# Ammo question ?



## TripleD (Feb 12, 2011)

I know this might be dumb. Just wondering what happens to ammo if you have a house fire ? Dont be too hard on me.......


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## kkbinco (Jun 11, 2010)

It will pop, with the brass going further than the bullets. No real damage will be done beyond what you might expect from a ricochet.

Since the round is not contained in a chamber the pressure is expended almost as quickly as it is created.

Tossing a few .22s into a campfire is an old crowd pleaser!


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

Not dumb at all. Lots of people have images in their heads of movie theater explosions with projectiles flying. Hollywood often gets it wrong, but it makes for good entertainment...

Even if the powder ignites what you will likely get is a "pop" and separation of the bullet from the casing - but not whizzing projectiles. Rather anticlimactic actually. Without a gun holding the case, containing the force of the powder burn in a tiny area and forcing the bullet down a barrel - you don't get much bang for the buck so to speak. 

Think of it like this. If you set a fire cracker off in the palm of your hand while it is open you get a little burn. If you close your hand around it and try to compress or contain the burning powder well then you could lose a finger.


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## JawjaBoy (Jan 21, 2013)

Firecrackers!

As a volunteer fireman, I can't tell you how many times we have had a house or shop fire and all of a sudden it sounds like the 4th of July! Lots of pops and MAYBE a couple of whistling cases. The cases aren't moving very fast, basically just fast enough that air passing over the mouth will whistle and if it hits you won't do any harm.

Regardless, it WILL grab your attention!


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

As a retired firefighter, I agree with JawjaBoy. Been hit many times, but nothing ever penetrated the turn-out gear. However you need to be mindful of the muzzle direction of any fire arms you see in case there is a round in the chamber. Also any cans of smokeless or black powder.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

as a fireman what do you prefer for black and smokeless storage lets say 12 pounds black and 12 pounds smokeless is what your storing


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

kkbinco said:


> It will pop, with the brass going further than the bullets. No real damage will be done beyond what you might expect from a ricochet.
> 
> Since the round is not contained in a chamber the pressure is expended almost as quickly as it is created.
> 
> Tossing a few .22s into a campfire is an old crowd pleaser!


Not always harmless fun. My 80 yr old grandmother was standing near a campfire when someone did this. A 22 case penetrated the calf of her leg about 1 1/4 inch. Took a visit to the emergency room to remove it and left her with a very sore leg for several days. She didn't think highly of this sort of fun and it was very fortunate someone wasn't hit in the eye .:nono:


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## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> as a fireman what do you prefer for black and smokeless storage lets say 12 pounds black and 12 pounds smokeless is what your storing


Look at the National Fire Protection code as to approved storage methods and requirements.

Black powder is a Class C explosive.
Smokeless powders are propellants.

Many reloading manuals have the excerpt of the code printed in them.

Personally, I store my powders on a shelf in a closet in the house, in the factory containers, same with primers and caps. No local codes to adhere to. If one desires secure storage, a gym locker with mesh sides works well. Or an old school locker with the louvers in the door.

What one does not want to do is store any of these items in a container that will allow pressure to build.

As to the dangers of a house fire with ammunition and canned food involved, the canned food will give more bang and distance than ammo.


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## Wolfy-hound (May 5, 2013)

A can of dog food will act like napalm if it hits you.

Cooking off most rounds won't be too harmful although a lot of the local volunteer firefighters still don't want to get near a house when it's happening. I'm not sure if they think the bullet will somehow hurt them or if they assume there's also loaded firearms that could be pointed in a bad direction!


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## wiggles_n_flop (Sep 24, 2012)

having whitnessed my house burn down with lots of dad's ammo in the back room, i don't agree with those who say its all fun and noise, no harm. that is true of rifle ammo and heavily crimped pistol ammo... the pressure just blows a hole in the side of the case and the bullet never leaves. HOWEVER .22 lr and light pistol ammo like .38 spl WILL fire the bullet. (believe me, i combed through the ashes.) now if the cartridge was laying on its side, then the case, having the lower mass, will be sent flying while the bullet travels little if at all. BUT it the ammo was store facing up then when the cartridge fires the case has its back against the floor and will shoot the bullet upward-ish at a substantial velocity.
when the fire hit our ammo supply we all stood behind vehichles at a good distance and listened to .22 bullets ricocheting off the trees up the hill hear the house... later when we came back to scrape through the ashes we could see all the shredded limbs and nicks in the trunks of trees where the bullets had struck.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Wolfy-hound said:


> A can of dog food will act like napalm if it hits you.
> 
> Cooking off most rounds won't be too harmful although a lot of the local volunteer firefighters still don't want to get near a house when it's happening. I'm not sure if they think the bullet will somehow hurt them or if they assume there's also loaded firearms that could be pointed in a bad direction!


Cans of paint are fun too! Alot of times we just back off and let things burn, to the consternation of the owners.


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

oneokie said:


> What one does not want to do is store any of these items in a container that will allow pressure to build.


What happens with ammo stored in the metal ammo cans with the rubber seals?


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## Jackpine Savage (Jul 4, 2002)

Here is a video that SAAMI put together to address firefighters concerns about ammo.

[YOUTUBE][ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c[/ame][/YOUTUBE]


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## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

Lookin4GoodLife said:


> What happens with ammo stored in the metal ammo cans with the rubber seals?


You will have a boom when the pressure inside the ammo can exceeds the burst strength of the can.


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