Man blows up house reloading

[Forrest r]

My 2 cents:

1 of the dumbest things I've seen reloaders do is use a incandescent light bulb to heat the lube in their luber-sizers. The bulb is placed next ot the luber-sizer and things like cotton towels are placed over everything to keep the heat in/get everything to heat up faster.

Watched a friend of mine catch the luber-sizer on fire doing this. It was a combo of being distracted along with oils/greases on the dirty luber-sizer and the cotton towel (wick) getting too hot and starting a fire.

Went over his house, he was outside doing yardwork. He went into the garage to check on the temp of the luber-sizer with the bulb/towel setup. I saw this and told him to get off his wallet and buy a heater. He laughed and handed me a beer. We went back outside and were bs'ing when smoke started rolling out the man door. Sure enough the towel was on fire!!!

Don't know it something like this happened in florida.

But I do know the guy isn't going to say he left anything unattended or put anything in aftermarket containers for insurance purposes.

 

[glenwolde]

Everybody seems to be overlooking the fact that this was in a confined space. A room. Like a shell casing. A spark or whatever acted as the primer. Yes, the smokeless powder is "slow burning". However, if it doesn't "explode", then why the loud report when you fire the gun? The "bang" comes from somewhere. The powder is compacted into a cylinder, which has a primer, with a bullet that is pressed into the shell in such a way as to provide a tight seal. The firing pin strikes the primer, which ignites the powder. The resulting gasses from the burning powder build enough pressure to "push", or propel the bullet out of the casing. The resulting release of all that pressure results in the loud report, or "bang", or "explosion". So, the more powder you have, the more energy being released from that ignited powder, the more pressure buildup within a confined space that has to be released somewhere. The roof, doors, windows etc all become the "bullets". No conspiracies. No hidden motives. Simple physics. Simple science.

Pretty low loading density given the volume of the confined space. That'd be like 2.8 gr of Bullseye in a 105mm Howitzer round. That's a confined space too, but don't think the projectile is going to go anywhere.

 

[Greyman50]

There is a Lee on left end of bench and maybe a Dillon of some sort with the powder measure( whats left of it) in middle and vice on right end. Guess many don't read all posts. Per my buddy that lives there, No natural gas and No propane! Could fill up the room with smokeless powder, light it and this would not happen. Burn down the place but no explosion.

 

[mtgianni]

My 2 cents:

1 of the dumbest things I've seen reloaders do is use a incandescent light bulb to heat the lube in their luber-sizers. The bulb is placed next ot the luber-sizer and things like cotton towels are placed over everything to keep the heat in/get everything to heat up faster.

Watched a friend of mine catch the luber-sizer on fire doing this. It was a combo of being distracted along with oils/greases on the dirty luber-sizer and the cotton towel (wick) getting too hot and starting a fire.

Went over his house, he was outside doing yardwork. He went into the garage to check on the temp of the luber-sizer with the bulb/towel setup. I saw this and told him to get off his wallet and buy a heater. He laughed and handed me a beer. We went back outside and were bs'ing when smoke started rolling out the man door. Sure enough the towel was on fire!!!

Don't know it something like this happened in florida.

But I do know the guy isn't going to say he left anything unattended or put anything in aftermarket containers for insurance purposes.

Interesting comment. I have had a light bulb in a trouble light on mine for harder lubes for more than 20 years. I am not foolish enough to cover it. Thanks for the perspective.

 

[Greyman50]

Wow, a heat gun works well on lubisizer. Down here it does not get very cold.

 

[johnjohn]

I use my wifes hairdrier to heat lubesizer.

 

[terry_tr6]

I use my wifes hairdrier to heat lubesizer.

Yeah sure, your "wife's" hairdryer

 

[41 mag Dave]

I have a friend who is a Lt. in a fire dept. in Florida and reloader. He took great interest in this. According to him, the gentlemen had an unlicensed ammunition reloading business.

It was related to me that a fire started got into the large qty of smokeless powder then the large fire touched off the 10's of thousands of primers that they had hoarded for the business.

He related that the men were no cooperation with the authorities because of the illegal commercial reloading operation. I have no documentation just what was related to me.

 

[Drm50]

I did estimate on guns and related items for a lawyer. All had to be itemized value for probate court. I had done several estates for this lawyer and he never questioned my valuations. This particular estate had many partial cans of powder. I'm talking 15-20 cans. On sheet I had it valued as 0. I told him not salable so he had the guys cleaning up the house burn it.
I told them to pour out in a pile. I would say a 10lb pile of assorted IMR and Hogdon powder. It produced nothing but a violent burn, was a big let down for those who thought it would explode.

 

[BC38]

I have a friend who is a Lt. in a fire dept. in Florida and reloader. He took great interest in this. According to him, the gentlemen had an unlicensed ammunition reloading business.

It was related to me that a fire started got into the large qty of smokeless powder then the large fire touched off the 10's of thousands of primers that they had hoarded for the business.

He related that the men were no cooperation with the authorities because of the illegal commercial reloading operation. I have no documentation just what was related to me.

That makes much more sense. Both in terms of the explosion destroying the house and the official statements that didn't seem to make sense (because they didn't have the actual details).

 

[Greyman50]

So, ALL 10's of thousands of primers went off at the same time?

 

[BC38]

So, ALL 10's of thousands of primers went off at the same time?

Nope. But all it would take would be for one brick to go off to create a chain reaction that would happen in a fraction of a second and would be a pretty impressive explosion.
Try hitting just ONE with a hammer on an anvil to get a feel for that.

 

[Jack Flash]

Nope. But all it would take would be for one brick to go off to create a chain reaction that would happen in a fraction of a second and would be a pretty impressive explosion.
Try hitting just ONE with a hammer on an anvil to get a feel for that.

Be sure to wear ear protection, especially if you are outside next to the wall of a building. Do not ask how I know this!

 

[BC38]

Be sure to wear ear protection, especially if you are outside next to the wall of a building. Do not ask how I know this!

And don't forget eye protection. A shred of the cup material or a flying primer anvil would probably take out an eye.

 

[Greyman50]

An " illegal reloading situation" would surely bring charges by ATF, pretty sure they are/ would act quickly on such considering TPTB.
How and Who determined that a powder fire ignited "10's of thousands of primers" at ONE time? Unless they were All poured in a Large container would like to hear an explanation by a expert . An investigation by one thats good online could discover the mortgage holder and the insurance company of property. Insurance investigator is who we need to hear from.

 

[Nemo288]

Sounds like a job for Barnaby Jones!
I've been watching some of those episodes and so far they have not had one covering
reloading/illegal ammunition manufacture and ensuing mayhem.