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burning powder and spud guns


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Naw...cannon fuse isn't regulated. It is usually hanging on a hook next to the patches and whatnot in a blister package. Usually 10 feet for a couple bucks. At gun shows you can buy this stuff by the mile. The "green" stuff that I have run across is usually around 30 seconds a foot in speed so you really only need a few inches...unless you need the dramatic pause. ;)

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When I lived in the People's Republic of Maryland for 18 months, each gunstore I bought powder at would write down my name & address in a logbook.

Apparently all 12-year-old kids that light off Blue Dot in a coffee can are dragged off to the gulag to break big rocks into little rocks...

The Dillon measure is good to nearly the very end of the funnel. Tap tap.

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(I've never burned a small pile of powder, and I'm sure its a worthwhile experiment  :D  )

Its not that exciting. no flash... no kaboom... just a sizzle. a line of n350 3'' x 1/4'' takes about 1.5 seconds to completly burn. Id rather play with road flares.

I burned about 7# of Herco once, since I couldn't sell it and couldn't use it. VERY impressive fireball. I was glad I laid a trail.

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A 1 pound coffee can half full of mixed powder, mostly pistol stuff, gives about 8 foot of flame for about 4 sec. and sounds like a rocket taking off.

Just a word of caution, do not use this method with black powder.

Be safe!

Travis F.

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When I lived in the People's Republic of Maryland for 18 months, each gunstore I bought powder at would write down my name & address in a logbook.

Apparently all 12-year-old kids that light off Blue Dot in a coffee can are dragged off to the gulag to break big rocks into little rocks...

The Dillon measure is good to nearly the very end of the funnel. Tap tap.

Sorry for the drift.....They sometimes do and sometimes don't record your name address, type and weight of powder you purchase in New York so it isn't really enforced. What's with this? Is it a state or federal thing?

Dog

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I burned about 7# of Herco once, since I couldn't sell it and couldn't use it. VERY impressive fireball. I was glad I laid a trail.

At the end of the day on the mortar range, they burn off the extra charges in big piles - this is very aggresive fast powders (for the 81MM), or solid gell propelants (for the 4.2in - solid nitro they say, but who knows - I was a 91B) These put up big fire balls, very high. It's very dangerous, from flash burns, and worse... Never had a seriuos casualty put I've seen it come close - the heat alone you could feel 50+ feet back

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Barkim,

Do they give out free samples?

I mean after all it's surplus and just going to waste.

Gel propellent, .1 gr. start charge under 230 gr. bullet.....

Sorry, just kidding. But think how long your gun would stay clean, if you could keep it in one piece.

Travis F.

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BarKim, how do they ignite it? Do they send somebody over to the pile with a Zippo?

The 81mm comes with (I think) 6 bags of propellant attached to each round, usually they only use 4 per, so there's 2 left over. Doesn't sound like much until you have a few platoons of mortars (both standalone, and from inside APCs M113s), doing drills all day long... anyway, you can split the bags open and spill the powder out, make a decent number of feet of fuse, light that, than get the hell out of the way.

I can't remmeber how they set off the 4.2's if there wasn't any 81 powder that day..

I think the 4.2s come with a 60 charge, but usually fire at 40-45 (big problems when a 81 gunner goes to 4.2, and uses a charge 4 - and the round only goes 50 feet - saw that once - thank god there's a rotating safety - or that was 4 people gone).

I've seen newer range officers forget how fast this stuff burns, and singe trees that weren't taken into account, and then check thier eyebrows afterwards.. luckily I never had a casualty this way, but I'm sure it's happened.

I think the 81mm weigh 37#, and the 4.2 54# (it sucks getting old) - that's wht 259,000 gr (for the small one)? not really that accurate, but it makes up with that HE kick.

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  • 1 month later...
A 1 pound coffee can half full of mixed powder, mostly pistol stuff, gives about 8 foot of flame for about 4 sec. and sounds like a rocket taking off.

I did this the other day. same sicneario 1/2 can of mixed powder in a coffee can. mostly n320 and n350. at an amrs length away I light match and droped it in the can. OMG!! a 10 foot colum of flame for about 5 seconds! :D Neighbors called the cops... :ph34r: i just now rememebred this thread... Ive burnt the same amout of powder in a pile and it was no where near as impressive.

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I used to pour the excess powder into an old half pound 748(?) can that was strapped to a 1/8th scale toy Indy car. Point down the driveway and light Cannon fuse. Great fun until my brother pulled into the driveway in his brand new pickup just AFTER I lit the fuse. If I'd had a video camera running I could have made some money on Funniest Home Videos just for the expression on his face! Fortunately it was a small amount of excess powder and it burnt out about one second after it wedged under his truck.

The old metal powder can I used was a small diameter round can with a nice funnel shaped top. I think it was a 748 can. Anyway I strapped it to the roll bar and rear wing of the toy car with the nozzle, er top of the can pointing slightly upwards so the rocket blast would hold it on the ground. I think the most powder I ever put in filled less than 1/4 of the can.

Standard disclaimers apply, I'm not a rocket scientest, heck I can't even spell it, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

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know what a "tater gun" is.

Never heard of a tater gun but we did have the squeeze operated spud blasters when I was a kid.

Tater gun, lessee here. I am getting visions of a piece of pipe, a firecracker and a potato.

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Close George...real close.

The more advanced version used butane fuel and a BBQ ignitor. The local PD did a demo of them a few years back when they were all the rage. Went through both sides of a simulated wall (5/8 dry wall on 2x4 frame) and caved in a windshield pretty nicely.

There is a rather interesting book "Backyard Ballistics" which goes into detail about many such things. I pointed it out to the wife at Barnes & Noble prior to Christmas hoping she would take the hint. But alas, she did not so guess I will have to pick it up myself one of these days.

Hmmm...wonder if those make major.....???

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I've got two spud guns.

One is your garden variety 2" tube using hair spray as the propellant. Loaned to a family of visiting Germans who went through 15 lbs of spuds before they got tired. I was told that having one of these is illegal in his country. Made me appreciate the 2nd Amendment a bit more.

The other was built to launch Mardi Gras throws. Compressed air propellant. Scuba tank to scuba regulator. Hose from reg to ball valve. Ball valve is at the bottom of an old freon tank. Top of freon tank has 2" ball valve. Downstream of that is a 4" barrel. Take a roll of toilet paper and remove the cardboard center. You now have your wadding. Close both valves. Stuff in the wad and your throws. Open small valve and pressurize freon tank to 25 to 30 psi. Close valve. Quickly open 2" valve and WHOOSH. Knocked a beer out of drunks hand at 25'. Hey, he asked for it. I was informed not to do that this year due to insurance reasons. Weenies.

Till later

Hank Ellis

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