Important Safety Lesson - safe distance shooting "Tannerite"

[danez71]

I guess I am confused. What was the point? That shooting a carbine inside of 25 yards makes you a wannabe military?

I don't see the connection between his claim of the military doing lots of close quarters, wannabes shooting carbines inside of 25 yards, and the safe distance you should be from a bomb.

With out reading into it, what I get as his point is that the wannabes frequently see CQ stuff and to many/some, up close shooting at 'stuff' seems normal.

 

[SeanSw]

I feel bad for him. There's nothing anyone can say that he isn't telling himself right now.

Awhile back I was standing a few feet away from a guy who was hit in the side of the head with a block of wood blown off of an ammo crate filled with tannerite, probably not even 10-15 yards down range. Luckily the debris hit him square in the ear muff and shattered it instead of tearing his ear off or fracturing his skull. He was not pleased with the shooter responsible.

 

[Elkins45]

Well, for regular private citizens using a carbine defensively is almost guaranteed to be inside of 25 or 15 yards, not farther out, yes?

How often do citizens need to defend themselves against mowers filled with explosives? I don't recall reading about any incidents in the "Armed Citizen" columns of the NRA magazine.

 

[Elkins45]

This June will be the 25th anniversary of my becoming a BK amputee. Regardless of the level of "stupidity" involved here, I have sympathy for the man.

My dad lost a leg above the knee in Korea to a mortar. I had loads of sympathy for him, or for anyone else who loses a limb in service or in an accident.

This really wasn't an accident. What does one expect a lawnmower filled with explosives to do when shot with a rifle? I have sympathy, but not a great deal. I suspect he will be a sadder but wiser man from now on.

Do we know if the amputation was above or below the knee? That makes a big difference in mobility.

 

[Warp]

How often do citizens need to defend themselves against mowers filled with explosives? I don't recall reading about any incidents in the "Armed Citizen" columns of the NRA magazine.

I was responding to this:

The military teaches so much close quarters battle techniques that all the wannabes think that shooting at 15 to 25 yards is the normal way to use a carbine, too bad they're clueless about situational awareness.

When, it seems to me, the military is going to be far far more likely to use a carbine beyond 15-25 yards than a private citizen. In other words, it doesn't make sense to me that a wannabe military would be overly concerned with 15-25 yards instead of farther out...quite the opposite in fact...wannabe military (whoever that is) would be more likely to worry about shooting people at 200 yards than at 15 yards...make sense?

I guess to me the post just sounded like an excuse to start name calling and insulting other gun owners for shooting differently than that particular poster (carbines at 15-25 yards)

 

[macgrumpy]

Well, for regular private citizens using a carbine defensively is almost guaranteed to be inside of 25 or 15 yards, not farther out, yes?

My point, as others have already indicated, is that all the tacticool guys want to pretend that their practicing military techniques but most haven't got a clue about why or how to employ any of the techniques they are using. Shooting at 3 pounds of explosives from 12 or 13 yards away isn't very bright and isn't taught by any of the pros. The military has a reason to use a carbine at close range, it's their job and they are shooting at soft targets, not steel lawnmowers full of explosives.

As for a civilian needing to use a carbine at close range...not really. Again, it's another issue of training and knowledge. I doubt if most civilians have any reason to use a carbine in their home and in most cases it would probably be the wrong weapon. Yes a pistol is a last choice for self defense but you have to be aware of the realities in our world, blasting away with an AR in an apartment isn't going to play well when you end up in court for all the collateral damage you cause. In my opinion the only time you're going to need a carbine to defend your home is if there is a mass attack, and I don't see that happening very often. On the other hand, I live out in the middle of nowhere and my home defense gun is my M1A SOCOM with a 20 round mag of 168gr .308 ammo.

 

[macgrumpy]

I guess to me the post just sounded like an excuse to start name calling and insulting other gun owners for shooting differently than that particular poster...

So you assumed that I was being argumentative and arrogant?

No, I was simply trying to point out that I've seen an awful lot of people do stupid things with firearms because they were trying to emulate some training video they saw on YouTube. I spent 20+ years in the Marine Corps, have been a shooter for more than 45 years, am a NRA certified Range Safety Officer, and ran a major gun range for several years, so I've had the opportunity to see a lot of shooting styles and a lot of boneheaded things. I have no problem with using a carbine at CQB distances but not everybody knows when or how to execute those techniques properly and I'm the first one to admit that it's been a long time since I did any CQB training so I'm not an expert either.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Reading some of these comments speaks a lot about the character of some of you.

Regardless, as poorly thought out as this was, it was a tragedy. In the kids defense, there are many videos on YouTube (FPS Russia and many others) were people have done things like this. It may well have made this young man not realize how dangerous the product he was dealing with potentially was. The blame rests solely on him, no doubt, but it's still an awful thing. Reading some of these comments seems like some of you got a kick out of this.

Sad.

 

[Warp]

As for a civilian needing to use a carbine at close range...not really. Again, it's another issue of training and knowledge. I doubt if most civilians have any reason to use a carbine in their home and in most cases it would probably be the wrong weapon.

An AR type carbine in 5.56 is very possibly the best home defense firearm most people can buy.

Yes a pistol is a last choice for self defense but you have to be aware of the realities in our world, blasting away with an AR in an apartment isn't going to play well when you end up in court for all the collateral damage you cause.

There is no more penetration from 5.56 than from typical pistol rounds. Possibly less, in fact.

In my opinion the only time you're going to need a carbine to defend your home is if there is a mass attack, and I don't see that happening very often. On the other hand, I live out in the middle of nowhere and my home defense gun is my M1A SOCOM with a 20 round mag of 168gr .308 ammo.

A 5.56 carbine is very possibly the best home defense firearm.

You don't need to be defending against a "mass attack" to benefit from a carbine vs a pistol or a shotgun. Just the one attacker/intruder will do.

 

[Walkalong]

This is supposed to be a thread about being safe, not an argument of semantics and what is good for what at what distances.

Y'all be careful out there.

 

[ACP]

I feel sorry for the man involved. I'm certain he regrets his actions.

This video has now made its way to the general public, i.e. Yahoo, etc.

What they get from this video is that all firearms owners -- even responsible, legal ones -- do idiotic, dangerous stuff.

Instances/videos like this make it much, much easier for the anti's to win every public argument, which leads to more useless gun restrictions.

 

[goldpelican]

In the kids defense, there are many videos on YouTube (FPS Russia and many others) were people have done things like this. It may well have made this young man not realize how dangerous the product he was dealing with potentially was. The blame rests solely on him, no doubt, but it's still an awful thing.

+1

Proliferation of YouTube content, TV reality shows etc that use this stuff as clickbait incorrectly reinforces that it's somehow "common practice" and "safe". I wouldn't want to be on the same range as the stuff - to be honest I don't think it paints gun owners in a very responsible light to "blow up cars" on YouTube or on faux-reality shows where every custom gun sold has to be accompanied by a trip to the range to blow up an old junker for the cameras. 2A is under enough attack without creating this kind of fodder for the antis.

Jeez even without packing 3lb of explosive into it, I'd be worried about the mere probability of a richochet off that mower at that distance let alone playing "let's make an IED" with it.

 

[susieqz]

i wonder how much the jury will award him, since the manufacturer
failed to protect him from himself?

 

[Robert]

Well since we don't seem able to stay focused on the topic this is done.