This test was to compare using paper match heads and bottle rocket powder in a cob. The match heads were used whole, not powdered or crushed. Both devices were filled to the same level and the fuse holes sealed with epoxy and then covered in tape.

The two cobs:

The test: Nothing fancy here. I just lit each one and tossed it over a mound of dirt to protect me. The cob with match heads failed to explode, just shooting everything out the end without any kind of bang. The cob filled with bottle rocket powder worked perfectly, making a nice boom.

Conclusion: Either I just needed to do a better job of sealing the hole somehow, or I need to powder the match heads.