What is the chemical?

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tmazanec1

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What is the chemical propellant in a motor I might buy at the hobby store in 2016, say a B or a C? Is it different from what it would have been in 1976?
How about an M or N motor? How many kinds of propellant are used in the hobby?
 
What is the chemical propellant in a motor I might buy at the hobby store in 2016, say a B or a C? Is it different from what it would have been in 1976?
How about an M or N motor? How many kinds of propellant are used in the hobby?

Estes and Quest motors are for the most part a formulation of black powder and they go from A to F (and the formulation probably hasn't changed a lot over the last 50 years or so).

There are composite motors both re-loadable and single-use that go from D to P (?) ( so far, there probably are some smaller composites) they typically are a blend of an oxidizer, htpb rubber, and various chemicals and metals. Another propellant is based on PBAN rubber and an oxidizer. There are other motor formulations but they are not common and are typically research.

Estes does/did sell re-branded Aerotech composite motors.

All of the motors mentioned have been available commercially (not sure about pban based motors).
 
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