Patent ID: 6984275

Claim:
An improved propelling charge for a gun system for reducing gun barrel erosion, comprising: a propellant formulation comprising an oxidizer; and an organic compound with a high nitrogen content, being at least about 50 weight percent nitrogen replacing a portion of the oxidizer in an amount of from about 1 weight percent to about 70 weight percent of the propellant formulation, wherein combustion products of the improved propelling charge comprise diatomic nitrogen and carbon monoxide in a ratio of about 0.5 or higher and the improved propelling charge comprises a flame temperature of about 3800 degrees K or lower; wherein combustion of the improved propelling charge results in nitriding a surface of the gun barrel to prevent gun barrel carburization, and wherein the organic compound is selected from the group of bis-tetrazol-aminotetrazine, diamino-azo-tetrazine-n-oxides, dihydrazinotetrazine, guanidinium azotetrazolate, dinitro-azo-triazole, bis(guanidinyl)tetrazine di-nitrate, or combinations thereof.