This paper shows how the combustion properties of single base nitrocellulose propellants are affected by degradation by ageing. A single base gunpowder sample containing methyl centralite and ethyl centralite as stabilizers was artificially aged by 10, 20 and 25 years. Closed vessel experiments were performed to evaluate the burning rate, the dynamic vivacity, the maximum pressure, the force, and the covolume of the gases produced. The propellant degradation was characterized by the Bergmann-Junk test, heat flow calorimetry test (HFC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Gel permeation chromatography was especially useful to describe the degradation process. The results found for the burning rate suggest the existence of two phases during ageing: intensification and passivation. The intensification phase occurs while the propellant samples maintain the chemical stability and the passivation phase was observed for the unstable samples. (C) 2020 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.