11 thoughts on “Exploding targets in the news

    • Could be referring (improperly) to tracer or API ammo. Doubtful that they deal with much Raufoss ammo, which does have 95 grains of RDX in it.

  1. Last year, there were a HUGE number of wildfires in Utah. All of the ones they THOUGHT were caused by target shooters were accurate… but not to their firearms. It was linked to the undercarriages of their cars or cigarettes in every case. Catalytic converters tear things up when it’s that dry out.

  2. We had a field fire here this fall caused by two guys using tannerite targets next to a bean field. The targets didn’t spontaneously combust. The beans didn’t mind the bullets. Sparks from the targets + dry beans = fire.

  3. The claim that a target in PA exploded spontaneously while fire personnel were nearby suggests something other than Tannerite- A flash powder type target most likely. I’ve seen those set paper and dry grass on fire, but I’ve never seen a Tannerite target do so. Then, I follow the instructions and fire them well off the ground and have the sense not to use them under DNR high fire danger conditions.

  4. We use Star targets (similar to tannerite) at the MG shoot I work in Sturgis. This last summer we were using some used up old pallets and other assorted detrius for our boomers. Given the dry conditions, we finally had a range fire after 5 days of shooting. Nothing too bad, but it forced us to shut down the range while we got to play firefighter. Didn’t want burning pallet pieces getting blown out into the tinder-dry hay field on either side of the cut we were shooting into.

  5. Under controlled conditions, I think exploding targets are fine – Boomershoot is a great event, and there are plenty of people there to fight fires if/when the grassland starts to burn.

    On federal land? Hmmm. Although I support multipurpose use of forest and range land for sports that are noisy and piss some people off (I like to shoot long range, ride dirt bikes, and explore with my Jeep) – in an age where ANY excuse is being used to shoot down legal shooting areas, I think it’s up to shooters to not do dumb stuff. Going into a tinder dry forest and shooting virtually anything carries a risk, doesn’t take much of a spark to start a fire. Shooting at exploding targets under those conditions is just stupid – whether they can or cannot technically start a fire.

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