[vapor trail]

i was reading an article in a magazine at a doctors office,i believe it was in north dakota, two fellas were hunting blackpowder,one was wearing some type of snowmobile suit,they were climbing over pasture fencing with their loaded flintlocks and static electricity from the snowmoble suit rubbing together caused the smokepole to discharge killing his hunting partner.>is that possible?

 

[fordman99]

probably shorted out due to excess moisture in his diaper!!!

Sorry I just HAD to say it!!!!

 

[vapor trail]

hey they [mods] killed my post!plus i am also a die hard ford fan i have a['53 customline,'63fairlane500,2002explorer,2007fordfivehundred]FORDS RULE..anyhow is that static electricity thing possible able to make a flintlock discharge?

 

[hunter4095]

once i got a call on my cell phone and my flinter went off.
talk about weird.

 

[bigt557]

 

[springfreak]

I'd have to say no!

 

[Vector 51]

i heard about this before, not sure if its true or not

 

[HoneyBrookHunter]

Found this on the internet:

Never smoke or otherwise expose black powder to flame, spark, or heat during loading, shooting or handling. This includes friction from excess handling, and static discharges. You should use some sort of static control in the area where you handle or load black powder.

I would say it is possible

 

[Moss]

A friend of mine just told me the other day that he was carrying his muzzleloader from the house to the car and it went off as he was going out the door from static electricity.

 

[Grey Bear Jr]

Static electricity will set off blackpowder. One of two reasons why NMLRA says never to use carpet where you handle blackpowder (spilled powder build-up is the other). BATF also says to have wood or concrete floor in any type C magazine for the same reason.

I believe Aberdeen Proving Grounds did tests of this with bagged artillery charges and did make them go off with static electricty. Will see if I can find that info again.

GBJ

 

[Bunky]

Static electricity will set off blackpowder. One of two reasons why NMLRA says never to use carpet where you handle blackpowder (spilled powder build-up is the other). BATF also says to have wood or concrete floor in any type C magazine for the same reason.

I believe Aberdeen Proving Grounds did tests of this with bagged artillery charges and did make them go off with static electricty. Will see if I can find that info again.

GBJ

GBJ is correct! I lived near APG most of my life. My best friends father was one of the worlds foremost experts on munitions. I also have a very good friend who is in the same area at APG who tests black powder (BY the pallet full) He was taken to shock trauma soem years back due to an explosion of BP due to --guess what---yep!! If you look at the shipping crate for BP from Goex Im pretty sure is says something about static as well---Ill double check the shipping box and post pics as well if I find it. You will have some on here doubt this and my response would be simply this "Are you willing to put your life or anyone elses at risk?" Off to look for the box...

 

[c_laubach]

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html

 

[John Henry]

...static electricity from the snowmoble suit rubbing together caused the smokepole to discharge killing his hunting partner.

If people would obey the first rule of gun safety, never point any gun at anything you dont intend to shoot, there is no need to worry about static!

 

[vapor trail]

then the conclusion was correct by the investigation in north dakota that indeed the blackpowder firearm was discharged by the fellow's snowmobile suit rubbing together causing a charge of static electricity that lead to the discharge.that's definately something to keep in mind while handling black powder:thanks for the info.

 

[brubincam]

didn't happen--like the guy that shot himself buy dropping a bullet on the floor and it went off

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I read somewhere that some3one actually tried to ignite black powder with static electricity, of the standard wool sweater in winter variety static electricity. They reported that they could not get it to ignite the powder. HOWEVER, there is standard garden variety static electricity and there is some whopper megavoltage static electricity. During the great depression in drought wind driven areas of the mid west, static electricity would build up in farm equipment (from the dust driven dry winds) strong enough to knock a man uncounsious. In Scandanavian countries cold dry winter winds against metal towers and bridge girders have been known to build up stong enough charges to kill people.

Now, North Dakota plains, colder dryer, few trees so windier, metal fence being charged by wind driven particles. I'd see that as likely to be alot more than standard wool sweater type electricity. See no problem why it couldn't ignite black powder.

 

[vapor trail]

brubincam,well like i said i read the article in a magazine;thats why i posed this question on the forum and the general concensis is YES static electricity will detonate black powder and the new materials out these days for snowmobiling who knows what amount of static from friction was caused.i've been shocked many times just by brushing up against the new materials that are made nowadays.i myself believe the story.why don't you carry a pound of black powder around exposed and brush up against different winter materials and get back to us with the results.>read BUNKYS POST

 

[PAlimbhanger]

Yes it can and will, I know first hand. Here is what happened.
One year ('89) My dad and I came home from hunting and instead of shooting the flintlock into a stump he said just blow out the pan powder and you can use it tommorow. That evening I put my insulated coveralls in the dryer and the next morning I took them out and put them on before going outside. I went and got the gun from the cabinet and opened the front door while cradling the gun, the next thing I knew BOOM it went off. It took me a long time to get over my fear of it. Please be careful.

 

[jimsdad]

Not doubting anything said on this topic, but this sounds like a mission for, TA-TA-TA-DDDAAAA, the Mythbusters!

 

[whitebuck]

the smoke pole smokes so do i