Not sure where to put this. This was not actually in the pocket but waist pouch. It happened to my buddy twice, night before last. The first 'detonation' sounded like a double shot (but different sound). Then it happened again when no one had fired and he felt the sting on his leg and the heat from his pouch. In it he found a fired case and bullet! OK, it was 'only' a 22lr cartridge that had gone off but still. He was carrying his spare ni-cad batteries in his pouch and did not know he had some leftover cartridges there as well. It seems the cartridges managed to form a conductive path and arced on one of the rims, causing a hot spot, which set off the rounds!

quote:

He was carrying his spare ni-cad batteries in his pouch and did not know he had some leftover cartridges there as well.

Now he knows.

But it wouldn't have been an "arc", it would have been a simple electrical path through the cartridge cases to the batteries. Current flow produces heat, heat sets off primer compound.

True. It's the local heat generated at the small contact point with a high local resistance. It did leave slight 'burn' marks on the case at the contact point. Ni-cads have a high current capacity, even at low voltages.

At least it wasn't a 12 ga shotshell.

damn energizer bunny again

Reminds me of my cousin changing a tire on his truck. Stuck the lug nuts in his pocket and when he got them out and started them on a 22 shell was in one and when he cranked down with the lug wrench it went off and blew the cover off the lug nut and jarred the wrench out of his hands too! Ya just never know whats next! Louis

One shouldn't actually laugh, but I did!
Heck, it was close to his vitals!

I remember reading about this in Guns & Ammo in either the late 70's/early 80's. We tried it and could only get a .22lr to cook off with the aid of a PP3. Took a while if I remember though

Have to throw this one in.

Brother and I were heading out hunting on the boat here in Alaska. He was getting out of the dingy and onto the main boat by climbing over the gunwale.

All of a sudden he starts yelling and screaming and grabbing the pocket on his pants.

He had some Strike-Anywhere matches in a baggie in his pocket. As the rubbed against the gunwale to get into the boat, some matches rubbed together.

. . . yes, I was LMOA, until I realized the severity of his pain.

I seem to remember a Darwin Awards story about somebody sticking a 22 rimfire cartridge into a fuse holder in a car because it kept blowing headlight fuses on the way home from hunting frogs of all things.

I think he got it in the nuts.

The only thing hurting me is my belly - from laughing!

FWIW, 9 volt batteries can start fires the same way. Something making contact with both the positive and negative contacts can cause the battery to go boom, I now leave them in the original packaging.

Several years ago I read an account of a fellow who set off a rifle cartridge in his pocket with a hand warmer. Apparently he thought that if one fuel stick worked well, three would work better! So he lit 3 sticks, closed the warmer and dropped the warmer into his pocket along with several cartridges and a bit later on, one blew up! Apparently there was no damage to the individual as the cartridge just blew out the side of the coat pocket. The artical did not mention what condition the guy's shorts were in though.

My sides are splitting!
I'll bet he didn't think it funny at the time but sure is funny now!

I'm going to get my guy to read this thread!

quote:

Originally posted by Two tone:
I seem to remember a Darwin Awards story about somebody sticking a 22 rimfire cartridge into a fuse holder in a car because it kept blowing headlight fuses on the way home from hunting frogs of all things.

I think he got it in the nuts.

Shaggy dog story. Ignite a .22RF under a cardboard box & it wont penetrate the box.

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Ignite a .22RF under a cardboard box & it wont penetrate the box.

True, but it makes a GOOD story!

#1). Retired Col. Julian Hatcher, in his book "Hatcher's Notebook" wrote of trying to "cook off" rounds with two soldering irons. Some kids had claimed that handling a .22 RF, it had exploded. Turned out they held a match under it for some time. 1 wooden match would do a .22. Took several paper matches. Kids got "held responsible" and for lying...

All the rounds he "cooked off" under a cardboard box failed to penetrate the box. One, .303 Brit if I recall, had a small piece of brass blow out of the neck and actually penetrate one layer of cardboard paper on the inside of the box... Wear glasses when you are being stupid...

#2). There was a "cop shop" warning out couple decades back. Those Lith-ion batteries for the two way radios... bayonet connection with two contacts. Drop one in a pocket with rounds and, YES, you can "cook off" a round or more. Seldom draws blood, but surprise, damage to uniforms, cleaning bills for underwear... Just don't.

Now civilians can join in the fun... luck.

quote:

... Wear glasses when you are being stupid...

quote:

Seldom draws blood, but surprise, damage to uniforms, cleaning bills for underwear...

Ouch.. ouch... ouch.... my sides!.....

Here's the Darwin Awards story I remember,whether true or not, it's funny:



NOMINEE #5
(Repeat) [Arkansas Democrat Gazette], July 25, 1996
Two local men were seriously injured when their pick-up truck left the road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway 38. County deputy Dovey Snyder reported the accident shortly after midnight Monday. Thurston Poole, 33 and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, are listed in serious condition at Baptist Medical Center. The accident occurred as the two men were returning to Des Arc after a frog gigging trip. On an overcast Sunday night, Poole's pick-up truck headlights malfunctioned. The two men concluded that the headlight fuse on the truck had burned out. Since a replacement fuse was not available, Wallis noticed that the .22 caliber bullet from his pistol fit perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering column. He inserted the bullet, the headlights again began to operate properly and the two men proceeded on east-bound toward the White River bridge. After traveling twenty miles and just before crossing the river, the bullet overheated, discharged and struck Poole in the right testicle. The vehicle swerved to the right exiting the pavement and striking a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts and
abrasions from the accident, but will require surgery to repair the other wound. Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated and released. Thank God we weren't on that bridge when Thurston shot himself or we might both be dead stated Wallis. "I've been a trooper for ten years in this part of the world, but this is a first for me. I can't believe that those two would admit how this accident happened", said Snyder. Upon being notified of the wreck, Poole's wife asked how many frogs the boys had caught and did anyone manage to get them out of the truck.


Lesson Learned: 1. Keep your frogs in a sturdy, crash-proof container or 2. Avoid any activity with the word "gigging" in it

Look at it this way, if it were true there would have been an entire generation of young kids wiped out from tossing 22's into campfires.

quote:

Originally posted by Oddbod:

quote:

Originally posted by Two tone:
I seem to remember a Darwin Awards story about somebody sticking a 22 rimfire cartridge into a fuse holder in a car because it kept blowing headlight fuses on the way home from hunting frogs of all things.

I think he got it in the nuts.

Shaggy dog story. Ignite a .22RF under a cardboard box & it wont penetrate the box.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark:
Look at it this way, if it were true there would have been an entire generation of young kids wiped out from tossing 22's into campfires.

Consider a cartridge confined in a vehicle fuse holder. If either the bullet or the case remained secured when the primer went off, its counterpart might depart with enough velocity to penetrate a redneck's nut sack.....

I wouldn't bet my scrotum on it anyway!

I'll throw in my stupid moment as a kid. I was over at a friends house and he had a GREAT idea! He took all the straws in his mother's house, went outside and proceeded to stick 22 shorts in the end of the straws and throw them in the air in the middle of the county road, which was paved at his place. Of course, the weight of the shell caused the straw + shell to strike on the rimfire end and boom, off would go the shell. It wasn't a real loud shot, more like a firecracker going off. It was a wonder we never shot each other!!