First time using exploding targets... wow!

SC4006 · June 27, 2014, 06:20 PM

For a long time my LGS has had that "tannerite" exploding target mix, and recently I decided I might give it a try and see if it's really worth the money. I made I'd say about a quarter pound mix, grabbed my trusty M1 Garand, went to my backyard range, and set it up at about 100 yards away to be safe. I was thinking the blast would be just a tad louder than the report the M1 creates, but WOW, it was maybe 4-5x as loud. I was very surprised such a small amount would be so loud. Still nowhere close to how loud the frag grenades I threw a at Army BCT were, but I think next time I'll use these in a more remote area since I live FAIRLY close to my neighbors. Does anyone have any experience with detonating larger amounts of the stuff (like a pound or more)?

Brian Pfleuger · June 27, 2014, 06:25 PM

I recently had the exact same experience.

I put a 1/4lber at 200 yards and shot it with my .204. There's just enough delay that I saw the smoke and thought "Where's the...."

BOOM!

Holy crap! Even at 200 yards I could feel the concussion, like bass from a huge speaker. It sounded exactly like one of the noise charges in a fireworks display. I looked at my uncle and he goes "Dang! That was a lot less gun like and a lot more bomb like!"

I can't imagine what the 1 pounders are like, I still haven't tried one. I need to get to a place where there aren't any houses... anywhere.

kilimanjaro · June 27, 2014, 06:31 PM

Don't use it on any federal land, they don't like it.

Gary L. Griffiths · June 27, 2014, 06:40 PM

I put a half-pounder on a cardboard clay targets box 100 yds downrange, and was also impressed by the flash and blast when I hit it with a 5.56mm XM193. Went down to retrieve the debris, found a 10" hole blasted into the grass under where the box usetawas. The box was in pieces, only a few of which were as large as my hand. The plastic container it was in simply disappeared.

Will be getting more for fun targets the next time I take my niece and nephew shooting.

9mmfan · June 28, 2014, 01:49 AM

Tannerite + pumpkins = good times.

Brotherbadger · June 30, 2014, 04:08 AM

I love them. Between them and steel targets, i'll never get bored.

guruatbol · June 30, 2014, 07:51 AM

Due to my job, I have a large number of spray paint cans available. I went out Saturday and shot up a bunch and we took a case of unused cans too.

Wow, that was cool. I don't worry about the paint since it is veggie die and water. It will fade quickly and is not harmful. I do have to remember to bring some stuff to wash up though.

Mel

Kimio · June 30, 2014, 08:55 AM

I have no experience with this stuff. How safe is it to store? What is the risk of storing it and can it be accidently detonated when not mixed?

Sounds like a blast (no pun intended) to shoot at, but I doubt my base commander would appreciate me storing this stuff at my house. I'll have to look elsewhere to store it if I wanted to get some.

Safety of course, is my number one concern though, and if it's a volatile substance, I want to reduce the risks of storing and using it as much as possible.

Brian Pfleuger · June 30, 2014, 09:24 AM

Quote:

I have no experience with this stuff. How safe is it to store? What is the risk of storing it and can it be accidently detonated when not mixed?

Sounds like a blast (no pun intended) to shoot at, but I doubt my base commander would appreciate me storing this stuff at my house. I'll have to look elsewhere to store it if I wanted to get some.

The unmixed ingredients are inert. They are not dangerous at all. Mixed, it is considered an explosive and is illegal to transport. Even so, significant impact is required. The stuff does not explode any other way.

The unmixed components don't even burn particularly well.

JimDandy · June 30, 2014, 09:55 AM

Anecdotally, My uncle tells of a guy who demolished his house by buying out the local gun shops of every pound they had.

Then there's the news report of a guy who stuck 100 pounds of it in a truck 5 miles from Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant and rattled security enough they sent police out to investigate.

I've shot it a few times. I wasn't really impressed with any concussion wave or anything like others are, but because others are I chalk it up to insensitivity to the wave on my part rather than a lack of it being there and treat it accordingly i.e. carefully.

Kimio · June 30, 2014, 11:44 AM

Hmmm, good to know. I'll have to check with my base security and what have you to see if they'd allow me to store it at the armory or something, if they don't allow me to have it at my house.

JimDandy · June 30, 2014, 01:46 PM

Offer to share. That might head off the warm fuzzy feeling base commanders might get if asked if it's ok for someone to bring tannerite on base.

Machineguntony · June 30, 2014, 01:56 PM

There was an incident at a range where the guy mixed and then shot the product. For whatever reason, the stuff didn't explode, but looking through the spotting scope, the range master and the guy could see holes in the container, indicating that the item had been shot. Apparently, he didn't mix it correctly or something. I'm not sure how they solved the problem, but I wouldn't want to go dispose of that stuff.

Nathan · June 30, 2014, 02:08 PM

Post #13 is why explosive really aren't that fun! What do you do? Wait 30 days? I guess I would shoot it to bits, but I'd still be scared!

Brian Pfleuger · June 30, 2014, 04:26 PM

It was probably a homemade mixture, some crappy off brand or a small, slow caliber not powerful enough to cause ignition.
It's really not a big deal. Shoot holes in it until it goes boom or the container is wrecked. It's not like nitroglycerin, it won't just explode when you walk up to it. If it never goes boom, the wind and rain will take care of it.

Gary L. Griffiths · June 30, 2014, 04:48 PM

Quote:

It was probably a homemade mixture, some crappy off brand or a small, slow caliber not powerful enough to cause ignition.

Could have been any of those things, or just that the shooter didn't properly mix the ingredients. Mine said to mix thoroughly until all the ammonium nitrate granules were evenly coated with aluminum. I did, went BOOM as advertised (when I actually hit it, that is).

wabashman · June 30, 2014, 09:58 PM

Really fun to put inside of an old computer or busted Xbox. Of course even better when using a full pound...I'm to afraid to use the four pound jug I have. Really tempted to try it on an old fridge or something.

MtnCreek · July 1, 2014, 10:14 AM

Even with the small charges, don't set them on top of a fence post when shooting them... the post will be a few inches shorter than it was.

Be very careful what the charge is in or around. It is safe at a reasonable distance, just be careful that you're not sending shrapnel / rocks flying. I was at a friends place a while back shooting. One genius there thought it would be a good idea to place a large rock on a (I think) 2# charge. I protested and they didn't do it. I would hate for my kids to know the reason dad wasn't around was for something as stupid as that.

Brian Pfleuger · July 1, 2014, 10:34 AM

Yes, don't put solid and hard objects on top of the charge. Very bad idea.

However, I do intend to get a 2.5lb bottle of marking chalk and put it on top of one. That should be wicked.

I advise against using charges larger than 1 pound. I know of a few folks who have had visits from LE for doing such. Technically, it's not illegal when done in the right place in the right way but it's not helpful to keeping this stuff legal.

There have been a number of folks who made very large charges. The one on the dump truck a few miles from the nuke plant was actually 300 pounds, I believe. It blew the truck to pieces and sent a large chunk of it over a public highway that was over 1/4 miles away. Not cool.

MtnCreek · July 1, 2014, 10:54 AM

Quote:

I advise against using charges larger than 1 pound. I know of a few folks who have had visits from LE for doing such.

I happen to know of someone that received a visit from a fairly inebriated chicken farmer regarding a multi pound blast. Something about chickens piling up; his speech was slurred and hard to understand. At a later date and between two sober parties an arrangement has been made to keep everyone happy.

Machineguntony · July 1, 2014, 11:31 AM

It is not too long before someone gets seriously hurt by this stuff, and then they heavily regulate it.

People do all sorts of crazy things with this stuff. Check out FPS Russia almost getting killed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8-azG3Iokk

We can guess that FPS Russia isn't the only guy doing something like this.

Unlicensed Dremel · July 1, 2014, 01:05 PM

Too bad it has a short shelf life, since I smell a ban (eventually) coming.

Kimio · July 1, 2014, 02:05 PM

I remember that video, VERY foolish. Personally I'd likely put something between me and the charge if possible. Never hurts to be too safe when dealing with stuff like this IMHO.

Brian Pfleuger · July 1, 2014, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unlicensed Dremel

Too bad it has a short shelf life,

It doesn't really have a shelf life. The aluminium powder will sit there for eternity. The Ammonium Nitrate will eventually absorb atmospheric moisture and stick together. Even so, it can be crushed and used. In sealed containers, with proper storage and/or with desiccant packs, it will last forever.

I don't see it being banned. The ingredients are too common and widely used.

Kimio · July 1, 2014, 02:35 PM

Pardon my cynicism, but I'm sure the powers that be will find some way to ban the stuff, or at the very least regulate the ever loving crap out of it.

I hope I'm wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see bills being passed to limit the sale of tannerite to the general public if that isn't already in place right now.

June 27, 2014, 06:25 PM	#2
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I recently had the exact same experience. I put a 1/4lber at 200 yards and shot it with my .204. There's just enough delay that I saw the smoke and thought "Where's the...." BOOM! Holy crap! Even at 200 yards I could feel the concussion, like bass from a huge speaker. It sounded exactly like one of the noise charges in a fireworks display. I looked at my uncle and he goes "Dang! That was a lot less gun like and a lot more bomb like!" I can't imagine what the 1 pounders are like, I still haven't tried one. I need to get to a place where there aren't any houses... anywhere. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley Last edited by Brian Pfleuger; June 27, 2014 at 06:34 PM.

June 27, 2014, 06:40 PM	#4
Gary L. Griffiths Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2000 Location: AZ, WA Posts: 1,466	I put a half-pounder on a cardboard clay targets box 100 yds downrange, and was also impressed by the flash and blast when I hit it with a 5.56mm XM193. Went down to retrieve the debris, found a 10" hole blasted into the grass under where the box usetawas. The box was in pieces, only a few of which were as large as my hand. The plastic container it was in simply disappeared. Will be getting more for fun targets the next time I take my niece and nephew shooting. __________________ Violence is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and valorous feeling which believes that nothing is worth violence is much worse. Those who have nothing for which they are willing to fight; nothing they care about more than their own craven apathy; are miserable creatures who have no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the valor of those better than themselves. Gary L. Griffiths (Paraphrasing John Stuart Mill)

June 28, 2014, 01:49 AM	#5
9mmfan Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2012 Location: Weatherford, TX Posts: 301	Tannerite + pumpkins = good times. __________________ A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition -Rudyard Kipling

June 30, 2014, 04:08 AM	#6
Brotherbadger Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2010 Posts: 1,149	I love them. Between them and steel targets, i'll never get bored. __________________ Once Fired Brass, Top quality, Fast shipping, Best prices. http://300AacBrass.com/ -10% Coupon use code " badger "

July 1, 2014, 10:34 AM	#19
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Yes, don't put solid and hard objects on top of the charge. Very bad idea. However, I do intend to get a 2.5lb bottle of marking chalk and put it on top of one. That should be wicked. I advise against using charges larger than 1 pound. I know of a few folks who have had visits from LE for doing such. Technically, it's not illegal when done in the right place in the right way but it's not helpful to keeping this stuff legal. There have been a number of folks who made very large charges. The one on the dump truck a few miles from the nuke plant was actually 300 pounds, I believe. It blew the truck to pieces and sent a large chunk of it over a public highway that was over 1/4 miles away. Not cool. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

June 27, 2014, 06:20 PM	#1
SC4006 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2012 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 525	First time using exploding targets... wow! For a long time my LGS has had that "tannerite" exploding target mix, and recently I decided I might give it a try and see if it's really worth the money. I made I'd say about a quarter pound mix, grabbed my trusty M1 Garand, went to my backyard range, and set it up at about 100 yards away to be safe. I was thinking the blast would be just a tad louder than the report the M1 creates, but WOW, it was maybe 4-5x as loud. I was very surprised such a small amount would be so loud. Still nowhere close to how loud the frag grenades I threw a at Army BCT were, but I think next time I'll use these in a more remote area since I live FAIRLY close to my neighbors. Does anyone have any experience with detonating larger amounts of the stuff (like a pound or more)? __________________ I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math.

June 27, 2014, 06:31 PM	#3
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Don't use it on any federal land, they don't like it.

June 30, 2014, 07:51 AM	#7
guruatbol Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2009 Location: Utah Posts: 285	Due to my job, I have a large number of spray paint cans available. I went out Saturday and shot up a bunch and we took a case of unused cans too. Wow, that was cool. I don't worry about the paint since it is veggie die and water. It will fade quickly and is not harmful. I do have to remember to bring some stuff to wash up though. Mel

June 30, 2014, 08:55 AM	#8
Kimio Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,171	I have no experience with this stuff. How safe is it to store? What is the risk of storing it and can it be accidently detonated when not mixed? Sounds like a blast (no pun intended) to shoot at, but I doubt my base commander would appreciate me storing this stuff at my house. I'll have to look elsewhere to store it if I wanted to get some. Safety of course, is my number one concern though, and if it's a volatile substance, I want to reduce the risks of storing and using it as much as possible.

June 30, 2014, 09:55 AM	#10
JimDandy Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2012 Posts: 2,556	Anecdotally, My uncle tells of a guy who demolished his house by buying out the local gun shops of every pound they had. Then there's the news report of a guy who stuck 100 pounds of it in a truck 5 miles from Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant and rattled security enough they sent police out to investigate. I've shot it a few times. I wasn't really impressed with any concussion wave or anything like others are, but because others are I chalk it up to insensitivity to the wave on my part rather than a lack of it being there and treat it accordingly i.e. carefully.

June 30, 2014, 11:44 AM	#11
Kimio Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,171	Hmmm, good to know. I'll have to check with my base security and what have you to see if they'd allow me to store it at the armory or something, if they don't allow me to have it at my house.

June 30, 2014, 01:46 PM	#12
JimDandy Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2012 Posts: 2,556	Offer to share. That might head off the warm fuzzy feeling base commanders might get if asked if it's ok for someone to bring tannerite on base.

June 30, 2014, 01:56 PM	#13
Machineguntony Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2013 Posts: 1,277	There was an incident at a range where the guy mixed and then shot the product. For whatever reason, the stuff didn't explode, but looking through the spotting scope, the range master and the guy could see holes in the container, indicating that the item had been shot. Apparently, he didn't mix it correctly or something. I'm not sure how they solved the problem, but I wouldn't want to go dispose of that stuff. __________________ Sent from Motorola DynaTac 8000x

June 30, 2014, 02:08 PM	#14
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,331	Post #13 is why explosive really aren't that fun! What do you do? Wait 30 days? I guess I would shoot it to bits, but I'd still be scared!

June 30, 2014, 04:26 PM	#15
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	It was probably a homemade mixture, some crappy off brand or a small, slow caliber not powerful enough to cause ignition. It's really not a big deal. Shoot holes in it until it goes boom or the container is wrecked. It's not like nitroglycerin, it won't just explode when you walk up to it. If it never goes boom, the wind and rain will take care of it.

June 30, 2014, 09:58 PM	#17
wabashman Member Join Date: October 3, 2013 Posts: 23	Really fun to put inside of an old computer or busted Xbox. Of course even better when using a full pound...I'm to afraid to use the four pound jug I have. Really tempted to try it on an old fridge or something.

July 1, 2014, 10:14 AM	#18
MtnCreek Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2010 Posts: 176	Even with the small charges, don't set them on top of a fence post when shooting them... the post will be a few inches shorter than it was. Be very careful what the charge is in or around. It is safe at a reasonable distance, just be careful that you're not sending shrapnel / rocks flying. I was at a friends place a while back shooting. One genius there thought it would be a good idea to place a large rock on a (I think) 2# charge. I protested and they didn't do it. I would hate for my kids to know the reason dad wasn't around was for something as stupid as that.

July 1, 2014, 11:31 AM	#21
Machineguntony Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2013 Posts: 1,277	It is not too long before someone gets seriously hurt by this stuff, and then they heavily regulate it. People do all sorts of crazy things with this stuff. Check out FPS Russia almost getting killed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8-azG3Iokk We can guess that FPS Russia isn't the only guy doing something like this. __________________ Sent from Motorola DynaTac 8000x

July 1, 2014, 01:05 PM	#22
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	Too bad it has a short shelf life, since I smell a ban (eventually) coming.

July 1, 2014, 02:05 PM	#23
Kimio Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,171	I remember that video, VERY foolish. Personally I'd likely put something between me and the charge if possible. Never hurts to be too safe when dealing with stuff like this IMHO.

July 1, 2014, 02:35 PM	#25
Kimio Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,171	Pardon my cynicism, but I'm sure the powers that be will find some way to ban the stuff, or at the very least regulate the ever loving crap out of it. I hope I'm wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see bills being passed to limit the sale of tannerite to the general public if that isn't already in place right now.