Powder names

[Rizla]

Can anyone possibly shed some light on the seemingly arbitrary alphanumeric names given to powders? I get a headache trying to read through big lists of recommended powders because, as far as I can tell, you can't deduce the burn rate from the name of the powder. The numbers just seem to be relative to other powders from the same manufacturer.

[Mikecr]

I agree with you & as far as I can tell there is nothing intelligible to it.
Of all things in ballistics, you would think POWDER would be the very first standardized in identification.
I would have thought this prior to the Civil War...