Dangerous

[mwaynebennett]

Yesterday I stopped by a place in Tacoma, WA that looked like it may have had some buildings on it 100 years or so ago. I only spent about 10 minutes MDing but found a spent 20mm cannon cartridge. The headstamp said 1944. I don't know if there was an antiaircraft installation there at one time but I got to wondering if there might be live ordinance at the site. I have found 30-30 shells and live 9mm, 22lr and 22 mag cartridges but they pose no significant danger whereas a live 20mm shell would.

Have any of you ever found live ordinance such as unexploded shells or grenades etc? It would really suck to be blown up by such.

Mark

 

[TURNMASTER]

In theory a guy would have to turn in a shell like that, not legal to own. That is if a guy found one in the first place.

Jeff

 

[mwaynebennett]

It was spent, just the casing.

 

[HRife]

I once found a blasting cap connected to a clump of wire. I promptly called the authorities and they removed it and dealt with it. A blasting cap can blow your hands completely off! Old Civil War UXO's (unexploded ordanance) can and does still kill people. Unfortunately, we will always be exposed to these items in our hobby.....just use common sense and have the professionals dispose of it.

 

[drummerman]

Explosives are scary when MT'ing. I personally have never ran into any. I hope no one else ever does either.
I wonder. Is there a state in the US that is more dangerous for buried explosives than others?