Question

[magley64]

Anyone know what the effect would be of a loaded handgun in a fire?

Rounds are designed to go of in the chamber, what happens if they go off in the loaded and inserted magazine? What about a revolver?

Just curious, can't seem to find any videos or anything demonstrating the effect.

[Tpoppa]

Is a legitimate question or yet another attempt at trolling the firearms forum?

[magley64]

I'm honestly curious, I don't know if it would blow the handle apart, launch the magazine out the bottom, or just burst all of the casings, leaving the firearm functional (once the debris was removed from the magazine).

With regard to the revolver if it would deform, blow apart, or if they are designed to handle such a catastrophic failure.

[Tpoppa]

Why do you care?

[magley64]

Why do you care?

curiosity, I was also trying to find the autoignition temperature of the propellant, to figure out just how hot it would have to get for such a failure to occur.

[Tpoppa]

If someone else asked I would take the time to answer. You not so much.

Perhaps someone else would like to feed the troll.

[magley64]

Ok

[max power]

If someone else asked I would take the time to answer. You not so much.

Perhaps someone else would like to feed the troll.

If we all ignore the troll, he will eventually go away.

[magley64]

i mean if nobody knows exactly what happens, that's okay too, I found 1 report of a gun firing repeatedly because of a fire, but nothing about what happens if the rounds go off in the magazine or revolver.

[Tpoppa]

i mean if nobody knows exactly what happens, that's okay too, I found 1 report of a gun firing repeatedly because of a fire, but nothing about what happens if the rounds go off in the magazine or revolver.

Nope. No one knows.

[crb]

[redkow97]

send this question to Myth Busters.

I think I know what would happen, but they'd actually test it. Seems they've come close in past tests.

(scroll halfway down) http://mythbustersresults.com/episode85

[Bad324]

bullet get hot. bullet go boom. gun kills 5,000 people in 10 mile radius with only 10 bullets and gun control finally happens for the Libtards since their is finally proof guns can kill people without a person pulling the trigger

[magley64]

send this question to Myth Busters.

I think I know what would happen, but they'd actually test it. Seems they've come close in past tests.

(scroll halfway down) http://mythbustersresults.com/episode85

I did find that, but nothing on the circumstances I mentioned.

Seems like the revolver might be the most dangerous in this circumstance though, just based on my understanding of the physics involved. even though it potentially carries fewer rounds.

[Al Z. Heimer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAK2dDQ-S4Q

THE END

[2talltim]

I've thrown shotgun shells in the fire before but just to play it safe i emptied the shot out first.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[jporter12]

I suppose it would be dependent on the gun. Many modern pistols have polymer frames and I would think that the melting of the frame would be the problem more than the cartridges in the magazine.

[shittygsxr]

Lets test this out. We can tape a loaded firearm to Magleys hand and then throw him into a fire.

In the name of science of course

[Tpoppa]

Lets test this out. We can tape a loaded firearm to Magleys hand and then throw him into a fire.

In the name of science of course

I'm listening...

[jbot]

doesnt OP have a war hero's funeral to protest?

[magley64]

Protests aren't really my bag, man.

[ReconRat]

Never heard of a weapon firing repeatedly in a fire. That would be odd and rare.

Basically they cook off. If I remember right, the propellant cooks off at a lower temperature than the primer. The result is not much. Shell casing can crack and splinter, bullet moves, and that's it. Nothing moves at high velocity. Only low velocities. edit: Sometimes the pressure pushes the primer out, resulting in nothing.

NRA technical expert Julian Hatcher and his team conducted numerous tests. Page 145 of "The NRA Fact Book" states: “When small arms ammunition is burned, cartridge cases may burst open and bits of brass may fly about, but not with any great velocity, and usually not with force enough to be dangerous to life. The bullets generally have even less velocity than the brass cartridge cases, and it is necessary for the powder to be rather strongly confined to develop any velocity in a bullet. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures’ Institute (SAMMI) reported a demonstration made by taking a large quantity of metallic cartridges and shotgun shells and burning them in a fire of oil soaked wood. The cartridges and shells exploded from time to time, but there was no general explosion of throwing off of bullets or shot to any distance. … The test showed that small arms ammunition when subjected to fire will not explode simultaneously but piece by piece, and then the material of which the cartridge and shells are composed will usually not fly more than a few feet.”

Subsequently, NRA staff conducted similar tests and surrounded the fire with cardboard. They found that neither the cases nor the bullets that flew any distance had enough energy to penetrate the cardboard.

http://www.americanhunter.org/blogs/is-loaded-ammo-deadly-if-it-catches-fire/

There is one exception. If a bullet is loaded in the chamber. That one is confined, and it can fire down the barrel in a more normal fashion.

The Caveat: If a loaded GUN is dropped in a fire or left in a burning house, however, it can be A DANGEROUS SITUATION, because the cartridge case is confined in the chamber and will give the bullet its full velocity.

edit: And in case anyone wonders... ".22 long rifle cartridges detonate at an average of 275F, .38 Special at 290F and 12 gauge shotgun shells at 387F." Edited April 19, 2013 by ReconRat

[hue jass]

Thank you professor! Now if we could only get that darned radio to work!

[magley64]

Never heard of a weapon firing repeatedly in a fire. That would be odd and rare.

Basically they cook off. If I remember right, the propellant cooks off at a lower temperature than the primer. The result is not much. Shell casing can crack and splinter, bullet moves, and that's it. Nothing moves at high velocity. Only low velocities. edit: Sometimes the pressure pushes the primer out, resulting in nothing.

There is one exception. If a bullet is loaded in the chamber. That one is confined, and it can fire down the barrel in a more normal fashion.

edit: And in case anyone wonders... ".22 long rifle cartridges detonate at an average of 275F, .38 Special at 290F and 12 gauge shotgun shells at 387F."

What about rounds in a magazine (inserted into a handgun) or rounds contained within a revolver that are not lined up with the barrel?

[ReconRat]

What about rounds in a magazine (inserted into a handgun) or rounds contained within a revolver that are not lined up with the barrel?

A good question, and requires guessing until finding a decent google answer.

My guess: Mostly would remain confined at the location they were at.

It's the pressure. It's not sudden, if the case can expand, crack, or push the bullet or primer out. There's too much space around the cartridges in a magazine. Revolver is tighter... not sure.

edit: Really, I'd worry more about DROPPING a weapon. That can fire if chambered.

edit again: From what I can tell, a revolver represents more of a hazard with the cartridges in the cylinder. More likely to have a decent velocity if it goes off in a fire. Some will have a clear path, but others will have the frame in the way.

Edited April 19, 2013 by ReconRat