The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Teacher blows up his handGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Teacher blows up his hand | Login/Join |
one of us |
Something about this doesn't sound too smart.... Exploding paperweight costs teacher his hand Tuesday, April 4, 2006; Posted: 5:47 p.m. EDT (21:47 GMT) VENTURA, California (AP) -- A teacher who kept a 40 mm shell on his desk as a paperweight blew off part of his hand when he apparently used the object to try to squash a bug, authorities say. The 5-inch-long shell exploded Monday while Robert Colla was teaching 20 to 25 students at an adult education class. Part of Colla's right hand was severed and he suffered severe burns and minor shrapnel wounds to his forearms and torso, fire Capt. Tom Weinell said. No one else was injured. He was reported in stable condition at a hospital. The teacher slammed the shell down in an attempt to kill something that was buzzing or crawling across the desk, said Fire Marshal Glen Albright. 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. | ||
|
one of us |
I nominate him for a Darwin award.........  ------------------------------------ The trouble with the Internet is that it's replacing masturbation as a leisure activity. ~Patrick Murray "Why shouldn`t truth be stranger then fiction? Fiction after all has to make sense." (Samual Clemens) "Saepe errans, numquam dubitans --Frequently in error, never in doubt". | |||
|
| One of Us |
You mean you're not supposed to use old, live ordnace you find in the ground as a fly-swatter? Libertatis Aequilibritas | |||
|
| one of us |
There are no hunters in Ventura! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sounds like JUST the projectile... And 5" long? sounds like an unexploded HEAT projectile from the 30mm GAU-8 "Avenger" cannon which are about that long, steel body, aluminum Nose-cone and very distinctive dual PLASTIC driving bands (the body of the projectile is at bore diameter) They have an internal base fuze and have a high "dud ratio" unless they run into a solid object... like a tank or a rock. The reason I think that's likely is that any other 40mm projectile held in the hand would have removed his whole arm if not reduced him and his desk to chunks as they have a MUCH larger detonating charge... The HEAT projectile contains a smaller shaped charge which for fairly obvious reasons is focused forward, so most of the force of a 40mm HEAT projectile would be focused at the ceiling if he was using it as a flyswatter.... And I don't think he's entitled to a Darwin award as one requirement for that award is that the results of the stupidity MUST be fatal. survival disqualifies him. aside from losing some fingers he's a lucky SOB... And the lesson learned is that "duds" don't always remain "duds" and a sign that says "Danger, Unexploded ordinance" should be taken just as seriously as a sign that says "Danger, Unexploded Mines" And I've gotta ask, where the hell was he hunting that he found a live 40mm projectile.. tell me so I know not to go there.... AllanD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
|
One of Us |
My borther is a Captain on the Ventura County Fire Department...I'll see if I can get the scoop on the teacher named "lefty" as of now. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia