# Does gunpowder smell like...gunpowder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 7, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gunpowder-smell-like-gunpowder/535247 "2010-04-07T04:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gunpowder-smell-like-gunpowder/535247/21 "2010-04-07T23:29:08Z")
[Cordite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordite) is, itself, a smokeless propellant developed to replace gunpowder. It was never widely used outside the UK and precious few people today (outside milsurp enthusiasts) would recognize the smell of cordite. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gunpowder-smell-like-gunpowder/535247/22 "2010-04-08T03:51:00Z")
The closest smell that I can compare modern smokeless powders to is English Mustard, if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gunpowder-smell-like-gunpowder/535247/23 "2010-04-08T14:50:32Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > I love the smell of gunpowder in the morning. It smells like… fun. 😃 Just be sure the range is closed for pulling and posting when you call in sick to work. Again, don’t ask me how I know this but ------------- [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gunpowder-smell-like-gunpowder/535247.md?page=1)