Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I forgot to bring my camera so I don't have a picture yet. Was dealing with the closing of my aunts house (passed away). Upon my last walk through, I found in an obscure closet.... yep.... a mortar shell (so I'm told). I about freaked out. I picked it up to carry it outside. Only then did it dawn on me that I could be the next days headline... "Man picks up bomb and blows house up" or something similar... [:|] I carried it outside and prepared to call the police to have them look at it. I then realized that maybe my cousin, who was then away at the attorney's office, might know something about it. Called him & he's laughing.... "yes yes yes... I'd forgotten all about that.... Years ago (as in 30), a friend of Mom's gave that to her for me.... it's been deactivated and is filled with concrete" Ok, so that's the official story. The fins on the back, screw into the base of the shell. I was told that if I unscrew the fins, you can see the concrete inside the opening. Well... I am a curious type soooooooooooooooooooo, the other night, I unscrewed the fins.... I do NOT see concrete inside the opening. I see what I'd describe as... "a machined point" in there. I do not know how to describe a machined point... so, let me put it this way... if you have a natural gas (or propane) fitting, there is a slope to the fitting so that when the male goes into the female, this slope will meet up with the joining slope of the receiver and will give a lot of surface area for a nice tight, sealed fit. Make some sense? Ok, well if that does, then instead of chopping off the tip of this slope (to allow the hole for the gas to go through) just imagine the slope going to a natural point. The fins do not have this at all... but the receiving part does. So, if someone took this apart and filled it with concrete, they must have replaced some kind of machined cap inside here too. I certainly don't see why they'd do that if in fact, it was now a dud. Also, the fins have holes (machined) in them. I was told these holes might be what cause the whistling effect as the mortar flies on its path (?) I'll try to get a picture and post later. My real question/concern is... how can I verify that this thing is neutralized, short of beating it with a hammer? [:|] Truth be told... right now it seems like an interesting conversation piece so I don't want to give it up if in fact it IS neutralized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 where is that picture of bugs bunny hitting the artillery shell with a hammer and ducking, then writing dud on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 First and foremost: If you discover what has ANY chance of being unexploded ordnance, don't touch it. Call PD and they can contact military ordnance experts who will examine. Just this year, the last (for the moment) victim of the Civil War died drilling into a 12 inch mortar shell fired over 150 years ago. He was an expert. That should be warning enough. If this guy filled it with concrete himself, you might believe it. If he says someone else did it and told him they did it, that would be reasonable doubt for me. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 If he says someone else did it and told him they did it, that would be reasonable doubt for me Yep, that's why I unscrewed the fins to see for myself. I wanted to see the concrete that he said was 'readily visible"...and guess what... I sure can't see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 ! YIKES ! Does this "relative" have dibs on your Jubilees should anything happen to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNRabbit Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 X2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Normally I'd go nuts and have some fun with this thread.... but.... everyone is correct.... You really need to call the PD or SO and have the EOD take it away. Here's why..... I take a mortar round and remove the propellant... and being a bright young lad.... remove the charge..., but if I don't remove (as in take off....) the detonator, it is still live "enough" to really hurt you. The detonators deteriorate over age and become much more susceptible to detonation with shock, etc. The other problem is if the propellant was removed,there is no guarantee that the charge itself was completely removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 That sure does sound like it would be a cool conversation piece but I'd have to agree with the expert opintion here that it needs to be verified it's been completely disabled by the experts. We'd all sure hate to see your picture on the news.... Tennessee man blows self, family, and home up... ... just hope you don't hear something like "they usually explode when you unscrew the fins...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch Employees Trey Cannon Posted October 8, 2008 Klipsch Employees Share Posted October 8, 2008 Do you have a torch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Treat all AMMO as if it was live...and this one could be,,,, call the police,,,A friend of mine found TNT under his porch,,,30 years old,,, it was leaking,,, Fire dept, was called to take it away... could of gone off at any time. DONT take a chance !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 short of beating it with a hammer? Be sure to use a BIG hammer. Like 4lb and not one of those wimpy little 16 or 20 oz numbers. Seriously, DO NOT BEAT ON IT WITH ANYTHING. Wouldn't want to have to nominate you for the Darwin Awards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 ok, here's the first picture... also... away with the acronyms... PD (police department?...ok fine... but the others?) Here's with a reference to size, "intact" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 Here, I've taken the fins off. This is looking at the 'inside' of where the fins screw in and supposedly, where it was filled with concrete. It really looks like its machined metal, going to a "point" for lack of better word... it is tapered in a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 Last picture... this is the bottom side of the fins, to show it too, is threaded. I'm understanding that this is where the propellent screws in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I wouldn't take any chances..... have the bomb squad pick it up....too many stories out there about folks blowing off half their bodies that sound alot like this story line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 Ok... serious if not perhaps a dumb question... I don't think there is a "1-800-bomb squad" number in the phone book.... I'm in the country...call the sheriff and drag them out here (15 miles out of town?) Take it into town & deliver to them? (seems a call prior would be smart so they didn't think I was attacking them?) Lob it into the lake? Other than Ghostbusters....exactly who DO you call and what might you tell them so they don't come out in force, sirens blaring and guns drawn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 I just got done taking it back outside and placed it near a tree, away from the house. Of course, this means a lightning bolt will hit the tree which will then uproot. The mortar will then be flipped up in the air by the roots and land about 10 feet away, right on top of my well head. This will in turn, cause the mortar to explode sending shrapnal into both cars AND spike my casing of my well down about 20 feet, thereby "fracking" my well which in turn, will cause my already 100 gallons/minute well to turn into a REAL gully-washer and flow at over 358.238 gallons/minute. Of course, I'll be sitting in my car when the shrapnel hits so I'll be gone and not around anymore to enjoy my mega-flow well (as though 100 gpm is wimpy!) All because I took it out of my bedroom.... NOW when the wife says she wants to end the night with a 'bang', I'm going to have to come up with something even more creative..... [*-)] [:#] [:$] [G] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 "Other than Ghostbusters....exactly who DO you call and what might youtell them so they don't come out in force, sirens blaring and gunsdrawn?" If you have a reserve center or national guard center you can call them. If you can't find anyone, call your local army recruting station and ask for the number to reach their company comander....give the problem to him. I used to be a company comander for a recurting company and took these types of calls seriously and acted on them....it's good PR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I wouldn't take any chances..... have the bomb squad pick it up....too many stories out there about folks blowing off half their bodies that sound alot like this story line. Good advice. Let them pick it up, since police stations and the like aren't too happy about suspicious weapons being brought to their front desks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I wouldn't take any chances..... have the bomb squad pick it up....too many stories out there about folks blowing off half their bodies that sound alot like this story line. Good advice. Let them pick it up, since police stations and the like aren't too happy about suspicious weapons being brought to their front desks. Hey there Mr Officer I have this bomb..... Local man with bomb shot in local police department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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