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"Air passenger charged after bullet primer caps ignite" from CNN.com

petrophase

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 1, 2009
Messages
300
Location
Rapid City, South Dakota, USA
Any other reloaders on here? It sounds to me like the baggage handler must have been handling the passengers belongings roughly. My concern is that this incident will lead to increased restrictions on the transport of ammunition. It's more disconcerting to read between the lines and realize how little the media and most people know about firearms, cartridges, etc.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/28/florida.flight.baggage/index.html?hpt=T2
 

zack991

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
1,535
Location
Ohio, USA
I've been an reloader for a number of years now. I have never had a primer detonate unintentionally. There's got to be more to this story.
 

Tawnos

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
2,542
Location
Washington
Primers were probably soft and kept in a bag or something. Baggage monkeys probably threw the bag *really hard* and caused one to detonate. I don't know if this will affect travel, as I don't think you're allowed to pack primers or powder for airplane travel currently.
 

MamaLiberty

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
894
Location
Newcastle, Wyoming, USA
Would depend on how they were packed and a lot of other things. We can't know what really happened from a typical idiot "journalist" report, of course.

Bottom line for me, however, is that it would be stupid to take something like this in luggage on an airplane, regardless of how they were packed! If you want them at your destination, ship them UPS or FedX.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Primers were probably soft and kept in a bag or something. Baggage monkeys probably threw the bag *really hard* and caused one to detonate. I don't know if this will affect travel, as I don't think you're allowed to pack primers or powder for airplane travel currently.

I picked up my son from the airport Monday, and given the lengthened wait for the security scanners (shoes, laptops, etc.), I spent my time reading the fine print posted all over the place.

One of the signs next to the scanner said, "No explosives of any kind in either carry on or checked baggage."

Well, that's what TSA's sign says. What does federal law say?
 

Kirbinator

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
903
Location
Middle of the map, Alabama
Oddball part is that certain chemicals aren't explosives. Powders that are useful for propelling projectiles out of barrels and out of the pull of earth's gravity often generate large amounts of gas, not necessarily explosive force. I believe some primers are brisants, which I believe is an explosive, but it might be the opposite.

Either way, baggage handlers have never been nice to luggage. Can you think of any other industry where you can get away with mishandling another's belongings almost to the point of causing damage?
 

Tawnos

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
2,542
Location
Washington
Either way, baggage handlers have never been nice to luggage. Can you think of any other industry where you can get away with mishandling another's belongings almost to the point of causing damage?

Package shipping?
Fedex_damagedbox2.jpg
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Oddball part is that certain chemicals aren't explosives.

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at your statement, Kirbinator. Wood and air can be made explosive under the right circumstances. Everything else is worse.

Let's focus on ...

Heck. I don't know what we should focus on any longer. Should we nail any and all former members of the military because many of us are more "dangerous" than your average citizen? Or should we realize that having passed some rather serious background checks, as well as "field trials," most of us are significantly more stable than you average citizen?

Tell you what: Breath easy! We may not be able to counter every terrorist threat, but we can counter a few, and most of us know the numbers to those who live and breath this stuff.

In the meantime, the pen remains mightier than the sword. Let's give it up and make the best with the rest.
 
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