Newb question on ammo

[Norseman 2]

Once again: I'm new to handgun ownership. Before purchasing my XD any handgun I'd ever shot was loaded and handed to me. So I'm so cautious around my guns and ammo, I treat the stuff like its nitroglycerin. Do I have to be so extremely safe with it? Like if I God forbid accidentally dropped a .45 round what's the odds of it going off?

 

 

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[Damjan 73]

1. Drop a 45 round

2. Keep dropping it until it goes off

3. See how many times you dropped it before it went off and you ll know

[SmartAss 11]

Maybe the Wise Owl will know...

 

[blizzzarddemon 0]

1. Drop a 45 round

2. Keep dropping it until it goes off

3. See how many times you dropped it before it went off and you ll know

I agree with this

 

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[Damjan 73]

Once again: I'm new to handgun ownership. Before purchasing my XD any handgun I'd ever shot was loaded and handed to me. So I'm so cautious around my guns and ammo, I treat the stuff like its nitroglycerin. Do I have to be so extremely safe with it? Like if I God forbid accidentally dropped a .45 round what's the odds of it going off?

 

 

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Odds are slim it would go off. It ll have to hit something that will set off the primer and be dropped/thrown with some velocity.

 

Since its not contained in the barrel of the handgun it will just simply pop and the bullet will not have velocity to do any damage.

[GRIZ 3,369]

I've been around literally millions of rounds of ammo in my time.  I know of (reliable source I wasn't there) exactly one instance where a round discharged when dropped on a hard surface.  The chances are extremely slim of it happening.

[Vini 0]

Odds are close to zero and even if it happens there is no real danger. 

 

Something similar. 

Mythbusters - Bullets Thrown Onto Campfire - Are They Lethal? 

 

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OAK2dDQ-S4Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Norseman 2]

Ok cool thanks for the info guys (and thanks for the laughs Damjan and Smartass!)

 

 

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[Jim Hartman 31]

You should take an NRA or similar basic pistol course or courses, I think you would gain allot of confidence with your new gun and be more comfortable with it and more than likely be a better shooter and enjoy your time with it .

[Norseman 2]

I definitely am going to look into taking some courses.

 

Also I've got a very good friend who's a LEO and been handling guns ...training (as trainee and trainer) for many many years. We spoke on the phone last night (he saw me post something on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to go to the range and called). He's got a range we are going to start going to (starting this afternoon!!) and he told me we're not gonna just go out there and pop off a bunch of rounds and leave. He is going to train me as if I was going to be one of his reports. So I'm pretty excited about that!!

 

 

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[ReadDude 0]

You should take an NRA or similar basic pistol course or courses, I think you would gain allot of confidence with your new gun and be more comfortable with it and more than likely be a better shooter and enjoy your time with it .

 

I second that. I didn't take the Pistol Basics class until 5 years after buying my first pistol (I had been comfortable with rifles and shotguns for most of my life). My wife wanted to get more comfortable with handguns, so we signed up for a "together" day at the class.

 

I have to say, the shooting fundamentals part of the class was worth it alone for me. But the course also teaches safety, gun maintenance, ammo identification, etc. all in a very concise manner that can only make a new shooter more comfortable and confident and SAFE.  The book is a good reference to have around long-term as well for newbies.  I often re-read the shooting fundamentals chapter when my accuracy falls apart. Handgun shooting is more like golf than a lot of folks would believe until they try it!

[Norseman 2]

Sounds good ...I'll definitely find a course in the near future!

 

 

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[mickeyduck 0]

not sure if an exploding round is fatal from a few feet.

there's no barrel to contain the force.

you may get fragments in your eyes or something if it ever goes off.

 

any reports of someone dying from an exploding round thrown into the fire?

[Howard 538]

Don't know if this was mentioned already, but if it went off it would not do what you think.  Go back to high school physics for a moment and you will come up with the correct answer.  Since the round is not contained in the barrel of the gun here is what would happen.  If the primer ignited the powder it would burn and expand just like in the gun, but since the casing is not locked into place the force of the burning gasses would push against both the casing and the heavy lead bullet.  What that means is that the bullet would hardly move, but the casing would go flying since it is much lighter.  It might do some damage, but nothing like a bullet being propelled out the barrel of a gun.

[ogfarmer 138]

Watch this video

 

[mickeyduck 0]

Watch this video

 

fantastic video, dude.  that dude doing the intro has dracula eyes!

[olderguy 0]

Hope they don't do this too often; what a waste of ammo!  We knew this many many years ago.

[Greydaddy 2]

When I young and more stupid than now, I shot at and ignited a .32 S&W short with a BB gun and the bullet didn't go anywhere but the case gave me a good hit in the chest. Duhhhh!

[Tack Tickle 0]

I'll tell you exactly what would happen...

 

Was at a friends house way back in the day learning what "reloading" meant. A round went down to the floor. In a one in a million chance the casing landed flat on the primer right were a little pebble was.

 

The casing split like a daisy and the round went about 6 inches in the air. Made quite a noise, but NOTHING like I expected would happen.

[Sixtytwo327 14]

Great video - thanks.

[Smoke Eater 0]

Do what i did when i was curious... tape a sg shell on 4x4 about 50 yards out and nail the primer with a 22 ( took a quarter of a box of federal bulk lol) and u will see the side of the shell just blows out the contents doesnt move.

[Maksim 1,504]

What a great video. 400k rounds of ammo.... Sniff sniff

[Malice4you 627]

That video was very interesting to watch, though I am slightly disappointed they did not include some fairly common things: .22LR or other rimfire cartridges in the first set of tests (especially drop); sealed metal ammo cans in a fire; and guns/magazines in the fire, where nothing was in the chamber, but a few rounds were in magazines (including a shotgun with rounds in the mag tube)...

 

Those are situations where I'm guessing things might be more dangerous, and would have liked to know more about these situations once and for all...

[Vlad G 345]

The thing about ammo is to never assume it will behave the same way twice, slight changes in pressure, enclosure, temperature etc can change how it behaves. It is safer then most people think, but not harmless.

[Arbelest 29]

I can't wait till I can watch that video with sound.

[tony357 386]

Maybe the Wise Owl will know...

 

I remember this comercial.. craked me up as a kid..