FIRE and FIREARMS

[redneckmedic]

Not sure if Mythbusters has hit this topic from top to bottom yet, but here was my experiance today.

I was on duty with a local metropolitan fire dept and we were dispatched to a garage fire. Upon arrival this detatched 2 car garage (that resembled a automechanics haven) was fully envolved. Not just the exterior, but the harley, the mustang, the complete set of ITT Tech Auto manuals, everything was a blaze. If you live near Garfield Park you might of seen the thick black smoke bellowing in the sky around noon. Anyhow, when it was all said and done the owner advised us that in his jacket was his pistol, on the table in the garage. Wide-eyed, we allowed him to fetch his jacket, or what was left of it. To our surprise the scortched Bursa Thunder not only cycled easily but the round in the chamber, and subsiquint rounds still lined up waiting for departure. The only thing LEFT in this shop was metal, everything else was completely spent. And some of the metal had been slightly changed from its origanal shape.

+1 Bursa Thunder

-1 fire causes guns to auto-fire.

Now don't jump my thread, I know it has happened, but good case in point.

-Medic

 

[esrice]

Sounds like a fun time! (glad no one was hurt)

*tear* for the Stang and HD

 

[IndyGunworks]

I was there as well... redneck meant to say the only LEFT was metal... this was a pretty hot fire... the SLIGHTY changed metal, was actually a pair of cast aluminum bolt cutters that the handles COMPLETLY melted off.... so the heat was there, yet the gun didnt go boom... i have actually gotten into several "conversations" with other fireman saying that unless the gun has direct flame impingment that there is a very low probability of the gun going off... and almost 0 of it cycling and firing another round.... and its another myth that when ammunition that is stored is burned it shoots the bullet... when really it just blows the case wall out and sends some brass shrapnel a short distance... but to a fireman in a fire that cant see a thing, those little explosions dont make you feel a whole lot safer.

 

[D.T.O.M.]

That is pretty interesting info. I was thinking what would happen to my stored ammo in a fire A buddy of my had a fire a few years back his Gun safe kept them from being destroyed But the smoke and water got to them!

 

[esrice]

Keep in mind that in the case of stored ammo in a fire, they may "cook off", but they don't suddenly go shooting into something. The magic of firearms is the containment and directing they do to the "explosion" inside.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Keep in mind that in the case of stored ammo in a fire, they may "cook off", but they don't suddenly go shooting into something. The magic of firearms is the containment and directing they do to the "explosion" inside.

BINGO... there are still a lot of people that dont understand this though.

 

[esrice]

BINGO... there are still a lot of people that dont understand this though.

It never really occurred to me either until someone here on INGO pointed it out. (I think it was my own Father, lol)

 

[redneckmedic]

Keep in mind that in the case of stored ammo in a fire, they may "cook off", but they don't suddenly go shooting into something. The magic of firearms is the containment and directing they do to the "explosion" inside.

There is a classic movie...Young Guns, Kieffer Sutherland, Elmilo Estivez; where they going riding through town in a prision break and toss a box of ammo into the fire and the bullets go flying everywhere...I thought it was possible, but I was 10yo when it came out too!

-medic

 

[esrice]

Ah yes, the gun myths perpetuated by movies! That's probably why I thought it was true too.

 

[zcam630]

Medic and IndyGW, I hope you all left me something for tomorrow.ha,ha

I had a building fire after the first of the year.We were doing overhaul work and the owner said that he had a few guns in the shop. We let him go retrieve his Henry lever action and a persuader type shotgun. Needless to say I tried to see if he wanted to have a fire sale on the Henry.

 

[IndyGunworks]

fire sale on the Henry.

Now thats some good sattire.

 

[HICKMAN]

My Glock would not have survived

 

[slackerisme]

Mythbusters actually did touch on this or something close to it. Their scenario was a gun stored in the oven, wife turns oven on....BOOM!! IIRC they proved it plausible. Making new tab to look for link......

YouTube - Mythbusters - Bullets exploding inside an oven

 

[wolfman]

Keep in mind that in the case of stored ammo in a fire, they may "cook off", but they don't suddenly go shooting into something. The magic of firearms is the containment and directing they do to the "explosion" inside.

Quite true, but I imagine that it would be hard to tell the difference between the round "in the pipe" cooking off, and going off because of a trigger pull. Case would still be protected from rupture, and only path of travel for the projectile would be down the pipe.

 

[esrice]

Quite true, but I imagine that it would be hard to tell the difference between the round "in the pipe" cooking off, and going off because of a trigger pull. Case would still be protected from rupture, and only path of travel for the projectile would be down the pipe.

You are absolutely correct! Which is why I said "in the case of stored ammo. . . ."

I was replying to D.T.O.M.'s post above mine where he was wondering about his stored ammo. However, I did neglect to quote him in my post, which may have made it confusing.

 

[wolfman]

I wasn't clear either. Understand and agree with the fun to watch but no real danger of ammo cooking off, but just adding that one cooking off "in the pipe" could be a little interesting if you didn't know what direction the barrel was pointing.

 

[redneckmedic]

one cooking off "in the pipe" could be a little interesting if you didn't know what direction the barrel was pointing.

I completely disagree...it would be alot interesting!

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Relabel threat:

Wrong way to fire your Bersa.

 

[redneckmedic]

Wrong way to fire your Bersa.

Now that is satire!

 

[Bill of Rights]

Wrong way to fire your Bersa.

We need a LOLCat showing the fire and a caption:

"Bursuh... Yoor doin' it rong!"