Limits on ammunition while storing in gun safe.

[toxic]

There is a SAAMI video that shows that smokeless ammo that explodes due to fire is not a danger to anyone unless it is confined (like in a barrel). Otherwise the pressure never builds up enough to be dangerous.

I am a firefighter and fire instructor. I'm putting the finishing touches on a seminar dealing with powder and ammunition in fire situations. I have the SAMMI videos as well as a video about powder from Natural Resources Canada. The NRCan video and accompanying report lead me to beleive that SAMMI used questionable science in their tests. SAMMI did all their powder tests outdoors whereas NRCan burnt powder in a 12 X 12 room. A room of that size will in fact act as like a container when 8lbs of powder burn in it. The overpressure was enough to raise the roof of the test building which was built to NBC standards.

My take is that ammunition is no big deal and 1 lb containers of powder are not bad. 8 lb containers scare me now.

 

[TightGroup]

he NRCan video and accompanying report lead me to beleive that SAMMI used questionable science in their tests. SAMMI did all their powder tests outdoors whereas NRCan burnt powder in a 12 X 12 room. A room of that size will in fact act as like a container when 8lbs of powder burn in it. The overpressure was enough to raise the roof of the test building which was built to NBC standards.

My take is that ammunition is no big deal and 1 lb containers of powder are not bad. 8 lb containers scare me now.

I guess that was a 12x12 closed room, no windows

As for NBC here is a quote of these standards.

The content of NBC pertains primarily to the needs of health and safety. Requirements unrelated to health and safety are kept to a minimum. Requirements for workmanship related to aesthetics only, are not considered appropriate for the NBC, although requirements for quality and durability that effect health and safety are appropriate.

The NBC standards in no way describe what kind of 12 x 12 room was built.

Do not take this personnaly, but without having any baseline data , the NRCan demo is ueseless!

TG

 

[toxic]

I guess that was a 12x12 closed room, no windows

As for NBC here is a quote of these standards.



The NBC standards in no way describe what kind of 12 x 12 room was built.

Do not take this personnaly, but without having any baseline data , the NRCan demo is ueseless!

TG

This last post seems to have slipped by me. I misquoted the building standard - it states that the room is built to building code but does not specify the jurisdiction (but it has to be in Canada - likely Ontario). The details of the room were:

- 2X4 contruction
- 32" steel door
- 16" X 36" window
- interior finished with 1/2 inch drywall (taped)
- Buffalo board exterior
- Truss type roof (the interface between the roof and the walls is two 2X4's nailed together)
- powder used was hi-skor (double base powder)

I have swapped emails with the researcher involved at CERL. The video is very much relevant. I am tempted to post the video but I think it was given to me in in confidence.

 

[Chemist]

I guess this means that putting the powder from x25 50 cal bmg rounds in a paper bag and putting them in a wood store is bad, lighting the bag on fire and closing the door is bad as well.

 

[Colin]

Internal volume