“the dumbness people in the nation”

 

1. I missed that episode but I see your point. Its just a firecracker really in that state.
   My Bro use to make firecrackers from 12 guage shells and they just went Boom without travelling anywhere from the location they were set on.
   See, we were ahead of our time.
   

   Posted by Rich K       02/21/2013  at  02:48 PM  



2. We used to toss 22LR cartridges in the fire while adding more wood just to scare our camping buddies. No one was ever injured though tragically beer was sometimes spilled. While a cartridge ‘cooking off’ in the chamber is lethal (it can happen with machineguns that have just fired hundreds of rounds) when a cartridge explodes the force will take the easy path through the brass rather than pushing the heavy bullet out of the way.

   SAAMI has made a training video for firefighters, show this to a loved one who is worried about your ammo stash to allay their fears. It’s 25 minutes long and it reminds me of films I watched in elementary school. The part where they fire the cartridges ‘unsupported’ is quite demonstrative. 

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

   Posted by Al_in_Ottawa       02/21/2013  at  05:14 PM  



3. Ooohhh, note the SuperConnie in the background during the drop test during the 4th minute of the youtube clip.

   Posted by Al_in_Ottawa       02/21/2013  at  05:16 PM  



4. Outstanding find Al. My garage feels safer already. But you have noticed that powder comes in plastic jugs these days, not in the steel cans of Once Upon A Time?

   Posted by Drew458       02/21/2013  at  05:40 PM  



5. I even had some cardboard hercules unique cans until just recently. Now they are all in plastic, can’t contain an exposion wimpy plastic jugs.  The old metal cans could make a decent grenade.  I know, I tried it once with just a little 296.

   Posted by StephanA       02/21/2013  at  07:18 PM  



6. I haven’t reloaded in a while but it makes little difference as to what material a container is made of. Here in Canada during the anti-gun nuttiness of the early 90s the authorities wanted to treat gunpowder as high explosives during transport ie protected by sandbags, only so many pounds in a truck etc.  My local supplier whose family has been selling explosives since 1898, took a box full of powder cans and placed a fuse in the middle can and lit it and filmed the results. The contents of the fused can deflagrated (burned very quickly) but did not detonate, the paper can itself did not catch fire and the other cans were unaffected. He repeated the test with plastic bottles of powder with the same result. Unfortunately this was in ‘92 or ‘93 so it was never put on the internet. As a result of this evidence reloading powder is classified as an accelerant in the DOT regulations. You can’t mail it but you can send it by courier, as a matter of fact Higginson Powders offers free shipping on 21lbs or more.

   As a simple test take a charge of powder for a 12ga shell and put it on a small plate. Now TAKE IT OUTSIDE to prevent degradation of domestic bliss and the smoke detector going off and light it with a match. It will burn in about 1 or 2 seconds with a bit of a stink. In my Ontario hunter safety course years ago I was told to take a cartridge and jam the bullet in the muzzle of my rifle and then wiggle the case off in order to get the powder out to use it to start a fire if in a survival situation.

   Posted by Al_in_Ottawa       02/21/2013  at  09:48 PM  



7. So did the stupid police believe the stupid story? What a bunch of bs.

   Posted by wardmama4       02/22/2013  at  09:00 AM  



8. StephanA - Ah, WW296. The dust of the Gods! Nothing, but nothing makes a bigger blast or a bigger fireball for you foomgun (.357mag, .44mag). We used to scare the old guys off the firing line with big loads of the stuff. And it stays with you too! A day or two after a range session with 296 and you can still taste it in the phlegm you’re coughing up. Awesomeness cubed!!!

   Posted by Drew458       02/22/2013  at  11:32 AM  



9. I have also tossed some .22 rimfire in a fire and whilst they are not deadly, they do move at a fair rate and I wouldn’t want to get in the way of one. If the bullets in this case were crimped I could see the cases rupturing. Pistol powder burns really quickly and the primer packs a powerful explosive.

   Posted by LyndonB       02/23/2013  at  08:49 AM  

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