The homeowner declined to comment at the scene Friday.

Presumably because he was busy trying to input an Infinite Ammo code for real life.

It's all part of Obama's plot to disarm the nation

/time to go long on arms manufacturers.

"Bayou George"???

did his Corvette melt too?

I store my ammo next to the water heater so that the first round that pierces the vessel helps save the rest of my stash.

South Dakota?

Unless he stored the ammo in a barrel (the kind you shoot through, not the kind you age bourbon in), it's not going to do anything other than make a loud pop. At most the brass casing or the primer may fly a few inches (as it's lighter than the bullet) but certainly not with force enough to hurt anyone (other than the classic "you'll shoot your eye out...").

From CartridgeCollectors.org
(which granted may have a bit of a bias but there is plenty of other research out there)

Tests have shown that ammunition exposed to a fire may eventually be heated to the point that the primer and/or powder will ignite. This will usually result in the cartridge case rupturing, and force the primer from the primer pocket. The powder burns, and does not explode. Since the ammunition is not constrained within the barrel of a gun, the force is dispersed in all directions, and the bullet will do little more than drop out of the case. The primer, any pieces of the ruptured cartridge case, and the bullet will not penetrate anything much stronger than a corrugated cardboard box a few inches away. Military surplus "ammo cans" are excellent and safe methods for storing ammunition. Newspaper accounts of house or business fires where "bullets exploded by the heat went shooting over firefighters' heads" are completely false and based on invalid assumptions and ignorance. However, news people often leap to hysterical conclusions which attract a lot of attention and are seldom corrected

Damn it, I went with Texas.

Texas?

Ya know, Mythbusters pretty much proved that cooked off ammo, outside of the gun, is mostly harmless.

You know, with all the house fires that occur on a daily basis, and the percentage of Americans who own guns at something like 45%, I'm surprised I've never heard about something like this before.

dukeblue219: You know, with all the house fires that occur on a daily basis, and the percentage of Americans who own guns at something like 45%, I'm surprised I've never heard about something like this before.

I guess wildcardjack and Recoil Therapy partially answered my curiosity.

Well the florida tag kinda gives it away, but I was gonna go with my home state of Texas, possibly my dad's house.

I expected Texas, but I cheated and saw the Florida tag.

Firedukeblue219: You know, with all the house fires that occur on a daily basis, and the percentage of Americans who own guns at something like 45%, I'm surprised I've never heard about something like this before.

...that would be because ammo explodes in house fires about the same way that cars explode after car wrecks.

As in, unless you're on a sound stage in Hollywood, they don't.

Gyrfalcon: "Bayou George"???


So close...

Toshiro Mifune's Letter Opener

The homeowner declined to comment at the scene Friday.

Presumably because he was busy trying to input an Infinite Ammo code for real life.


i... d... d... q... d...

"WTF?"

I... D... D... Q... D...

"WTF??"

Most be the ''unionized firefighters'' how were afraid to enter this strong Conservative family home for fear of being exposed the Truth about their savior, Obummer.

Yeah, that's the ticket!

HeWhoHasNoName: Firedukeblue219: You know, with all the house fires that occur on a daily basis, and the percentage of Americans who own guns at something like 45%, I'm surprised I've never heard about something like this before.

...that would be because ammo explodes in house fires about the same way that cars explode after car wrecks.

As in, unless you're on a sound stage in Hollywood, they don't.

Have thrown many a cartridge of all kinds in camp fires through out my life to see what would happen and other than fizzles and "poofs" that didn't send anything past the fire pit, I've never seen small caliber ammo cause any kind of damage.

Damn it, I went with Utah.

Not only do you have to worry about thousands of rounds of ammo going off, but also hundreds of cans of beans.

Recoil Therapy: Unless he stored the ammo in a barrel (the kind you shoot through, not the kind you age bourbon in), it's not going to do anything other than make a loud pop. At most the brass casing or the primer may fly a few inches (as it's lighter than the bullet) but certainly not with force enough to hurt anyone (other than the classic "you'll shoot your eye out...").

From CartridgeCollectors.org
(which granted may have a bit of a bias but there is plenty of other research out there)

Tests have shown that ammunition exposed to a fire may eventually be heated to the point that the primer and/or powder will ignite. This will usually result in the cartridge case rupturing, and force the primer from the primer pocket. The powder burns, and does not explode. Since the ammunition is not constrained within the barrel of a gun, the force is dispersed in all directions, and the bullet will do little more than drop out of the case. The primer, any pieces of the ruptured cartridge case, and the bullet will not penetrate anything much stronger than a corrugated cardboard box a few inches away. Military surplus "ammo cans" are excellent and safe methods for storing ammunition. Newspaper accounts of house or business fires where "bullets exploded by the heat went shooting over firefighters' heads" are completely false and based on invalid assumptions and ignorance. However, news people often leap to hysterical conclusions which attract a lot of attention and are seldom corrected

Get out of here with your so-called "facts". I said GOOD DAY SIR.

What defines an "unusually large amount of ammo"? I remember a new story that talked about the "arsenal" of weapons confiscated. Two pistols, a shotgun, and 200 rounds of ammo. That's not a farking arsenal! Hell, if I only have 200 rounds of ammo, it means I spent a whole day at the range with a group of friends and haven't had time to restock. Of course, this being California, a nonzero number of guns or ammo is considered an arsenal.

Fireworks I can understand standing off for, but unless the guy had some *very* interesting federal paperwork (or pending felony charges) the ammo should be the least of their worries.

Paints, welding gear, pesticides & even normal spray cans are scary in fires.

/bullets don't go very far with a gun around them
//and I've known firefighters who should know better get terrified if ammo is involved
///at least some have the sense to get really worried at the thought of a hardware store fire

apachevoyeur

Damn it, I went with Utah.

Not only do you have to worry about thousands of rounds of ammo going off, but also hundreds of cans of beans.


More beans, Mr. Taggart?

Recoil Therapy: Since the ammunition is not constrained within the barrel of a gun, the force is dispersed in all directions, and the bullet will do little more than drop out of the case.

From my experience acting like a moron as a kid, I can say that is not correct.

I chopped a bullet in half with an ice chopper and lit the powder with a match. The bullet flew, thankfully, into an embankment instead of my face.

Apparently disappointed at not injuring myself, I chopped another bullet in half, and this one fired. Somehow not into my foot.

Englebert Slaptyback: i... d... d... q... d...

"WTF?"

I... D... D... Q... D...

"WTF??"


You magnificent bastard, you've no idea how old you just made me feel.

Bing, Bing, Bing.

FTA
Bullets slapped off the brick walls, popped through the tin roof and pinged off a fire truck.
No one was injured in the fire or by the exploding ammo, but one firefighter at the scene reported having been struck by shrapnel.

It was a house full of fireworks, ammo, and most likely gunpowder. I don't give a damn about Mythbusters, something was blowing holes in the roof and throwing shrapnel in the air. I would not blame anyone who said "Let the farker burn!"

If it happened in Texas the firefighters would have shot back.

hmm maybe a good time to invest in a fireproof gunsafe.

rev. dave

hmm maybe a good time to invest in a fireproof gunsafe.


Or a gunproof firesafe.

Mythbuster proved that even 50 bmg is harmless in such situations

bim1154: HeWhoHasNoName: Firedukeblue219: You know, with all the house fires that occur on a daily basis, and the percentage of Americans who own guns at something like 45%, I'm surprised I've never heard about something like this before.

...that would be because ammo explodes in house fires about the same way that cars explode after car wrecks.

As in, unless you're on a sound stage in Hollywood, they don't.

Have thrown many a cartridge of all kinds in camp fires through out my life to see what would happen and other than fizzles and "poofs" that didn't send anything past the fire pit, I've never seen small caliber ammo cause any kind of damage.

Well, okay.

All you guys who are so sure there is no danger can just go right on in to the home where a large store of ammo is ablaze and put the fire out. I'll come watch.

jaytkay: Recoil Therapy: Since the ammunition is not constrained within the barrel of a gun, the force is dispersed in all directions, and the bullet will do little more than drop out of the case.

From my experience acting like a moron as a kid, I can say that is not correct.

I chopped a bullet in half with an ice chopper and lit the powder with a match. The bullet flew, thankfully, into an embankment instead of my face.

Apparently disappointed at not injuring myself, I chopped another bullet in half, and this one fired. Somehow not into my foot.

I'm going to have to call "bullshiat" on all of this. If you light gunpowder in the open it just burns somewhat rapidly. I've done this several times to dispose of powders I didn't want to use for one reason or another. It wouldn't generate enough pressure to move a millimeter.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE!

In all fairness, the correct answer easily could have been any state south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Recoil Therapy: Tests have shown that ammunition exposed to a fire may eventually be heated to the point that the primer and/or powder will ignite. This will usually result in the cartridge case rupturing, and force the primer from the primer pocket. The powder burns, and does not explode. Since the ammunition is not constrained within the barrel of a gun, the force is dispersed in all directions, and the bullet will do little more than drop out of the case.

THIS.

IIRC Mythbusters did an episode on this topic. If it's not in a gun, a round cooking off is no more dangerous than a firecracker with a similar amount of powder.

Gyrfalcon: bim1154: HeWhoHasNoName: Firedukeblue219: You know, with all the house fires that occur on a daily basis, and the percentage of Americans who own guns at something like 45%, I'm surprised I've never heard about something like this before.

...that would be because ammo explodes in house fires about the same way that cars explode after car wrecks.

As in, unless you're on a sound stage in Hollywood, they don't.

Have thrown many a cartridge of all kinds in camp fires through out my life to see what would happen and other than fizzles and "poofs" that didn't send anything past the fire pit, I've never seen small caliber ammo cause any kind of damage.

Well, okay.

All you guys who are so sure there is no danger can just go right on in to the home where a large store of ammo is ablaze and put the fire out. I'll come watch.

I can see if them staying out if they think someone has reloading supplies (gun powder) stored in the house, but just regular ammo.... no reason they couldn't start hosing that house down.

Stockpiling all that ammo didn't help the homeowner in a real life emergency situation. Your ammo stockpile won't help you with most situations that you are likely to encounter, but psychologically the chronic stockpiler feels better.

Squeezer: Mythbuster proved that even 50 bmg is harmless in such situations in an outdoor controlled burn of a single bullet.

Mythbusters did sufficiently call bullshiat on the "I shot a bullet with only a match" stories, but these firefighters are already dealing with a highly dangerous uncontrolled burn in a confined space. Regardless of what MB says, an unknown quantity of ammo is just yet another possible safety hazard.

Sure, they likely would be fine if they handled it like any other fire, just as you likely would be fine if you stuck your head in the mouth of a "tame" tiger, but that doesn't mean you're going to blindly risk your life on the words of some random guy.

Texas...and subby should feel bad for the misleading tag
/drtfa

Next on Hoarders...

Recoil Therapy: Unless he stored the ammo in a barrel (the kind you shoot through, not the kind you age bourbon in), it's not going to do anything other than make a loud pop. At most the brass casing or the primer may fly a few inches (as it's lighter than the bullet) but certainly not with force enough to hurt anyone (other than the classic "you'll shoot your eye out...").

From CartridgeCollectors.org
(which granted may have a bit of a bias but there is plenty of other research out there)

Tests have shown that ammunition exposed to a fire may eventually be heated to the point that the primer and/or powder will ignite. This will usually result in the cartridge case rupturing, and force the primer from the primer pocket. The powder burns, and does not explode. Since the ammunition is not constrained within the barrel of a gun, the force is dispersed in all directions, and the bullet will do little more than drop out of the case. The primer, any pieces of the ruptured cartridge case, and the bullet will not penetrate anything much stronger than a corrugated cardboard box a few inches away. Military surplus "ammo cans" are excellent and safe methods for storing ammunition. Newspaper accounts of house or business fires where "bullets exploded by the heat went shooting over firefighters' heads" are completely false and based on invalid assumptions and ignorance. However, news people often leap to hysterical conclusions which attract a lot of attention and are seldom corrected

Except for that whole Firestation policy and/or local law/regulation that says 'if he has tons of guns we can't/won't go in till it resolves itself'.

Gun nuts typically either have a lot of powder, for bullet making (which might be, you know, mildly explosive) or a lot of illegal exploding shiat. Seriously, how many rednecks on youtube have homeade bombs lined up?

Your property isn't worth their life, so they're going to contain the fire and wait for the boom which may or may not come.

My guess is that anyone who has 'an unusually large' ammo collection probably has some stuff in there that's going to go boom in one fashion or another.

austin_millbarge: In all fairness, the correct answer easily could have been any state south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Right, because they don't have any guns in Montana.

The South: Americas Scapegoat since 1860.

Englebert Slaptyback: Toshiro Mifune's Letter Opener

The homeowner declined to comment at the scene Friday.

Presumably because he was busy trying to input an Infinite Ammo code for real life.


i... d... d... q... d...

"WTF?"

I... D... D... Q... D...

"WTF??"

You need a bandana in real life.

Or I D K F A

Gyrfalcon: "Bayou George"???

Yep. How Bayou George got it's name: Sometime around 1830, two men from New York, named George & Leland, opened a store near the northwest end of East Creek on the bayou at Bayhead. Built on pilings over the water, this store was unique in the area. Customers sailed their boats under the building, climbed up the stairs and purchased their goods and supplies. The bayou took it's name from the storeowner named "George." Old maps show the waterway marked "George's Bayou."
This house is about three miles south of the waterway.

/I have a real talent for useless information like this.

Solid Muldoon: austin_millbarge: In all fairness, the correct answer easily could have been any state south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Right, because they don't have any guns in Montana.

The South: Americas Scapegoat since 1860.

The South. Living in the past since 1865.

zulius: Gyrfalcon: "Bayou George"???

[upload.wikimedia.org image 250x352]
So close...

Classic

People who run into burning buildings are clearly not thinking clearly.

If he had an unusually large amount of ammo, he probably reloaded his own. The big pops and explosions were most likely his powder canisters and primers exploding. I suppose if he had a lot of ammo in an ammo can, it could heat up enough to set it off all at once, but it still wont hurl bullets at deadly velocities.