I remember a little metal mortar that I had as a child. Stuff a little rubber ball in the mouth and heavy firecracker back of it (there was a fuse hole) and the ball would get lost unless something stopped it. One shot took out a window at 25 yards (no, we didn't go to the door of the house and ask for our ball).

I also remember the short cylindrical 'crackers', about 3/4 inch dia., called 'dynamite' crackers, made in Japan. They would blow a hole in a heavy metal bucket.

Fireworks companies sent out catalogues (1930s), and shipped your purchases by freight. My grandfather helped me make the list one year, and I remember the package we picked up at the freight depot was the size of a large trunk. Too much stuff, and we tired long before we came to the end.