Black gunpowder is made up of charcoal, sulfer, and potassium nitrate (saltpetre). Blasting powder substitutes sodium nitrate for the potassium nitrate, primarily because it's cheaper. I have never heard of any great difference between black gunpowder and blasting powder for blowing things up other than the cost. I would not think blasting powder per se would be the cause of the problem. Unless perhaps, it was very much too fine grained.
There could be a number of causes, air space in the cartridge, bore obstruction, flawed rifle, etc.
But then you never know. In my teenage years my buddy blew up his 22 LR rifle by loading a cartrdige with firecracker powder. Didn't do nearly as much damage as in Wes's case. I suspect the stuff in fire crackers is not black gunpowder.
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