NationStates Jolt Archive

A teacher blew his hand off when he used a live 40mm round to try to squash a bug. The teacher had been using the round as a paperweight.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/paperweight.explosion.ap/index.html

What the hell...?

Ok, this guy is deserving of the Darwin Award.

*takes line from Carlos Mancia*..."de de dee"

What the hell...?

Ok, this guy is deserving of the Darwin Award.
Actually, he isn't... it didn't kill him. Unfortunately.

First thing people learn in gun-safety: assume everything is live, loaded, and deadly.

A teacher blew his hand off when he used a live 40mm round to try to squash a bug. The teacher had been using the round as a paperweight.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/paperweight.explosion.ap/index.html
I want to know what the fucking idiot was doing with an active round as a paper weight

I want to know what the fucking idiot was doing with an active round as a paper weight
Dude said he obivously thought it wasn't live, which is why he used it as a papper weight.

I want to know what the fucking idiot was doing with an active round as a paper weight

Did you read the article to the end?

Colla found the 40 mm round while hunting years ago and "obviously he didn't think the round was live," said Dennis Huston, who teaches computer design alongside Colla.

I want to know what the fucking idiot was doing with an active round as a paper weight

He found it while hunting, it says...

OK, two things.

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O

2. Why would you pick one up after you found it lying on the ground?

He found it while hunting, it says...

OK, two things.

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O


Really big ducks?

Actually, he isn't... it didn't kill him. Unfortunately.
But it would've! It did at least seriously maim him in a way that shows he is a potential candidate for this pretigious award...

2. Why would you pick one up after you found it lying on the ground?

Maybe he's secretly a magpie.

He found it while hunting, it says...

OK, two things.

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O

2. Why would you pick one up after you found it lying on the ground?

1. whale?

2. "de de dee"

But it would've! It did at least seriously maim him in a way that shows he is a potential candidate for this pretigious award...
But the ultimate requirement is being removed from the genepool (so if he HAD taken care of his ability to "reproduce" that counts too)

But I think there is a honorable mention section that would cover this

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds?
Rocks and thick iron plate, that's what. I've d - don't think that's safe. *shifty eyes*

Really big ducks?

I guess. I was thinking along the lines of helicopters. :p

*takes line from Carlos Mancia*..."de de dee"
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4966/deedeedee6tz.jpg

But the ultimate requirement is being removed from the genepool (so if he HAD taken care of his ability to "reproduce" that counts too)

But I think there is a honorable mention section that would cover this
I do quite agree on the honourable mention. He has proven that he could be worthy enough for it. he has taken the first step to eradicating his existance from the gene pool.

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4966/deedeedee6tz.jpg

i just saved that...:D

Hmmm. This actually beats Cheney's quail-shooting accident.

This dude didn't even use a gun.

A teacher blew his hand off when he used a live 40mm round to try to squash a bug. The teacher had been using the round as a paperweight.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/paperweight.explosion.ap/index.html

If there was one thing the DIs were dead insistant on it was that 40mm rounds are the most unstable, dangerous things you would have to carry... before shooting them. After blooping one out (and it didn't explode) that instability was trebled.

When doing UXO/EOD we HATED 40mms. They could go off for no reason at all, much less when stepping on a leaf covered one.

The only thing worse were MLRS/DPICM bomblets (little shaped charges with ribbon streamers). Those were serious bad news because kids liked to collect them.

1.....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O


Yo mama?

one time i tried to(and eventually did) spear a bee in 7th grade. At first i missed and it came back and stung me. then i sharpened my pencil and I "Jesus poked it"(a term we use for spearing things):p

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O

Reminds me of a discussion I had with by little bro about house hunting... I asked what he was hunting them with, and he wanted to use a a AC-130 Gunship.... :eek:

2. Why would you pick one up after you found it lying on the ground?

You'd be amazed. My best friend in elementary school tried to pick up a coral snake thinking it was a pretty stick. This was on the way home the day we'd had a lecture on local poisonous snakes.

Really big ducks?

I think that 40 mm is a round from a grenade launcher.

Not for anti-aircraft.

You'd be amazed. My best friend in elementary school tried to pick up a coral snake thinking it was a pretty stick. This was on the way home the day we'd had a lecture on local poisonous snakes.
I guess he wasn't paying attention?

A teacher blew his hand off when he used a live 40mm round to try to squash a bug. The teacher had been using the round as a paperweight.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/paperweight.explosion.ap/index.html


This is a really tough way to learn a lesson. It doesnt mention if any students were injured, or did I miss that part?

This round is designed to have a radius of destruction-not for use on one person, so its safe to assume people withing 15 or 20 feet-which you would be in a classroom- would have been injured.

This reminds me of the guy trying to burn a cat or something? The flaming cat ran into his house and burnt it to the ground?

Bug & cat getting nature's revenge?

I think that 40 mm is a round from a grenade launcher.

Not for anti-aircraft.


Hunt really big rabbits then?

I think that 40 mm is a round from a grenade launcher.

Not for anti-aircraft.

It doesn't specify what sort of 40mm round it was. It could have been a leftover from a WW2 AA gun practice, or something. :p

Reminds me of a discussion I had with by little bro about house hunting... I asked what he was hunting them with, and he wanted to use a a AC-130 Gunship....

lol :p

You'd be amazed. My best friend in elementary school tried to pick up a coral snake thinking it was a pretty stick. This was on the way home the day we'd had a lecture on local poisonous snakes.

Well, I can understand a child's fascination with shiny and/or colourful things...er - what happened to your friend, btw?

Hunt really big rabbits then?
"One cannot fight evil with evil." (http://www.alicia-logic.com/capsimages/5e_003MondoshawanRight.jpg)

Hunt really big rabbits then?http://static.flickr.com/1/4562_48b6fea3b0_m.jpg

I think that 40 mm is a round from a grenade launcher.

Not for anti-aircraft.

Actually it could have been an AAA round. The M42 Duster used twin Bofors 40 mm AA auto-cannons. It was in use at least as late as the Vietnam era, so it could have been one of those. (IIRC, the USN uses thge same gun as well.)

Yo mama?
I wouldn't. Shrapnel only makes her mad.

I think that 40 mm is a round from a grenade launcher.

Not for anti-aircraft.
That's assuming you don't blast them when they land.

Actually it could have been an AAA round. The M42 Duster used twin Bofors 40 mm AA auto-cannons. It was in use at least as late as the Vietnam era, so it could have been one of those. (IIRC, the USN uses thge same gun as well.)

I was thinking something along those lines.

Actually it could have been an AAA round. The M42 Duster used twin Bofors 40 mm AA auto-cannons. It was in use at least as late as the Vietnam era, so it could have been one of those. (IIRC, the USN uses thge same gun as well.)


I think you're right. It makes sense that it may have been older, unstable ordinance.

Kinda makes you wonder how much live stuff is laying around out there, waiting to be found. I bet there are thousands of old pineapple grenades in private homes.

Anyway- You would hope a teacher would use better judgement. Whatever he thought-he didnt buy this is a souvenier shop. And its clearly used to kill people.

It doesn't specify what sort of 40mm round it was. It could have been a leftover from a WW2 AA gun practice, or something. :p



lol :p



Well, I can understand a child's fascination with shiny and/or colourful things...er - what happened to your friend, btw?

Great minds like a think. ;)

The house hunting discussion got complicated - all kinds of issues like are we going to eat it? If so, how big of pieces do you want it in? etc. I had to go with one of the big ATMRs - less destructive.

And Robbie was OK - he didn't actually pick it up, just tried. But he did pee his pants when the "pretty stick" moved and he realised what it was.

First thing people learn in gun-safety: assume everything is live, loaded, and deadly.
Exactly! I learned that particular lesson when I was about seven years old! Was this at work? At the school??? :eek:

That's assuming you don't blast them when they land.


Now you have me thinking-this would probably be perfect for all the geese shitting all over the place.

take out a flock with one of these rounds, then colelct the carcasses and feed them to inmates.

Two problems solved.

Exactly! I learned that particular lesson when I was about seven years old! Was this at work? At the school??? :eek:


Me too. When handling dangerous things-knives, guns, chainsaws- safety precautions are taught and have to become second nature.

this greatly limits the number of foolish and careless accidents.

Great minds like a think. ;)

That they do. :p

The house hunting discussion got complicated - all kinds of issues like are we going to eat it? If so, how big of pieces do you want it in? etc. I had to go with one of the big ATMRs - less destructive.

Tranquilise them. A live house is many more times useful than a dead one no matter which way you look at it. I'd generally advise against eating them; I find the flesh to be a little tough with the faint taste of sawdust oddly present.

And Robbie was OK - he didn't actually pick it up, just tried. But he did pee his pants when the "pretty stick" moved and he realised what it was.

Haha :)

Kinda makes you wonder how much live stuff is laying around out there, waiting to be found. I bet there are thousands of old pineapple grenades in private homes.
You have no idea. Unfortunately, neither does the Government.

Many old Military installations were "Decommissioned" and given to the States for "wildlife preserves" - without considering that old ordnance lasts until it explodes.

If we are lucky, some nature hiker/hunter sees a bit of UXO and steps the hell away, marking its position on a map/gps forEOD to come and deal with. More often than not, it gets picked up and taken home. :headbang:

This doesn't just apply to "modern" ordnance either. There was a case a few years back where a guy found some old unCivil War iron cannon balls and had them welded into nice pretty pyramids toplace on either side of his fireplace.

Some YEARS later, the black powder in the cannonballs dried out and blew up his house. :eek:

If it's found on the ground, and metal and round - DON'T TOUCH IT. Period.

You have no idea. Unfortunately, neither does the Government.

Many old Military installations were "Decommissioned" and given to the States for "wildlife preserves" - without considering that old ordnance lasts until it explodes.

If we are lucky, some nature hiker/hunter sees a bit of UXO and steps the hell away, marking its position on a map/gps forEOD to come and deal with. More often than not, it gets picked up and taken home. :headbang:

This doesn't just apply to "modern" ordnance either. There was a case a few years back where a guy found some old unCivil War iron cannon balls and had them welded into nice pretty pyramids toplace on either side of his fireplace.

Some YEARS later, the black powder in the cannonballs dried out and blew up his house. :eek:

If it's metal and round - DON'T TOUCH IT. Period.
There was a Darwin award for a bunch of guys who wondered if they could set off the artillery shells they found by shooting at them. Well, it worked.

You have no idea. Unfortunately, neither does the Government.

Many old Military installations were "Decommissioned" and given to the States for "wildlife preserves" - without considering that old ordnance lasts until it explodes.

If we are lucky, some nature hiker/hunter sees a bit of UXO and steps the hell away, marking its position on a map/gps forEOD to come and deal with. More often than not, it gets picked up and taken home. :headbang:

This doesn't just apply to "modern" ordnance either. There was a case a few years back where a guy found some old unCivil War iron cannon balls and had them welded into nice pretty pyramids toplace on either side of his fireplace.

Some YEARS later, the black powder in the cannonballs dried out and blew up his house. :eek:

If it's found on the ground, and metal and round - DON'T TOUCH IT. Period.


Yep. My Nana lived in El Paso Tx., home of Ft. Bliss, and within a few miles of an old abandoned artillery range, with big barbed wire fences and dire warning signs. I remember being told all about that sort of thing at an early age. At least some of that land is now a state park....

There was a Darwin award for a bunch of guys who wondered if they could set off the artillery shells they found by shooting at them. Well, it worked.

Synics, having worked EOD, can probably confirm this, but sniping questionable items from a safe distance is supposed to be a common EOD tactic. I suspect the Darwin Award boys weren't sniping and weren't at a safe distance... ;)

Synics, having worked EOD, can probably confirm this, but sniping questionable items from a safe distance is supposed to be a common EOD tactic. I suspect the Darwin Award boys weren't sniping and weren't at a safe distance... ;)
Absolutely correct.

Usually the proceedure is to do an in-situ detonation or disablement.

The really cool jobs are where you find a target with an exposed fusing system and you try to shoot the detonator in such a way as to destroy it before it has a chance to detonate the main charge.

.50 BMG "sniper" rifles are particularly good at this.

For our Darwin Boys, they obviously didn't comprehend the blast radius or fragmentation radius and were well inside "danger close". Even when we would be constrained by terrain from a "safe" shooting distance, we would be either in a foxhole or lying behind some serious sandbags - not standing up to shoot at XXXlbs of HE. :rolleyes:

You have no idea. Unfortunately, neither does the Government.

Many old Military installations were "Decommissioned" and given to the States for "wildlife preserves" - without considering that old ordnance lasts until it explodes.

If we are lucky, some nature hiker/hunter sees a bit of UXO and steps the hell away, marking its position on a map/gps forEOD to come and deal with. More often than not, it gets picked up and taken home. :headbang:

This doesn't just apply to "modern" ordnance either. There was a case a few years back where a guy found some old unCivil War iron cannon balls and had them welded into nice pretty pyramids toplace on either side of his fireplace.

Some YEARS later, the black powder in the cannonballs dried out and blew up his house. :eek:

If it's found on the ground, and metal and round - DON'T TOUCH IT. Period.

Good advice. (I think many people think cannon balls are solid.)

He found it while hunting, it says...

OK, two things.

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O

2. Why would you pick one up after you found it lying on the ground?

1. Raptors? *hears bush rustle* "clever girl." *boom*

2. I wouldn't leave it there for some kid to find and use it in a game of touch football. However, this fellow wasn't exactly responisble with it either.

On a side note: I wonder if he killed the bug :D

Good advice. (I think many people think cannon balls are solid.)
Most are, but some are not. Explosive balls were not particularly effective. Ignition of the fuse - then maintaining that burn through flight, was problematic. That and ifthe powder got wet, (throught the fuze hole) it would stay wet for years - and black powder only goes boom if nicely dry.

Fireplaces will do a good job of it, welding won't. :p

The forty mil primers are great for getting people up in the morning.

The forty mil primers are great for getting people up in the morning.
Maybe, but so is a 12ga squib. I don't mess with 40s.

If it's found on the ground, and metal and round - DON'T TOUCH IT. Period.
What happens if I drop my bowling ball? :confused:

What happens if I drop my bowling ball? :confused:
You have a metal bowling ball? :eek:

A teacher blew his hand off when he used a live 40mm round to try to squash a bug. The teacher had been using the round as a paperweight.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/paperweight.explosion.ap/index.html

Wow. Somebody needs a lobotomy.

For all those wondering about unexploded ordnances, there's plenty of stuff still left over from WWI and WWII here in Belgium. Some lakes, old basements, derelict forts, rivers, etc... Most of the stuff that didn't get thrown away or stashed usually either blew up on use or blew up when something else did.

But I know the Belgian army is still going around collecting huge and sometimes chemically dangerous artillery shells, before blowing them up in safe locations.

I just looked at the article. They said 5" shell, so it was probably a Bofors or somthing similar.

The 40mm grenade UXO is about the size and shape of a chicken egg.

Here is a good FYI link: www.eegs.org/pdf_files/uxo_overview.pdf

Maybe it was for that evil mother-f'in rabbit from Pythons "The Holy Grail"

Not exactly a fine moment....wonder if he remembered what happened. I doubt he did. X-X

Now that's one to tell the kids.
'How did you lose you hand Dad?'
'Son, I shot my own hand off. And I didn't even use a gun.'

Humour aside, sucks to be that guy. He's gonna have asshats telling him how he should have known about gun safety procedures for years. Cos all computer design teachers learn that kinda thing :rolleyes:

Now that's one to tell the kids.
'How did you lose you hand Dad?'
'Son, I shot my own hand off. And I didn't even use a gun.'

Humour aside, sucks to be that guy. He's gonna have asshats telling him how he should have known about gun safety procedures for years. Cos all computer design teachers learn that kinda thing :rolleyes:
You mean Unexploded Ordnance safety procedeures.

Anyone who calls this a "gun" accident is showing their Anti-Gun stripes.

Here're the real questions that needs to be answered. Does the school have a 'zero-tolerance' policy on weapons? Will the teacher be fired for violating that policy? What would the school do if a student brought an inert (blue) device that resembled a live weapon?

This is America, so the teacher will probably end up suing the manufacturer of the shell and the school too (they should have had better pest control!).

This is America, so the teacher will probably end up suing the manufacturer of the shell and the school too (they should have had better pest control!).

Yea. And then all the children's parents will sue both the school for improper safety measures and protection, the school board for not setting the correct standard of teacher intelligence and for neglecting to provide good safety measures, the teacher himself for toying with live ammunition in a class full of students and last but not least the firearms manufacturer for whatever reason they can come up with.

Ahhh, lovely.

You mean Unexploded Ordnance safety procedeures.

Anyone who calls this a "gun" accident is showing their Anti-Gun stripes.

Oh ya. I didn't think of that. Well surely a teacher would know even less about unexploded ordinance procedures. My point is, the guy isn't all that stupid. He just made a mistake. And lost his hand.

Oh ya. I didn't think of that. Well surely a teacher would know even less about unexploded ordinance procedures. My point is, the guy isn't all that stupid. He just made a mistake. And lost his hand.
1) He found unexploded ordinance and for no aparent reason assumed it was inert.

2) He took the shell to a school full of kids who might throw it around.

3) He used it to smash a bug.

I'd say he's kind of stupid.

1) He found unexploded ordinance and for no aparent reason assumed it was inert.

2) He took the shell to a school full of kids who might throw it around.

3) He used it to smash a bug.

I'd say he's kind of stupid.

Well ok, I'll admit he is a bit stupid. But you can kinda see his train of though. 'Hmmm, a bullet. That'd make a cool paper weight. And it's hardly live, why else would someone leave it here'. If he did think something along those lines, then the rest isn't all that stupid.

Well ok, I'll admit he is a bit stupid. But you can kinda see his train of though. 'Hmmm, a bullet. That'd make a cool paper weight. And it's hardly live, why else would someone leave it here'. If he did think something along those lines, then the rest isn't all that stupid.
One of the places I (infrequently) hunt is the Black Oak Wildlife preserve (you have to draw a State Cull tag).

Black Oak used to be an ordnance proving ground (Jefferson Proving Ground IIRC). To spendany time there, whether Hunting, Fishing, or just picking mushrooms you have to watch a safety video and sign a waiver to the effect that:

A) you know there is UXO around
B) you know that UXO can hurt/kill you
C) it's easy to step on and
D) You damn-well not pick any up.

While they may not show a video everywhere, knowing where you are is a huge part of outdoorcraft - and if you know where you are used to be a military post, don't pick up bits of metal.

(Side note: I'll have to find it and scan it in, but I have a pic of a 500lb bomb that was found while digging the foundation for the new medical facility on Grafenwoehr Kaserne. Graf is a fun place. It has been used as an impact area since before the Kaisers. Lots of goodies lying around just under the surface. :eek:

... and last but not least the firearms manufacturer for whatever reason they can come up with.

Ahhh, lovely.

There wasn't a firearm involved, just unexploded ordinance. I'd think the parents would have a legitimate complaint against the teacher, though (risk of injury to a minor).

There wasn't a firearm involved, just unexploded ordinance. I'd think the parents would have a legitimate complaint against the teacher, though (risk of injury to a minor).

It was an adult education class....not minors.

It was an adult education class....not minors.

DOH! :headbang: I don't know how I missed that.

For all those wondering about unexploded ordnances, there's plenty of stuff still left over from WWI and WWII here in Belgium. Some lakes, old basements, derelict forts, rivers, etc... Most of the stuff that didn't get thrown away or stashed usually either blew up on use or blew up when something else did.

But I know the Belgian army is still going around collecting huge and sometimes chemically dangerous artillery shells, before blowing them up in safe locations.

Not to mention between one and three* of the unexploded mine shafts left over from the Battle of Messines, each with some 10-20 or more tons of explosive. One was set off by lightning in the 1960s.

(*Nobody seems to recall exactly how many there were, how many failed to fire, and the original records have been lost.)

Apparently he's not the only one:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060406/wl_canada_afp/canadamilitarypolice_060406150023

I hope the bug is ok. :)

Positive side of this: Whatever was crawling on his desk is now *definitely* dead! :D

He found it while hunting, it says...

OK, two things.

1. Assuming he wasn't in a military test area or something....what do you hunt with 40mm rounds? o.O
Fass :D

2. Why would you pick one up after you found it lying on the ground?
Perhaps he had a grudge on someone and was saving for a weapon to fire it? :D

Not to mention between one and three* of the unexploded mine shafts left over from the Battle of Messines, each with some 10-20 or more tons of explosive. One was set off by lightning in the 1960s.

(*Nobody seems to recall exactly how many there were, how many failed to fire, and the original records have been lost.)

Hmm, not really sure about that.

At least you won't find mines lying around anymore...

...or at least, you shouldn't.

Hmm, not really sure about that.

At least you won't find mines lying around anymore...

...or at least, you shouldn't.

Re-read what I said. These aren't the little land mines, but mine shafts. Note that this is the original meaning of the term mine, a mine shaft dug under a castle wall during a seige, filled with flammables (later explosives), and fired, hopefully bringing down the wall. The tactic was revived for bth the American Civil war and WWI.

In this case, they were dug under the German trenches, filled with Ammonal, and detonated with the objective of blowing huge holes in the German defensive lines.

(And I was wrong as to the date of the lost one that did explode. It went up in 1955, killing 1 cow.)


The success of the assault was in large part due to the explosion of 19 mines tunneled under the German front line. Preparation work started in 1915 but it was only in the winter of 1916 that serious preparations took place. Twenty two mines were dug, some up to 2160 feet (658 meters) long and up to 125 feet (38 meters) deep. One mine (at Petite Douve Farm) was discovered by German counter miners on 24th August 1916 and destroyed. Two mines close to Ploegsteert Wood were not exploded as they were outside the attack area, more about these mines later.

The explosion was heard by David Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister who was in his study in 10 Downing Street in London, there is even a report of an insomniac student hearing it in University College, Dublin.


The two unexploded mines were planned to be dismantled by the British but with the impending start of the Third Battle of Ypres, there was always something else to do. When the Germans launched their Lys Offensive in April, 1918, the British HQ was overrun and the documents relating to these two mines was lost and they never were dug up. The precise location of them was not known and they were forgotten until during a thunderstorm on 17th July, 1955, one of them exploded. No one was killed but the explosion did some slight damage to some distant property.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww1/france/messines.htm

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm
http://www.webmatters.net/belgium/ww1_mesen_2.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Messines


Here's more on WWI mining:
On the Western Front during the First World War, the military employed specialist miners to dig tunnels under No Man's Land. The main objective was to place mines beneath enemy defensive positions. When it was detonated, the explosion would destroy that section of the trench. The infantry would then advance towards the enemy front-line hoping to take advantage of the confusion that followed the explosion of an underground mine.

Soldiers in the trenches developed different strategies to discover enemy tunnelling. One method was to drive a stick into the ground and hold the other end between the teeth and feel any underground vibrations. Another one involved sinking a water-filled oil drum into the floor of the trench. The soldiers then took it in turns to lower an ear into the water to listen for any noise being made by tunnellers.

It could take as long as a year to dig a tunnel and place a mine. As well as digging their own tunnels, the miners had to listen out for enemy tunnellers. On occasions miners accidentally dug into the opposing side's tunnel and an underground fight took place. When an enemy's tunnel was found it was usually destroyed by placing an explosive charge inside.

Mines became larger and larger. At the beginning of the Somme offensive, the British denoted two mines that contained 24 tons of explosives. Another 91,111 lb. mine at Spanbroekmolen created a hole that afterwards measured 430 ft. from rim to rim. Now known as the Pool of Peace, it is large enough to house a 40 ft. deep lake.

In January, 1917, General Sir Herbert Plumer, gave orders for 20 mines to be placed under German lines at Messines. Over the next five months more than 8,000 metres of tunnel were dug and 600 tons of explosive were placed in position. Simultaneous explosion of the mines took place at 3.10 on 7th June. The blast killed an estimated 10,000 soldiers and was so loud it was heard in London.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWtunnelling.htm

Wow. Picking up UXO is about as intelligent as showering with power tools.

Wow. Picking up UXO is about as intelligent as showering with power tools.

Or wiping with a power screwdriver.

Or wiping with a power screwdriver.

Unless you're into that sort of thing.

I Kinda makes you wonder how much live stuff is laying around out there, waiting to be found. I bet there are thousands of old pineapple grenades in private homes.

My neighbor, who's a fairly avid scavenger type, was going through a field in my neighborhood when he found one of those, or at least a cluster bomb of some sort. I'll see if I can find the news article.

He posted it, thinking someone might identify it, when he was told urgently to leave it alone and get help.

Cops blew it up eventually, but its still kinda crazy.


*Unfortunately, I can't find a news article on it. :(

Here're the real questions that needs to be answered. Does the school have a 'zero-tolerance' policy on weapons? Will the teacher be fired for violating that policy? What would the school do if a student brought an inert (blue) device that resembled a live weapon?

More to the point, does the school have a zero-tolerance policy on stupidity? I don't think this teacher should be a candidate for tenure.

My neighbor, who's a fairly avid scavenger type, was going through a field in my neighborhood when he found one of those, or at least a cluster bomb of some sort. I'll see if I can find the news article.

He posted it, thinking someone might identify it, when he was told urgently to leave it alone and get help.

Cops blew it up eventually, but its still kinda crazy.


*Unfortunately, I can't find a news article on it. :(
We've been discussing this on another forum I frequent and here is what another poster brought up. In my EOD experience I have been fortunate enough to not pull this duty:

My brother has been doing EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) in the Marines for years now. When he was in Yuma, AX, they would sweep the bombing ranges in the Chocolate Mountains. They have found camp sites with remains of scrappers who were trying to recover the alloy aluminum fins from some of the unexploded bombs. The evidence at one location clearly indicated that the scrapper was beathing the ordinance on a rock to remove the fins. BOOM

Scavanging on Mil Posts is a Bad Idea.

Isnt 40mm AA / Naval/ Tank or Grenade Launcher ammo and if so, what would you hunt with that?

I live near some live fire ranges and sometimes find whole rockets stuck in trees (which people swing on) , dicarded (live) MG belts and loads of H.E Mortars and Falshflares. Everybodydy surely knows though that rule number 1 is to presume that ALL munitions are live. What a dumbass.........

Secondly, someone mentioned UXO in the form of artillery/ pineapple grenades before. I recently went on a school trip to belgium and the farmers are forever digging up shells which they pile up and wait to be picked up.

Think that if 1/3 of all shells in WW1 were duds and 1 million frell a month on average for 4 years that makes 16,000,000 (16 MILLION) Unexploded shells in France/Belgium

Isnt 40mm AA / Naval/ Tank or Grenade Launcher ammo and if so, what would you hunt with that?

I live near some live fire ranges and sometimes find whole rockets stuck in trees (which people swing on) , dicarded (live) MG belts and loads of H.E Mortars and Falshflares. Everybodydy surely knows though that rule number 1 is to presume that ALL munitions are live. What a dumbass.........

Secondly, someone mentioned UXO in the form of artillery/ pineapple grenades before. I recently went on a school trip to belgium and the farmers are forever digging up shells which they pile up and wait to be picked up.

Think that if 1/3 of all shells in WW1 were duds and 1 million frell a month on average for 4 years that makes 16,000,000 (16 MILLION) Unexploded shells in France/Belgium

WARNING! "Dud" does NOT mean "not dangerous" or "safe" it just means that the LIVE EXPLOSIVE in the shell did not go boom. The older the explosive, the more dangerous it is/can be. Time destabilizes all things.

I'M NOT JOKING HERE!

This is some serious, serious shit. These farmers of whom you speak had 3 guardian angels and the spirits of Dead Soldiers protecting them (i.e. lucky, lucky, lucky bastards).

Don't fuck with unexploded ordnance. Ever. If it isn't marked "inert" it can kill you. Period.

I know the number I quoted is the number of dud (unexpldoed) shells left. I realise that dud does not mean safe and thats the point i am trying to make