I suppose this goes in the Pyrotechnic (fireworks) category.

I was going through some old fomularies, and found this in a book published in 1945. During the war years, everything went to war and supplies were rationed. Growing up, we still had ration stamps in the back of some drawers in the house. Today, few people under 50 think of it to put the past into perspective.

That was background.

Because of the war, people who made their own fireworks were in a tight spot. In his 1945 book The Chemical Formulary, Bennett writes about how to make potassium chlorate. It's in the fireworks section. http://i10.tinypic.com/2hobklh.jpg

The details of history help to put the world into perspective.

I find this interesting, because now, the subject of war is limiting pyrotechnic supplies for completely DIFFERENT reasons... in other words, because of ill use by people unfamiliar with rules or proper procedure, those who can conduct experiments properly are being thrown in the boat with them.

Not much of a work-around as what's the availabiltiy of chlorine gas cylinders nowadays?

The chemicals that you'd use to make the chlorine gas could be used directly to make the chlorate.