Shelf Life of Tannerite

[WALKERs210]

I may not know the first thing about what is what with Tannerite so its time to just ask someone that might know. First I was told that if the two parts are mixed and left stored for some time it will loose its power or even go completely useless. I also have to ask if the two parts are not mixed and kept separated what would be the shelf life of the product. I had premixed about 1 pound and broke it down into smaller baggies with the intention of using them that day. Wound up being a few weeks before I was able to set them up for target and I know for certain that I was making center shots on the mass but never achieved the expected BOOM. So long story short How Long is too long to store either mixed or separate

 

[Ryanxia]

They last a long time when separated. I would point out that once you mix them it is illegal to transport them so keep that in mind.

 

[WALKERs210]

Thanks for the input, transporting is in my three wheel buggy about 500 ft to my backyard range. Just didn't know if there was any shelf life to be concerned about.

 

[Gtscotty]

Tannerite is just a mix of Ammonium Nitrate and Aluminum powder. Neither of these materials should loose potency if stored in an air tight dry containers. Anhydrous Ammonium Nitrate will tend to absorb water and even humidity from the air (I have an expanded tannerite container in the garage that will attest to that fact) and that could conceivably reduce the mixture's sensitivity and power. Also, Aluminum is highly reactive with oxygen, so while the individual granules of aluminum dust in your tannerite probably already have an oxide coating, if they were stored in a warm wet climate it's conceivable that they could oxidize further.

All that said, unless you hold a license, you are not supposed to transport explosives, I think if you pre-mix tannerite, and then drive to your shooting range, you would technically be in violation of the law. If you take tannerite to the range, and then mix it, you should be right with the law.

To answer your question, dry/sealed Ammonium Nitrate, and dry/sealed Aluminum dust should last a very long time. The shelf life of pre-mixed tannerite is less certain, and somewhat irrelevant because you shouldn't be mixing your tannerite until you are on site, and about to use it.

Edit: Ryanxia was quicker on the draw.

 

[bobinoregon]

I have some that's a couple years old that works fine. If it clumps up I just put in larger bag and break it up back into granules before mixing. Don't mix until ready to use though.

 

[41 Mag]

If it ever gets damp and clumps or solidifies in the container, go to the dollar store or closest bargain store and pick up a SS sieve with very fine wire mesh.

Take the plastic bottle and using a box cutter carefully remove the plastic bottle from around it, or a screwdriver to work it out of the hole in top.

Take a wooden dowel about 3/4 to 1" in diameter and about 10" long, and round over one end. Use it to scrub or mash the ammonium nitrate through the screen sieve which will effectively make it into VERY fine powder. Once there it will mix easier and MUCH better.

Been there done that and it works wonderfully. You just need to make the chunks into powder again. It might not be QUITE as it once was but it still works well enough to satisfy the grandkids.

 

[firesky101]

another reason you may have not gotten the boom you expected was the way you packaged them. the more compressed you make it the bigger boom. baggies just might not cut it.

 

[BBQJOE]

Were you using a high velocity rifle, or a .22?

 

[WALKERs210]

Baggies were folded tightly and taped to keep them in a more compressed state, also was using a .223 round. While clearing out a storage build my wife and I found around 5-6 huge trash bags full of stuffed animals that we accumulated over the years. She has picked out the ones she wants to keep, the others are being prepared for an implant.

 

[BBQJOE]

another reason you may have not gotten the boom you expected was the way you packaged them. the more compressed you make it the bigger boom. baggies just might not cut it.

I had a jar set up, and missed hitting low and in front. It kicked up a rock which busted the container leaving a nice mound of tannerite just sitting on the ground. I got back, and took a shot at the pile.
It went off.
So personally I don't really think a container packed or not matters.

 

[bassdogs]

With all the boston type threats out there, is this stuff regulated? Just surprised that a product that is basically an explosive is so easily available. I can't buy engine starting fluid or carb cleaner without showing ID. Also how do the ranges handle the use of this stuff. I do my shooting here on my own property so its just my rules. At a public range are these explosive targets restricted to certain parts of the range?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The local rod and gun club does not allow tarrenite, due to consideration for the ever increasing number of neighbors.

The neighbors were upset when the club allowed the National Guard to use the upper range while the Guard range was under construction. We were having a match on the lower range when the M60s cut loose. Awe inspiring. However some of the neighbors were not thrilled.

All the tannerite shooting I know of has been on privately owned property (where you could set a 55 gallon drum on 5 or 10 lbs of tannerite and play hillybilly space launch).

Real tannerite is formulated so that it is very difficult to use as a conventional explosive and detonates when struck by a high velocity bullet in a container that can be penetrated by a bullet. It's practical use is as a reactive target. Basically you have to be within sight, within rifle range and shoot it, kinda hard to do clandestinely, and which limits the thickness of any sort of casing. Plastic peanut butter jars work OK.

 

[WALKERs210]

We were having a match on the lower range when the M60s cut loose. Awe inspiring. However some of the neighbors were not thrilled.

I have my own property that is outside the "City Limits" of my small wide spot town of maybe 550-600 people. Last year I did some horse trading and came up with a Slide Fire stock for the AR 15. I had tried one before on an AK that didn't function worth a darn, so I was not expecting much. First mag was a 10 rd and in a second it was empty, so put a second 10 rd same thing, then put in a 30 rd and let rip. Neighbor of mine came to the edge of property and was yelling something like what the HECK is going on. In less than a week the 550-600 people believed that I had a full auto machine gun going. In regard to the Tarrenite, a few years ago I purchased a package of prepared targets that were about a 2in square designed to use a 22lr. Out of a total of 10 targets I only had two or three that actually worked even at a closer ranged and center hits. When returning to the house I brought one of the targets that had been hit home. I took knife and opened it to empty out the contents, I set it on a concrete surface and started to take a lighter to burn it off when I decided to not do that. Good thing I didn't, I did take a small strip of tissue and inserted it into the powder and lit. It burn slowly and then totally unexpected a huge explosion. I have not attempted this again since I don't hear that well any more and don't like the idea of trips to an ER.

 

[mwmjones]

I like the idea of the impanted stuffed taxidermy great thought.

 

[NukemJim]

"a package of prepared targets that were about a 2in square designed to use a 22lr."

That is different stuff than tannerite. Tannerite is not flamable per package instructions and will supposedly not start a fire when detonated.

".22 tannerite" IS flamable and will start a fire when detonated.

Also when premixing tanneraite it is illegal to take it on a public road OR to store it overnight without having a licensed storage area.

NukemJijm

 

[Ryanxia]

With all the boston type threats out there, is this stuff regulated? Just surprised that a product that is basically an explosive is so easily available. I can't buy engine starting fluid or carb cleaner without showing ID. Also how do the ranges handle the use of this stuff. I do my shooting here on my own property so its just my rules. At a public range are these explosive targets restricted to certain parts of the range?

You can go to any Walmart and get the components to make explosives, you can also make home made black powder that is very effective. There's no way to regulate it all.
What makes tannerite different too is the fact that it needs a high velocity round to set it off. You can't just throw it or burn it.

My private range allowed tannerite until a town ordinance was put in (it was for fireworks but caught tannerite too).

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The Foxfire books have details on how the old folks did a lot of things. Like collect nitrates from urine and sulfur from springs and baked their own charcoal, to make their own black powder.