Does anyone know what cordite smells like?
A lot like nail polish or nail polish remover. Cordite largely consisted of nitrocellulose (gun cotton), dissolved in acetone. Cordite MD, used in ammunition in both the First and Second World Wars, contained 65% gun cotton, 30% nitroglycerin and 5% petroleum jelly. A solvent-free form of Cordite, Cordite SC, was used in the Second World War. However, this was not used in ammunition for .303 rifles (by far the most common weapon used by soldiers). Cordite SC was mainly used for naval ammunition. It was acetone that gave cordite its characteristic, sweet smell. Like cordite, nail polish is typically made of nitrocellulose dissolved in an acetone-based solvent. Acetone is also found in nail polish remover and superglue. In other respects, cordite would smell similar to other explosives such as dynamite, which are also based on nitrogen compounds. When cordite is ignited, it releases nitrogen oxides (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide). These have a sharp, pungent odour, similar to bleach.
