Explosion while reloading smokeless powder

[Oso]

Great Pictures.... I bet someone had a serious cardio/sphincter moment!!!!

 

[PigButtons]

Maybe a thermite mishap? Prepping for an outing and mixed it ahead of time. There's always a way to bypass all efforts to IDIOT PROOF the world.

 

[joshb]

“One must get the truth from the MSM”.
They’re jumping to conclusions, not stating the “truth”!
Back in the day, I gained a little experience with many types of explosives and how they go boom. Looking at all the pictures, I’d lay 100 to one odds that is a gas fueled explosion. Leaking Propane tank in the garage or house is my guess.
The only way that could be caused by powder going off is if he had a gunsafe full spontaneously combusting with the door closed.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

“One must get the truth from the MSM”.
They’re jumping to conclusions, not stating the “truth”!
Back in the day, I gained a little experience with many types of explosives and how they go boom. Looking at all the pictures, I’d lay 100 to one odds that is a gas fueled explosion. Leaking Propane tank in the garage or house is my guess.
The only way that could be caused by powder going off is if he had a gunsafe full spontaneously combusting with the door closed.

Is there any way that it combust though just sitting in the safe in plastic containers?

 

[jelenko]

I don’t get your point. The article headline clearly states that reloading was the cause and that there was 6 pounds of powder nearby.

That's my point. In one of the articles, it says that someone from fire and rescue said the man said he was reloading at the time. That is not the same as saying that the explosion was caused by my gun powder.

It's a reporter or editor that is inserting that the explosion was caused by reloading/gun powder.

 

[Steve Blair]

Looks like a gas explosion.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Can't hide powder residue/shrapnel from investigators.

 

[Bill K]

Can't be his can of smokeless powder doing that. Black powder, yes, smokeless no, in a can, no. Had to be something else to cause that type of explosion.

 

[Retired Grunt]

Looks like a gas explosion.

Maybe, depends on what type of Gas, A report I saw says there are no gas lines in that neighborhood.

 

[timeout]

Perhaps of no relevance to this story, but a house about 3 miles from me was blown off it's foundation when a guy was making fireworks with black powder while smoking in the basement. He also was badly messed up. Black powder and stupidity certainly don't mix. I store my black powder in a separate building away from the house.

 

[Steve Blair]

Maybe, depends on what type of Gas, A report I saw says there are no gas lines in that neighborhood.

Well, if that's the case, unless they have large gas bottles for the house, it's unlikely that a typical small bottle could produce that much effect. Gas explosions are really good at moving stuff around.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Lets hope that the implication regarding smokeless powder in this incident is untrue. Based on pictures of reloading rooms posted here and on other related boards I'd guess that MANY avid shooters/reloaders have 20lbs-30lbs or more powder in their homes. If 6lbs could level half a home think what 30lbs could do.

I don't buy the story and still feel that smokeless powder, properly stored, is exceptionally safe.

 

[M-61]

Maybe thy haven't yet found the leaking propane tank he had in there.
Then again leaking barbeque tanks don't make 'panic' headlines.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

How about this. He is at his bench and stupidly annealing brass using a gas powered annealer. His hookups are either cracked or not tight enough. Now we have a leaking propane and gunpowder in the same area. The leaking gas causes an explosion and ignites the powder. The propane tank does not have to blow up which would account for his not having invasive wounds but does cause severe burns.

 

[joshb]

Is there any way that it combust though just sitting in the safe in plastic containers?

It has happened. I think it happened to a member here. Those reports you see about red dust and decomposing powder? It can become unstable and self ignite. If a bad bottle is next to other bottles in a strong, confined space like a steel cabinet or gun safe? BOOM!!!
Never ever store your powder in a gun safe!!!

 

[joshb]

Maybe, depends on what type of Gas, A report I saw says there are no gas lines in that neighborhood.

I saw that, too. My bet is a big barbecue sized bottle in the garage or work area was leaking.

 

[dickn52]

Powder is now stored in plastic tubs with rip seems. They can burn violently, but the tub will rip apart and no explosion... Just saying.

 

[tiny68]

It has happened. I think it happened to a member here. Those reports you see about red dust and decomposing powder? It can become unstable and self ignite. If a bad bottle is next to other bottles in a strong, confined space like a steel cabinet or gun safe? BOOM!!!

Think a few years back and remember that IMR recalled 4007SSC with warnings that it could exploded in the bottle upon decomposition. This was my favorite powder for my 22-250AI. However, like others I have deposed of dozens of pounds old powder over the year by burning and I have never seen anything but a fireball.

 

[Fuj]

This happened about 10 miles from my home and it certainly caught my wife's attention

Since your that close to the incident, keep posted what crops up.

 

[jelenko]

Powder is now stored in plastic tubs with rip seems. They can burn violently, but the tub will rip apart and no explosion... Just saying.

Exactly.