It's said to act as a binder or glue for the paper when constructing paper cartridges and for enhancing the combustion of the paper.
The solution can simply be brushed on to the paper
This is definitely supposed to be flammable!
As he said it's to fabricate paper cartridges for BP shooting.
The nitrating is to make the paper rapidly & completely combustible, rather than having to wet swab between loads to clear smoldering fragments that could ignite the next powder charge while loading.
I did not know of the glue function though, thanks.
Not with a wad. I use flo thru bags cut along creases. You can get more from each bag with more precise measuring but I'm too lazy. Run a thin strip of Elmers glue along one end and wrap around middle of ball. I have a dowel slightly smaller than a .44 ball with one end cupped so ball stays put. Wrap paper around dowel and glue. Slide it off and when it dries fill with pre measured charge. Twist or fold end and tie off with thread. Cut off excess and you're done.
Someone talked about mixing acetone with smokeless powder to make water glass a while back. They didn't imply that it was flammable, it was just to act like a glue to hold the overshot wad in place and to seal it. During the drying process, the acetone evaporates, leaving behind a chemical compound to act as a bonding an sealing agent. It just moves along. I guess an old timer who reloaded his brass or paper hull shotgun shells would have a jar of water glass handy to glue his paper cartridges too.
Mixing potassium nitrate and hot water is a different thing, though. That's what makes flash paper flash.
I use rolling papers. I rely on the rammer to crack it open in the cylinder. I make them tapered so the powder end goes in smooth. I had one delayed shot the first time I ever used them. They work okay for me ever since without pricking them.
Depending on the amount of smokeless powder added to a small volume of acetone, the solution will become syrupy.
What I read mentioned to just mix up a teaspoon full.
Thanks, Hawg, I'll give that a try.
As for the flammability of re-dried dissolved smokeless it is, it really is (trust me).
As for the glue aspect I have yet to test that.