Thread: Homemade smokeless powder

Originally Posted by kotuku

gentlemen -in view of unfolding events in CHCH Iwould repsectfully suggest any further DIY somkeless explosive discussion is halted ad infinitum

Then let's not talk about guns either. I wish we were as sensitive when some poor buggers get murdered by drones in Syria or Pakistan.

Originally Posted by tanqueray

My understanding is that making your own gunpowder (explosives) is illegal without the proper permits. And that’s all I have to say about that.

I have always assumed you could make your own black powder for legit uses in NZ. There is however a law against publishing directions on how to make explosives.

You could call gunpowder an explosive, but at the same time, with a FAL you are allowed to have less than 15kg of black powder. Transport regulations don't really come into it. I don't think there is a law against someone making gunpowder for themselves for hobby purposes. (maybe @systolic knows the law better). Different I expect if you do it for a living, have employees, sell it etc. Interestingly, gunpowder / black powder is defined legally as a mixture of saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal, so sulfur-free gunpowder would not fall under black powder regulations, but I don't really see any need for having >15kg of any propellant type sitting about - if someone had such amounts I'd worry about a modern gunpowder plot being afoot.