Has anyone ever heard of a MD detonating electrically primed ordnance??

[CharlesUFarley]

This question was asked in another thread but not answered. I would really like an answer, as I live on an island that was extensively bombed during WWII.

Please advise if you KNOW what is going on. Guesses probably wouldn't help much.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gold-digger]

n/t

 

[thinkin2]

No. I have never heard of this happening. I am no expert in WWII ordnance but used to hunt for Civil War projectiles years ago and have de-activated and restored quite a few of them. But even with ordnance that old there is always danger possible. There have been people killed by Civil War shells in the not too distant past because they didn't know what they were dealing with. There are different types of fuses and some can be much more dangerous than others. The black powder in Civil War shells is even stronger today than it was back then. Always but always err on the side of caution. If you even suspect that you have found a bomb, artillery shell or any other type of ordnance and you aren't qualified to identify it or deal with it then please call for assistance and keep others away from the area. Either the police or a nearby military command will have an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team and they are qualified to deal with this. But one thing you can do to protect yourself is this. If you know that it's possible that unexploded ordnance is in the areas that you hunt and you get a signal that tells you that a large metal object is under your coil, be very, very careful if you dig it. Do not dig hard or slam your shovel or whatever you're digging with into the ground until you have identified what you've detected. Best of luck to you.
Jerry

 

[Cupajo]

Starting a little before the Vietnam War and ending in 1970 I was an aircraft weapons technician in the USAF.

I loaded my share of ordenance during those years and was well trained to do so. In my humble opinion, the WW11 ordenance is more likely to be a hazard from physical disturbance (moveng or hitting them) than anything else.

The ordenance you speak of is going to give you a huge signal and "should" be easily avoided.

You are looking for small treasures according to your post, so you are listening for small signals.

Please understand that I have no way of knowing what you may encounter in your hunting grounds, but if there have been others there before you and they lived to tell about it, you have to decide for yourself if you should continue.

I would not stake your life on anyones limited knowledge of that ordenance especially my own !!!!

GL&HH Friend,

Cupajo

 

[Wet and Dry]

I'm not an expert on bombs, but if the signal from a metal detector would set off a bomb wouldn't the radio signal and all the electronics and radar signals set off a bomb while in flight or on the ground? I don't know it's not my field. Why would a metal detector signal set it off and radar jamming would not?

 

[VBDave]

A radio signal would have to be really close to generate enough "stray voltage" to initiate the electric primer. I've never experienced this while handling ordnance, but we had lots of safety posters hanging in the shop. Some had pretty graphic photos, warning us awy from radio/microwave signals and any source of static electricity. Just like it's hard to imagine blowing up your car while you're fueling because of a static spark ignition, it's possible and easily avoidable. I personnaly wouldn't knowingly hunt an area where buried ordnance is expected.

VBDave
"I'm here for a good time, not a long time..."

 

[Cupajo]

Proximity--The closer to a signal, the more intensity (strength)!

In recent history (after WW11) fuses were used that were called proximity fuses. They were only a problem when they were armed. Arming occurred when the bombs were dropped and well away from the aircraft for obvious reasons. They were designed to explode when anyone got too close to them to take out those combatants trying to re-use the explosives in Vietnam. I don't know if they were used elsewhere.

The electrical primers used in the ammunition mentioned in the previous post required a very high voltage charge to fire.

They could not be very sensitive and be transported, loaded and around aircraft and other miscellaneous machinery and still be safe to handle otherwise.

Once they were submerged they would be "grounded" too which lessens the likelihood of a detonation.

Physically disturbing of any ordinance is the major risk!!!

The big unknown with these explosives is how they may have changed during the time they have been there!

No one can know what chemical/physical changes have occurred and how deadly they may be today as a result!

Black powder explosives are some of the most unstable after aging and should only be handled by experts!!!

IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE, BIG SIGNALS MUST NOT BE DUG IN AN AREA WHERE EXPLOSIVES ARE BURIED PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GL&HH Friends,

Cupajo

 

[Swansea jack]

n/t

 

[VBDave]

Without getting too technical, land mines are usually mechanically fused vice electric. These can be safely found with a MD. A few mines have magnetic fuses; these detonate after they sense ferrous metal, usually on a
vehicle, and only after that metal moves away and breaks the field. MDs utilized for finding these mines are always the non motion type. Once they detect a mine, it's disarmed right there by the guys with the oversized grapes.

VBDave
'I'm here for a good time, not a long time'

 

[VBDave]

Also, it does NOT require high voltage to bust an electrically primed cap. Aircraft machine gun firing circuit is 14vdc. All electrically primed ammo is shipped with some kind of shielding; A/C ammo is even shielded in the links used to feed the guns.

As far as radio/microwave
transmission being dangerous: just drive a hundred miles in West Va. You'll pass signs in mining or road work areas requiring you turn off 2 way radios. This is due to the use of electrically primed blasting caps.

VBDave

 

[Cupajo]

Hey VBDAVE,

I must admit that I had to reach way back in the memory banks for the electrically primed ammo information. These were for the M61 Gatling gun as used on the F-4 fighter/bombers and I couldn't recall if they were high voltage or hi amperage low voltage or both!

Strange that I can't remember taking extraordinary care in loading the hundreds of thousands of rounds we loaded in my years of service (other than the usual don't drop, don't hammer, don't expose to excessive heat or otherwise mis-handle the rounds).

The steel belted rounds were loaded directly from their storage cases into the gun pods. Every piece of equipment was well grounded too, as I recall.

I did strongly suggest that it would be foolish and perhaps deadly to take a chance anyway. The other information should be correct.

Regards and best wishes to you,

Cupajo

 

[VBDave]

I think it depended on when/where you served. My service was all during peace time. We were in training mode instead of combat mode. I'd venture to say we had the luxury of following the book to a T, something maybe not true for your outfit. Sorry, I didn't intend to hijack the thread with a bunch of military 'mark 1 mod1' talk. I just remember that we went to great lengths to avoid RF, static and stray volts. All of those are capable of being produced by a MD. Just my 2 cents, and they're probably zinc....