[bds]

While watching the super bowl game, a question came up that got us stumped. I did a forum search with no results.

What's an approximate burn rate of regular match head compound (similar to which powder)?

If SHTF, perhaps this may come in handy to know how much we can use (should be usable as a powder)? :D

[Walkalong]

Don't know, but I used to break em down, stuff em in wooden thread spools with tight wadding at each end with a homemade fuse. Made a real nice bang on the window sill of the dorm. :uhoh:

It wasn't me, honest it wasn't. :cool:

My guess is pretty fast when confined.

[Randy1911]

I read in a book once that some gorillia(sp?) soldiers in WWII in the phillipines used match heads to reload shells with match heads for primers. They would use bullets and powder from other bullets they didn't have guns for. Don't know if it is true or fantasy. Just something I read once. It was a book that was fiction based on fact.

[Oyeboten]

Powdered Match Heads - Strike Anywhere type? Or, Strike-on-Box type? Book Matches?


Regardless...if the Head only is made into fine Powder, and, confined, as in a Cartridge Case with a Bullet in front of it...conflagration will be different than in a pile in the air, or, different than if whole and not powdered.


I'd say, try it an' see..!

[Remo-99]

Tried that once when I was young and silly with too much time on my hands, loaded up a 7.62x39mm round for an SKS with scraped powder from match heads (and it took some time), didn't have a chronograph at the time but a good estimate would put the slug travelling in the reigon of airgun velocity.
The time saving effort of just cutting the matchheads with sidecutters, wood stick and all - Faired worse than that, with the slug left stuck in the bore.
So I moved on to messing about with other things instead. ;)

[RainDodger]

We occasionally took whole match heads (with wood) clipped from wooden matches - the "strike anywhere" kind. We would get 2 BIG bolts and one corresponding BIG nut. Screw the nut part way (just a few threads) on a bolt. Dump match heads into nut opening and then screw the other bolt into the nut until it contacts the match heads.

Optional (but highly recommended): tie a STOUT cord from one bolt head to the other.

Operation: throw at pavement

You will get a big old explosion, with at least one bolt separating from the nut. And you'll be lucky if you retain both of your own personal nuts.

I did this ONE time and it scared the crap out of me. I used a bolt that had about a 1" shank and probably 10 or 15 match heads. Don't do it... do not do it. It's freakin' dangerous! Did I say, "don't do it"... ?

Oh, on point, I'd say the burn rate in this case was "real fast"...

[deadeyedog270]

this is from the show mythBusters Match Head Cannon

you need to click on the right vid after you go to the page

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-youtube-special/

[Hondo 60]

Someone actually did a video on this. They used the white portion of a strike-anywhere to reprime a primer. While he proved it would work, it was a LOT of labor. IIRC he said you needed 5 match heads (just the white portion) for each primer.

[Gadzooks Mike]

http://www.thehighroad.us/showthread.php?t=113826