Bob Wright
New member
Spilled gunpowder, black or smokeless, poses a potential hazard, even after its been wet down, either by washing or by rainwater. This was graphically demonstrated to me some time back.
The range I was firing on had the firing line an asphalted line, with an apron about ten feet wide in front of the firing line. This apron was sloped away from the firing line for drainage, ending in a take-away drainage swale. Once someone's firearm, I believe it was a muzzleloader rifle, spit out a spark that ignited the accumulated powder and started a fire that burned fiercely for a second or two, then went out. How long that powder had been there, I don't know, but had endured several rains.
And, on an indoor range, with a concrete floor, unburned powder ignited downrange just in front of the firing line. The muzzle blasts of firing had driven it to a point between the firing lines. There fire burned fiercely and hot enough that moisture in the concrete turned to steam and exploded, sending chunks of concrete into the ceiling tiles and scaring the bejabbers out of the shooters.
Keep your spills cleaned up.
Bob Wright
The range I was firing on had the firing line an asphalted line, with an apron about ten feet wide in front of the firing line. This apron was sloped away from the firing line for drainage, ending in a take-away drainage swale. Once someone's firearm, I believe it was a muzzleloader rifle, spit out a spark that ignited the accumulated powder and started a fire that burned fiercely for a second or two, then went out. How long that powder had been there, I don't know, but had endured several rains.
And, on an indoor range, with a concrete floor, unburned powder ignited downrange just in front of the firing line. The muzzle blasts of firing had driven it to a point between the firing lines. There fire burned fiercely and hot enough that moisture in the concrete turned to steam and exploded, sending chunks of concrete into the ceiling tiles and scaring the bejabbers out of the shooters.
Keep your spills cleaned up.
Bob Wright