For some time, with all the emphasis the last few years on electronic components of shooting equipment, I have occasionally wondered about the effect of EMP, which we all hope is an extremely remote/unlikely concern. I wonder if we are relying too much on these electronic devices at the expense of learning/refining human skills. It would be like giving up learning handwriting in school because we all have computers. Do you think this something to be concerned about. All comments are welcome.
Effect of EMP on electronic/ballistics shooting equipment
- Thread starter Cassidy
- Start date
itchyTF
Gold $$ Contributor
I would think if you were within range of an EMP your electronic shooting equipment would be the least of your concerns. If you had to load, a beam scale wouldn't be affected and hopefully you already had come-up charts. Unless you lived within walking distance of a range your car make not be able to get you there!
I think itchy got it right.
About the only thing I have that might be running is an old diesel tractor that has nothing in the way of electronics on it, other than that everything else will be fried unless I hurry up and make a Faraday cage to house what I want to keep functioning.
Unless you live well out in the hinterlands your bigger problem will be with the marauding populace once they empty out the local stores, figure out the EBT cards don't work, have no cell or text abilities and want what YOU have.
Worry about something else.
Gary
About the only thing I have that might be running is an old diesel tractor that has nothing in the way of electronics on it, other than that everything else will be fried unless I hurry up and make a Faraday cage to house what I want to keep functioning.
Unless you live well out in the hinterlands your bigger problem will be with the marauding populace once they empty out the local stores, figure out the EBT cards don't work, have no cell or text abilities and want what YOU have.
Worry about something else.
Gary
Hm. Glad I have a 1950s motorcycle with magneto electrics! Nothing to fry there! While you jokers are walking, I'll be riding by in style!
;D
;D
Where will you get the gas I wonder? Ethanol gas only keeps for a short time too. Not like you can just stock up.
We are, of course, assuming that the magneto was not manufactured by Lucas, whose motorcycle efforts led to the nickname "the Prince of Darkness", right?stubbicatt said:
If it uses a Lucas magneto, cross your fingers.
Outrider27 said:We are, of course, assuming that the magneto was not manufactured by Lucas, whose motorcycle efforts led to the nickname "the Prince of Darkness", right?stubbicatt said:
If it uses a Lucas magneto, cross your fingers.
It IS a Lucas magdyno! Has been very reliable. Has been reliable for the last 50 years! Recent rebuild and new condenser installed, ought to be reliable for another 50 years I reckon!
Reliable enough to take me out of the area with the troubles, to relax in an area without troubles.
A computer/electronics repair geek friend of mine said only active (turned on and running) electronics gear will be effected by an EMP. Maybe so?
I've been thinking a bit about this subject recently. "Rocket man" might not be able to build a warhead that could survive reentry but he can build a bomb that could go off 400 km up, setting off and EMP pulse and wrecking havoc on the electrical and communications networks. One thing that concerns me is access to my guns, which are locked in a safe secured by an electronic lock. If that lock were to stop functioning, I'd be in a bad way. Cannon is building a safe with a mechanical backup lock. Sargent & Greenleaf says that at least some of their electronic locks are designed to survive an EMP event. I've been reading some on the subject and it seems that most small, stand-alone devices, such as electronic watches, calculators, auto ignition systems, etc are not highly susceptible to EMP because the small area they occupy does not allow for the generation of high voltages. What's most at risk are things connected to the electrical grid and things with antennas and RF preamps.
While I consider this a remote likelihood, "Failure to plan is planning to fail."
While I consider this a remote likelihood, "Failure to plan is planning to fail."
Your friend is absolutely correct. If an electronic board is simply sitting idle, there would be nothing wrong with it after the pulse departed. HOWEVER, getting usable electricity to that IC board could be an issue.
A single EMP event would only be potentially lethal to 1) people in airplanes that are highly dependent on unhardened avionics; 2) people on life support (e.g. ICU patients) and 3) people standing too close to long conductors (e.g. electrical workers). Everyone else would survive but many of the electrical and electronic conveniences of modern life would cease to function, until repaired. The electrical grid would shut down. Modern banking, credit cards, ATMs, cell phones, television, radio, most commercial satellite services, would stop. Military (combat) electronics, for the most part, would continue to work, because they've planned for this eventuality. It would be a messy situation for a while but hardly a valid reason to just curl up and die. Some of us remember a world before the computer ruled our lives. Somehow, people survived. They still do in much of the world.
Yes by far the electric grid would be hardest hit meaning no electricity... Uggg... You can easy shield your gun safe with your rifles etc inside with a little research... This though is why I prefer optics without batteries they only fail when you need them the most.. not to mention the rate they disappear in a disaster.. proven during the recent storms don't forget there will be no electricity and most modern manufacturing plants won't be productive.. The electricity grid will take months or years to fix.. A few EMPs would basically take us back to the stone age compared to how we live now..
My main concern would be no heat or A/C and the worst would be the crime if you have anything people want someone will be coming for it.. You should have iron backup sights on any fighting rifles and be able to use them well.. The supposed gas shortage here in central Texas shows what happens just when everyone buys gas at one time... We live on the jagged edge of supplies it just takes something bad to prove how fast food , water , gas etc can disappear and how bad people will freak out when they think something is gone.. If the gas craze was causing fights in 2days , how long before people started killing each other over a can of beans? Take that answer that just popped into your head and cut it in half... In most places if your lucky there is 1 cop per 100 people some its 1 for every 1000 or more in most... It would get bad fast..
My main concern would be no heat or A/C and the worst would be the crime if you have anything people want someone will be coming for it.. You should have iron backup sights on any fighting rifles and be able to use them well.. The supposed gas shortage here in central Texas shows what happens just when everyone buys gas at one time... We live on the jagged edge of supplies it just takes something bad to prove how fast food , water , gas etc can disappear and how bad people will freak out when they think something is gone.. If the gas craze was causing fights in 2days , how long before people started killing each other over a can of beans? Take that answer that just popped into your head and cut it in half... In most places if your lucky there is 1 cop per 100 people some its 1 for every 1000 or more in most... It would get bad fast..
i was there. Nothing happened then and the chances of it happening now are so remote it doesn't even warrant discussion.
now preparing for short term disruptions of power and transportation is a more realistic approach. keeping a 3 to 6 month supply of food, alternate power source for the homestead and a catche of fuel for your transportation is not a bad idea.
10,000 rounds of 5.56? How many firefights do you believe you could survive without being wounded.
end of civilization scenario? UGLY! most don't have the skills or preparation to survive. Question is would it even be worth the effort.
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