in a refrigerator makes a really loud noise. it was only about three miles from my house but was heard 25 miles away. shook the house and I thought the dog and I were going to have to split a nerve pill. took the LEOs about three hours to find and arrest the guy. over a year ago someone(maybe this guy) detonated 100 lbs in an old truck in the same area. all they found of the truck was one door. it pretty much had the whole county shook up for a few hours. listening to the scanner I heard reports of UFOs and meteorites exploding. a friend of mine saw the flash while driving and provided the LEOs with a pretty good idea of where to look. I may drive out tomorrow and see if I can see the crater. lee

I don't know much about much, but I thought tannerite was legal?

Must be a Tennessee thing.. every week someone will shoot a few around here.
Makes me think the Revenuers found another still!

I'm sure it is legal but I don't know about the blowing stuff up with it part. i'll see the sheriff new year's eve and ask him. lee

Lots of things are "Legal"
Then it depends on what you "Do" with them

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Compact 9mm Just my $0.02

Some years back I was at a shoot where one guy brought some Tannerite. He put a 1lb can in an old microwave and we took turns shooting at it from about 100 yards. Due to the dark glass in the door, you couldn't tell exactly where the can was. I think it was the 4th shot that got it and everybody on the firing line ducked as pieces went flying everywhere!
I remember seeing one large piece of the cabinet go over the top of the right berm which was a good 75 yards away.
Tannerite can be a lot of fun, but you gotta be careful cause its more powerful than you think.

The instructions are very clear. Never put it in anything or around anything that would act as shrapnel. Of course no one actually follows instructions right? Everyone wants to see what it will blow up. Kind of like when you were a kid turned loose with firecrackers.

That put a smile on my face. My family is from TN.

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet

It can be bought right off the shelf in Michigan. The most I've shot is 1lb. The shockwave from that can be felt from 80 yds. Even the .22 size tannerite packs are potent....we tape those to watermelons and cantelope, and there is nothing left when they explode.

This video is pretty cool:

250lb EXPLODING TARGET---In water!: http://youtu.be/3g7408bcwAU

Sent via phone

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MSP - Retired

I continue to be amazed that it's still legal. Soon, I predict, someone with a big enough imagination will cause it to be banned. It sounds like Lee's neighbor is working on it.

Redneck fishing?

I figure it's kind of like black powder. It's legal, but If you pack it in a length of pipe with a fuse on it, not so legal. Is making big noise just a man thing, or do women like it too?

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I think they prefer more subtle sounds like money counting machines, gold coins clinking together and the purr of a Jaguar or Ferrari engine.

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“Look life in its iron face”

Ah... Tannerite! Fun stuff! A few years ago I was at a vintage military rifle match at the gun club. We had all done the iron sight match, scored the targets, etc. Then it was announced that we were going to have a "sniper match." Yeah. Right. We're all sitting there with garden grade military surplus/CMP rifles of various persuasions and we are going to play sniper. O.K. The target was a head/shoulder shape. We were told that the winner would be the one who hit or was closest to a little one inch white dot in the center of the forehead. We all took our turn and most including me missed. Lots of us came close, but none hit the little white dot. Then, one of the fellows got lucky. All of a sudden the target and cardboard backer was shredded by a small little charge of Tannerite. Seems the director thought it'd be a nice little surprise for us. Nice guy. Nice surprise!

Once upon a time a church member called me on the car phone and asked if I was "busy." Based on prior experience, I politely told him no that I was on the way home and then I asked, "What up?" He said several fellows had brought over a new rifle and that he wanted me to give it a try. So... I drove the three miles out to his farm.

There they stood! All of them looking at the rifle laying on the hood of the pickup truck and standing there w/ smiles on their faces. I figured something was up so I got out and walked over. In short order I was asked to take the little rifle... a little hotted up .17 rimfire of some sort, and shoot a couple of bottles down in the bottom of the peanut field... maybe 150 yds. away. I asked how the rifle was sighted and was told to hold dead on and it'd hit the bottles.

They laughed and picked at me when I shoved in some ear plugs. But, when I got ready to do some shooting, I noticed they all put their hands on their ears and some of them looked like they scrunched down a little bit. All in all, it gave me a nice warm feeling. After all it confirmed my understanding of human nature, especially country boy human nature. I now knew for certain that something was about to happen.

I fired the first round and boom boys! It was a certified hit! I don't know how much of that bang stuff they put in that bottle but it was sure enough impressive! They were laughing their heads off slapping each other on the back and roaring it was so funny to them. That was the biggest thing I'd ever seen go off since the time my brother and I were shooting bottles half full of gasoline hanging over a small fire.

I must admit, it rattled me a bit. I missed the second bottle, the round impacted ever so slightly to the side. I worked the bolt and settled down. The next shot produced a repeat of the first round... i.e., big boom! I guarantee you it was about the most fun I've ever had shooting a rifle with a bunch of good ole boys! My church member had a big time telling the men about me shooting pistols behind his work building, etc. It was a fine afternoon, well worth the time I took to drive over and help them all out! My church member told me that later on he and his son put a scrap of plywood on a old a old tire. They put a larger quantity of that bang stuff in a plastic jug on the plywood and floated it out to the middle of the pond. They were all up at the shop when they shot the jug. Apparently it was most impressive. They got a visit from the sheriff's office. Someone thought they were maybe blowing stumps. Lots of fun living out in the country. Always something interesting going on... or off... or up! Sincerely. brucev.

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<><

As has been commented, many things are perfectly legal to own or possess, while certain types of use may be regulated or prohibited.

Tannerite is a trade name for a simple binary compound that can be detonated by a sufficient amount of impact energy. 95% ammonium nitrate reduced to a granular state (about like fine sand or salt crystals) mixed with 5% aluminum in powder form. Manufacturer's website indicates that Tannerite can be detonated by impact of a high velocity (2000FPS-plus) bullet, which indicates an impact energy in the 1000 ft. lb. range (actual bullet weight and velocity will result in a wide range of impact energy, as will range from the target). Different formulations may require less impact energy to detonate.

Ammonium nitrate is a commonly available fertilizer widely used in agriculture. Aluminum is a common metallic element. Each of these is perfectly legal to purchase and possess (absent any evidence of criminal intent).

The two materials are intended to be mixed together on-site for use. After mixing the material may not be lawfully transported from that location, and should certainly never be transported in a vehicle that might be involved in a collision.

There are certain limitations on the quantity that may be mixed in one batch (IIRC that is 50 lbs.). There are certain limitations on how this material may be utilized (use for reactive targets used for target practice is recognized).

Possession of these materials with the intent to use for destructive purposes (i.e.: a bomb) or any such actual use is unlawful (some exceptions for licensed blasting contractors, etc).

A similar situation exists with certain firearms and parts. Possession of the sear and related fire control parts for the M16 automatic rifles is not generally unlawful. Possession of AR15 semi-automatic rifles is not generally unlawful. Possession of both can be considered as evidence of possession of an unregistered machinegun. Possession of a .22 rimfire rifle is not generally unlawful. Possession of a lawn mower muffler is not generally unlawful. Possession of the .22 rifle and the lawn mower muffler with intent to install the muffler as a sound suppressor might be considered as evidence of possession of an unregistered silencer.

The law is generally neutral about the things we may have. Proof of some actual use or intended use may be another matter.

I think this will remain one of those things that I don't need to fool around with.

Leave the toilet seat up and an empty roll in the bathroom, then evaluate this question.

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it just needs more voltage

just talked to our Deputy Chief and he said the ATF is out in the field picking up the pieces and has taken over the case. he also told me the names of the two young men involved. I know one and have heard of the other and none of it good. got a feeling they are going to be in deep do-do. lee

And they should be.

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Oh well, what the hell.

They will get minimun 5 years, no parole, assuming clean records. We had a case over here with 18 year old kids, with black powder pipe bombs and no explosion and they got 2 years.

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No school like the old school.

these two have less than stellar records and a vacation will do our county good. too bad we, the taxpayers have to foot the bill. they will either learn their lesson or come out real pros at bomb making. lee

With prior convictions of ANY kind they will catch 10 years then on a destructive device conviction. Feds don't play around with that charge. That will be hard time too--likely Supermax/ADMAX time--23 hour a day lockdown.

Most folks with prior state convictions don't realize what that does to them when they catch federal charges--especially if the prior convictions are deemed "violent" (whole slew of underlying convictions that one would not deem "violent" are indeed so classified under federal guidelines).

I saw a kid last month pleading to a federal drug charge. Small amount, not a big sentence, 9 to 14 months in federal medium security—Martha Stewart time. Kid had a prior burglary conviction (broke in and stole some lawn equipment) which is deemed a violent crime because someone could be home at the time and shoot you or vice versa. So a lawnmower or two got him 5 to 7 more years.

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No school like the old school.

An idiot tried somehting like that here about 8 months ago. I heard the boom which sounded like it was in my neighborhood. Turned out it was all the way across town near Slough Road. The idiot set offI think 10 pounds of the stuff-not sure if in a car or not?? Anyway, shortly after, the city council wanted to try to ban the sale of that stuff here. I know Academy once sold it but not sure if the ban went through. It FIGURES though,we the people get somehting new to tinker with,and some jerk has to ss it up for the responsible among us. Thats just like the ban on Bottlerockets. Those were my favorites when growing up--now only a few States can sell them.

It is-------for now.

The stuff is banned in my county, people were using it to make IEDs to thin out the coyotes.

Geee hodddies (mispelled on purpose) for sure. Few who do serious prison time--learn.

The link to the video supposed to be 250 pounds looked like it was MUCH, MUCH less than 250 to me! Five pounds or less of true high explosive would look more impressive than that

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Old paratrooper in NC

That fool shootin' at the raft. Here in Kentucky its called "fishin". If'n yer not real careful, you'll get wet. One trick those boys in TN need to learn is to set stuff off well away from home, or anyone's home. Then light out right after the noise.

I did give one of my buddies the baggie of green tip .30-06 I had. He's got a lake behind his house. Private lake and gravel pit. He shot a partially filled propane tank. It took the county about an hour to visit him. He said sure he heard a noise. But he wasn't sure what. Then he kept on splittin' wood. They left, still lookin'. Lie and deny.

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Dick Burg

put a fuse and light it, you will be vary disappointed nothing happens.

a buncha idiots wanting to be known as someone's cool uncle/brother/friend who keeps on doing outlandish things , until someone, an adult or child is seriously injured or perhaps killed while they watched his shanannigans.......all the while being assured that he was taking enough precautions that heck surely NO ONE could get hurt........ right? I'm for charging & prosecuting these idiots to the max with a team of experienced deputies or troopers who have all attended advanced charges and ticket writing class 101........with a skilled prosecuting attorney helping in coming up with new charges.

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be safe,enjoylife,journey well

Not sure in which direction this country is going but have a good idea. If I own a 100 acre farm and want to blow the beegeezes out of a micro wave or old refrigerator on my back 40, whose business is it but mine.

This attitude that the state is there to protect you from yourself is the beginning of a very slippery slope. Next thing you know, the government will be telling you which guns you can own and which ones you can't.

OH, nevermind, they allready do that.....

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James Redfield
LM #497

So tannerite isn't legal? What would the 5 years be for?

Gregg--Manufacturing a destructive device, 26 U.S.C. § 5845(f). Also 18 U.S. Code § 921 (4) - Definitions-- Using legal materials, i.e. gasoline, black powder, lead pipe, diesel, ammonium nitrate, tannerite, etc, to make an explosive device is what tears your britches. As mentioned we had two boys over here get 2 years for unexploded lead pipe and black powder (combined, pipe bombs). The constituents in and of themselves are perfectly legal, but in the manner combined will get you hard time. One of the other posters in this thread mentioned this--legal materials being combined or used in an illegal fashion. (See post 15 above). I do NOT claim to be an expert in ATF regulations--any FFL holder on here knows far more than me, but I am generally familiar local prosecutions.

I can assure you if the ATF has picked up the investigation as Lee mentioned, someone is going to jail (or at least is going to get to spend everything they have defending federal charges that will land you in a Supermax/ADMAX facility). I THINK, but don't know, the ATF is interpreting federal statutes to mean the combination of tannerite into other items and exploding them is the construction of a "destructive device," especially when they have a county complaining with windows, homes and nerves rattled as Lee initally described.

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No school like the old school.