. That is because while the bullet is being pushed down the barrel, it is accelerating. That accelerating stops once it leaves the barrel so a snub-nose .38 is going to have a low muzzle velocity. Any handgun is going to have a lower exit velocity than a rifle both because of barrel length but also rifle ammo is generally more powerful than handgun ammo. Many lever action rifles such as a Winchester or Marlin fire the same ammo as some revolvers, but the rifle will create a higher muzzle velocity than the same round fired from a revolver.