insurance for reloaders

sniper767

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this is not good.
yesterday on FM 98.5 radio station with Louis Cyr (insurance specialist) the question was raised by a caller / reloader regarding his house insurance and wether he's insured with some explosives in the house. The outcome was that the insurance is not valid under those conditions. This is all logical as if your house burns down and even if the cause is not the gunpowder seting it off and if the firemen arrive and ammo is exploding they will not be able to safely extinguish the blaze. I think our goose is cooked on this one...:redface:
 
this is not good.
yesterday on FM 98.5 radio station with Louis Cyr (insurance specialist) the question was raised by a caller / reloader regarding his house insurance and wether he's insured with some explosives in the house. The outcome was that the insurance is not valid under those conditions. This is all logical as if your house burns down and even if the cause is not the gunpowder seting it off and if the firemen arrive and ammo is exploding they will not be able to safely extinguish the blaze. I think our goose is cooked on this one...:redface:

Not "logical" at all because neither smokeless powder or ammunition explodes.
 
Cowards, this media attention is all the insurance industry needs. They will probably add a fee for reloaders who want to remain covered.
Pay your "Protection money", or anything could happen...
 
Insurance for reloaders

so why is gunpowder considered a hazardous material then?
not because it's as harmless as flour I'm sure ...

and you guys can b-i-t-c-h all you want, I'm sure the insurance companies won't offer us free protection for this added liability.

One thing is sure. I will not stop reloading my ammo at home. But I might be more careful on the storage habits especialy for loaded ammo since those will definitely explode.
 
If you're worried talk to your own insurer. Policies vary. Don't get all fussed about something you hear on the radio.
 
Insurance for reloaders

I do and I'm right.

Ammunition explodes and if you don't believe me I'm sure you'll be glad to test it by puting a box of high power ammo in your oven on broil and watch thru the door with your face inches away from the glass.

let me know how it goes ...

PS: I have test results of different ammunition that were set-off in a furnace. the temperature required to set it off was recorded for each round type. It will make less damage than if it's fired thru a rifle barrel but it will definitely explode and send some shrapnel around. Any kind of a BANG and I'm sure the firemen will not get near your house as it burns down.

powder will only burn if it's not constrained where it cannot develop pressure. A cartridge case is enough constraint so that when the round goes off it does explode.
 
so why is gunpowder considered a hazardous material then?
not because it's as harmless as flour I'm sure ...
I'd rather have a pound of powder ignite in my house than a pound of rubbing alcohol. Smokeless powder is hardly more dangerous than many common household items.

and you guys can b-i-t-c-h all you want, I'm sure the insurance companies won't offer us free protection for this added liability.
It's not a significant liability. How much damage was caused by home storage of smokeless powder in the last decade?

One thing is sure. I will not stop reloading my ammo at home. But I might be more careful on the storage habits especialy for loaded ammo since those will definitely explode.

"Exploding" ammunition is far from dangerous. Normal firefighter turnout gear is more than adequate for dealing with an ammunition fire. Watch this: Sporting Ammunition and the Firefighter
 
If you can work it into your budget, you might be interested in picking up this video from the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute Inc (SAAMI). Here's the description:

"Sporting Ammunition and the Firefighter

Item #250 - Nearly one million rounds of ammunition were subjected to ten different tests-from open burn conditions to tightly confined burn conditions-to examine what happens to sporting ammunition exposed to severe impact and fire. This video is recommended as an educational tool for fire departments and explains how firefighters face no danger from sporting ammunition in a fire when protected by standard turn-out gear."

But, if you don't want to cough up the $10, and have it in your library, watch it for free at:

SAAMI video

I'm not saying burning ammunition is completely harmless, but it does not create the explosive carnage that Hollywood would have you believe. And, if the firefighters scream and run away from the 'pop' of burning ammo, its probably because they didn't know better. :D
 
cool ! thanks for the info and I hope it helps clarify the situation for everyone. I'll pick up a couple of copies of this tape. Including one for my local police and firemen station :)
 
cool ! thanks for the info and I hope it helps clarify the situation for everyone. I'll pick up a couple of copies of this tape. Including one for my local police and firemen station :)

Excellent. Lets hope that the insurance industry takes note. :)
 
On a rare ocassion, propellant can burn to detonation depending on the degree of confinement, basicly the density of the energetic material when it is confined causes it.. It doesn't happen all the time but it is possible.
 
firefighters?

if the firefighters scream and run away from the 'pop' of burning ammo, its probably because they didn't know better. :D

I think that there are surely some firefighters in this forum, could they speak out about the working procedure in those cases?


bylogic
 
I would be more worried about my propane tank hooked to the BBQ and the natural gas line that runs to the furnace!!!!!!!!
 
No kidding...I have acetone and kerosene in my shop...Canadian Tire sold me a jerry can a while ago and I filled it with gas...it's in the shop too...

My gunpowder causes me absolutely no concern. Is there extra insurance for non-reloaders who happen to have ammo at home? Is it higher than people who have paint thinner at home?

None of this makes the slightest amount of sense, I would ignore it totally.
 
"...will definitely explode..." No it doesn't. And there 's no frag either. Drop a .22 LR into a roaring fire sometime. Nice loud bang, but no bullet or fragments flying around.
Firemen worry more about an old CRT TV set than smokeless powder or loaded ammo.
Reloading is so safe that few insurance companies care. Smokeless powder is not an explosive.
 
The only thing I can think of that could come into play and cause you alot of grief, is if your powder is not stored in compliance with NR-CAN regulations.
Insurance policies have exlcusions for criminal acts, getting charged by the police for improper storage of powder could create some issues.
Other then that, reloading is a perfectly legal and safe hobby and claims would be paid.
 
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