Just saw The Grey, question about 'bang stick'

[JackTheRipper]

Just got back from the movies where I watched The Grey. Spoiler alert!






During a part in the movie, Liam Neeson's character makes a spear and tapes a shotgun shell around the end and says it is basically like a bang stick, and upon impact, it will trigger the shotgun primer and explode, killing the wolf. This made me sort of wonder, without any pressure, would this be true? Would the blast of the shell be deadly so close, or would it just be a dud?

Thanks!

Jack

 

[hso]

Look at real "bang sticks" for sharks.

Without a supporting "chamber" the power is not constrained to direct the energy in one direction and the energy may be distributed laterally as much as forward.

 

[mgmorden]

It'd be something to test. Contained within the hull it might go bang, and at that distinance it likely would kill.

As a matter of fact I once heard of a Darwin award by a guy who was driving his car home - a fuse blew and so he stuck a .22 bullet in the fuse box to complete the circuit. It got hot enough that the powder ignited and the bullet lodged in his "manly parts", rendering him sterile. That had to be at least a foot or two away, so a shell at point blank probably has enough "oomph" to kill.

What made me go "huh?" more is that he was using what clearly looked like a large bolt action rifle. I know there are bolt action shotguns but I've never seen one that quite looked like that, nor to the bore look large enough for the obviously 12ga shells. So if he was using a rifle - why was he hauling around a box full of shotgun shells?

 

[DBR]

Real "bang sticks", at least the ones I used diving, contained the cartridge or shell in a chamber and had a short section of smooth bore barrel.

I doubt a shell fired in the open would do anything but burst the shell.

A bang stick has to be in contact to fire. The projectile makes a hole and the blast gas is injected into the creature through the hole.

There are also similar devices that work like a giant hypodermic needle and inject a blast of gas usually CO2.

 

[Wes Mantooth]

The bang sticks for sharks have shotgun shells inside a short metal tube to direct the blast. Just taping a shell to a stick would not have the desired effect. It would certainly hurt, not necessarily kill.

Mythbuster did an episode where they put different ammunition in a campfire. The rounds cooked off, but the flying brass did more damage than the actual bullets, which didn't go very far without being directed down a barrel.

EDIT: I must type too slow. DBR beat me to it.^

 

[tyeo098]

Would they be classified as AOW's?

 

[JackTheRipper]

I'm an avid diver, so I definitely know about bang sticks for sharks.

The thing that makes me wonder, is that this isn't underwater, Oxygen is flammable... Also, didn't know if the pressure between skin/the shell, would create any reasonable pressure to make it a deadly bang...

 

[rcmodel]

.22 powder ignited and the bullet lodged in his "manly parts",

False.

A .22 bullet is much heavier then the case.

The bullet doesn't go anywhere with any force.

But the empty case sure does!

I would guesstimate a shotgun shell taped on a stick would do the same thing.

Uncontailed in a chamber of some sort, the heavy shot charge would say put, but the case would rupture and all the pressure would blow out the sides.

See this about uncontained ammo going off.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7001165#post7001165

rc

 

[DBR]

Just for the record: oxygen is not flammable. Oxygen supports the combustion of something that is flammable.

 

[tyeo098]

Just for the record: oxygen is not flammable. Oxygen supports the combustion of something that is flammable.

Also if I'm being recorded: Gunpowder is a decomposing reaction, much like that of TNT or Nitro-glycerine. It does not need oxygen to burn like gasoline.

 

[DBR]

Actually, gunpowder does need oxygen to burn. It just supplies its own.

 

[tyeo098]

Actually, gunpowder does need oxygen to burn. It just supplies its own.

No, its a decomposing reaction. Oxygen is often a byproduct, but not used is the actual reaction.

 

[DBR]

Are we talking about black powder or nitrocellulose?

 

[Isaac-1]

There are also devices called power heads that are similar to bang sticks used in speer fishing that use a number of more of less standard cartridge casings.
Ike

 

[Jeff F]

Power heads are just another name for a bang stick. The ones I have seen personally were in .223, .357., .44 mag, 12 & 20 gauge shot shell. They were not an AOW back when I was a diving instructor in the mid 80's early 90's. I never carried one. A power head is just the firing unit thats not mounted to the stick.

 

[Serenity]

The shotgun shells had us scratching our heads, too. Did you stay to see the part after the credits?

 

[jerkface11]

Without a supporting "chamber" the power is not constrained to direct the energy in one direction and the energy may be distributed laterally as much as forward.

I would imagine that even if that didn't kill the wolf it would make it go away.

 

[DBR]

Go away laughing maybe?

 

[JackTheRipper]

Are you serious? There was a part after the credits????

I HATE how movies do that, there should be a freakin' law that states they have to tell you if there is anything left after the credits...

dang!

And I once read about bang sticks, that it wasn't the bullets that killed the shark, but it was the, hmm what do you call it, like the pressure displaced... Like a ballon popping... And this fast movement kills the shark... I dunno...

BTW I didn't know Oxygen wasn't a flammable, interesting, thanks for the info! I just always assumed it was flammable. My mom owns a Durable medical equipment company and we have to have no smoking/ open flames around the oxygen. I just always assumed it was flammable...


EDIT: I just youtubed the scene after the credits, thanks for letting me know that!!! That COULD have changed the whole outcome/insight of the movie!

 

[highlander 5]

Story about the guy using a 22 rf as a replacement for a blown fuse is an urban myth plus according to the local paper that was given credit for the story it never happened. Check www.snopes.com for comfirmation.
Saw the movie on Thurs very good movie.

 

[DBR]

The reason there are "no smoking" signs where O2 is used is it acts as an accellerant. It can make anything that is burning burn MUCH faster.

 

[tyeo098]

Case in point: Apollo 1

 

[12gaugeTim]

I should ask one of my uncles. They used to set off shotgun shells on stumps with hammers. A wonder they're alive

 

[Hypnogator]

I should ask one of my uncles. They used to set off shotgun shells on stumps with hammers. A wonder they're alive

It's a wonder you have any cousins!

 

[mortablunt]

It would likely give everyone a bit of a start, but it wouldn't be lethal unless you were killed by having your high expectations dashed. It's still a slightly intelligent gun type idea for Hollywood.