Small Explosion at the range

[DeepSouth]

In my youth I’ve seen more than one intoxicated teenager or twenty something toss a few 22’s into a camp fire as a joke. It’s a wonder we never got anyone hurt. Things far more dangerous than that also went on, but I want give anyone ideas.

 

[armedwalleye]

As to heat setting live rounds off, it takes a lot less than a fire.....I recall stories of more than one Viet Nam Vet from River Rat patrol boats talking about rounds cooking off from the heat of the barrels after a particularly intense firefight.

 

[Atavar]

In one of my previous lifetimes I worked with 30mm cannons. The cartridges were basically just like huge handgun bullets with electric fired primers.
We had more than one of those go off on the bench for various reasons.
The projectile would sit there and the case would separate and spin around.
I suspect the greatest danger would be burns or brass shrapnel.

 

[theotherwaldo]

When I was a kid in Portland, Oregon, a big surplus store caught fire.
Literally tons of ammo down by the loading docks lit off.
A few bits of brass and a few bullets made it to the edge of the street.

 

[jarhead127]

As to heat setting live rounds off, it takes a lot less than a fire.....I recall stories of more than one Viet Nam Vet from River Rat patrol boats talking about rounds cooking off from the heat of the barrels after a particularly intense firefight.

That's why the ammo belts are assembled with clips, so you can reach up + twist them apart stopping the cook offs. Admittedly it works great, but when you look at the belt going thru an M-60, it appears more like a chainsaw blade than an ammo belt. Anyway, I wasn't havin any part of it + the drill instructor made me pay dearly.

 

[Archie]

From my experience and interviews, seldom if ever will a cartridge without a chamber and such to confine the pressure result in serious damage. Save possibly a primer cup hitting an eye.

Far more common is the need for 'clean linen' from the report. Still, an appalling waste of ammunition.

 

[TacticalSpeed]

Glad you are ok!

 

[Autodidactic]

I have never doubted live ammunition would go off when thrown in the fire. I have always wondered if the bullet or case would have enough power behind it to do lethal damage? A lot of what a gun does is direct the forces of the burning powder to propel the bullet. With the case fragmenting like that I wonder how much power the bullet actually has?

Of course I have never wanted to find out by myself! Picking brass or steel shrapnel out of my skin or eyes is something I would really like to avoid.

I am glad you are ok!

I wondered the same but I think experiments show that without a barrel to contain the shell actually flies farther. It’s generally not enough power on either end to be lethal.

 

[armoredman]

the saami video on ammo in a fire is very interesting . its amazing how little the the bullets traveled ...

It was also a crying shame to watch so much ammo go up in smoke, BUT, I know why they did it....

 

[FL-NC]

Yep, that is pretty dangerous. While there is no back pressure from a barrel, breech, etc. to send that round off at high velocity, parts of the case and the primer, anvil, etc would cause discomfort if it hit you- especially in the eye. An easy fix for this is to keep some trash bags in your range bag.

 

[KY DAN]

I was in Dallas when the bottled gas yard exploded and burned in ‘07.


I had assumed in the case of a live cartridge in a fire would be similar, with the case and bullet going in opposite directions but not far. I wouldn’t have guessed the case would rupture. Interesting.

I may be ignorant and if I am firmly correct me......

I noticed alot of green oxygen tanks on the fire, I am under the understanding torch gas will not explode It will BURN but not explode. Most likely those airborne tanks were oxygen canisters.

 

[TimRB]

In my youth I’ve seen more than one intoxicated teenager or twenty something toss a few 22’s into a camp fire as a joke.

We often camp in national forest at a favorite campsite. It's "unimproved"; not in a regular campground, and is popular with campers, prospectors, and hunters. One time a loud bang came from our campfire, and I always presumed that some practical joker left a 22 cartridge in the fire ring just for fun. It was not very much fun.

Tim

 

[alfsauve]

It can happen while shooting that a round gets ignited out of the chamber. At the 2021 USPSA GA State championship one competitor had a round that did not chamber. She pulled back on the slide very smartly (she is a body builder after all) and caused the primer to jam into the ejector. It ignited the round. The bullet did flip upwards and give her a fat lip. Other than ego no damage done. If you're wondering the gun is DQd as unsafe and the competitor can continue the match if they have a backup gun, which she did. Happens on occasion in competition.

Not a lot to see but here is the video of it happening.

 

[twarr1]

I may be ignorant and if I am firmly correct me......

I noticed alot of green oxygen tanks on the fire, I am under the understanding torch gas will not explode It will BURN but not explode. Most likely those airborne tanks were oxygen canisters.

You’re right. All the ones I saw laying around were oxygen bottles. Didn’t see any acetylene rockets.

 

[theotherwaldo]

When I was working at the Todd Pacific Shipyard in San Pedro, we had a load of oxygen bottles that were being lifted onto one of the Perry=class frigates that were under construction.
The rigging failed and bottles flew everywhere.
We never found them all - some probably flew into the turning basin.
Amazingly, no one was hurt... that time.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Back in the early 60's, living in the rural Midwest, we burnt most of the garbage we created in a burn barrel behind the house. It was my job to do that. One day after my mom and older sisters had completed "Spring" cleaning, there was a considerable amount of garbage to be burnt. Loaded up the barrel, lit it up and went back in the house. Short time later it sounded like a war in the backyard.
My mom quickly realizing that the girls must have thrown some live ammo in the garbage, made us kids all go to the basement till long after the last "bang", fearing we might be hit by a stray bullet coming thru the house. Later when things cooled down I went out thinking the barrel would be riddled with holes. Not even a dent, even tho there was a considerable amount of empty .22 and 30-30 cases in the barrel.

The old barn fly spray cans make a bigger boom than ammo.

 

[Meeks36]

I was in Dallas when the bottled gas yard exploded and burned in ‘07.


I had assumed in the case of a live cartridge in a fire would be similar, with the case and bullet going in opposite directions but not far. I wouldn’t have guessed the case would rupture. Interesting.

Ok that proves I was right all these years. An old boss would light the cutting torch w his cigarette. Smoking around a 12 or so full oxygen and acetylene tanks indoors. Not including the grinding, cutting, polishing that threw some sparks. Again indoors w tanks laying around the shop. Well we survived.

 

[Riomouse911]

When I was working at the Todd Pacific Shipyard in San Pedro, we had a load of oxygen bottles that were being lifted onto one of the Perry=class frigates that were under construction.
The rigging failed and bottles flew everywhere.
We never found them all - some probably flew into the turning basin.
Amazingly, no one was hurt... that time.

I lived in Wilmington when I was a little kid, right down the toad from the TODD shipyard (I could see the TODD watertower from down the street).
We’re you there in 1976 when the tanker blew up in the harbor? It broke windows in the house we rented and caused a bunch of damage in our area.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Sansinena

Stay safe.

 

[theotherwaldo]

We’re you there in 1976 when the tanker blew up in the harbor? It broke windows in the house we rented and caused a bunch of damage in our area.

No, I got there a couple of years later. I was there during a smaller LPG explosion that cost me most of my hair and stuck my helmet to what was left. One of my wilder days there, right up there with the day I got bit by a rattler and still had to bicycle back home to Huntington Park.
It was a dangerous place to work.
We lost nine guys in five months.

 

[Riomouse911]

No, I got there a couple of years later. I was there during a smaller LPG explosion that cost me most of my hair and stuck my helmet to what was left. One of my wilder days there, right up there with the day I got bit by a rattler and still had to bicycle back home to Huntington Park.
It was a dangerous place to work.
We lost nine guys in five months.

Wow!
Glad you survived it!

Stay safe.

 

[theotherwaldo]

They had the antivenom at hand.
I wasn't the first.
It seemed that they stored the tubing that they used in the ships' construction out in the desert before they shipped it to us and the loads picked up hitchhikers along the way.
It seems that the trip annoyed them... .

Anyway, bicycling through Long Beach let me get some shooting in.
I'd go out to yhe breakwater with my AR-7 and shoot rats - after I gave up fishing there.
I didn't want to eat anything that came out of that harbor... .

 

[FROGO207]

That was the way we generally got rid of those .22 rounds that would not ignite. Just toss em in the campfire when nobody was watching LOL.
BEST ONE WAS WHEN i took apatt a .22 mag round dumped the powder, and gripped it with long nosed pliers through the mouth. Apply a lighter to the rim and it would take off with enough force to dent the bedroom celing. Got in trouble for that one I did.

 

[Caplock]

One year elk hunting with a buddy we found a nice spot to set up camp. Camp fire ring already was loaded up with wood. We lit the fire after dark and after a while I could see the red glow of propane tanks in the fire.
Nice little trap someone had set.
Friend was braver than I and fished them out with a long stick. Lucky for us they didn't explode. Anyone and everyone would be in awe at how fast I can move for cover.

 

[lightman]

General Hatcher did a lot of expierments on this subject and wrote about it in one of his books. It was pretty interesting reading if you can locate the book.

 

[AZmark]

I've thrown a few 22s into the campfire and then got away from it. The 22 shells would fly and whistle through the air and the bullet would stay there.