Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

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KG Erwin
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Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by KG Erwin »

Dang, a leftover from the US Civil War causes another death. See this article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24441427&GT1=43001
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Sarge
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Sarge »

OMG !

restoring old cannon balls …….What an idiot [:D]
But in February, White's hobby cost him his life: A cannonball he was restoring exploded, killing him in his driveway.


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KG Erwin
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by KG Erwin »

ORIGINAL: Sarge

OMG !

restoring old cannon balls …….What an idiot [:D]
But in February, White's hobby cost him his life: A cannonball he was restoring exploded, killing him in his driveway.



That was my first thought, too, but it is tragic nonetheless. The lesson is obvious -- if you uncover any sort of unexploded ordnance, alert your local police or the ATF. No matter its age, it is potentially deadly.
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Goblin
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Goblin »

To top it off, it was a 75# naval ball. Naval balls were waterproofed to handle skipping across the water for waterline hits on enemy vessels. Not to mention the plethora of extra explosives compared to a small infantry round.
 
 
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bradfordkay
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by bradfordkay »

Which reminds me... when is Matrix going to go a computer version of "Ironclads"?
fair winds,
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Krasny
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Krasny »

Not wishing to sound ignorant, but it's news to me that cannon balls exploded.

How was the explosion triggered?
Grell
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Grell »

I hope his family get over it soon. What a crazy situation.

Regards,

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Sarge
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Sarge »

ORIGINAL: Krasny
How was the explosion triggered?

Stupidly [;)]
bradfordkay
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by bradfordkay »

Krasny, there were several types of naval ordnance in those days. Solid shot would not explode, but spherical case shells would (they were an iron sphere filled with powder).
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Jeffrey H.
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Jeffrey H. »

ORIGINAL: Krasny

Not wishing to sound ignorant, but it's news to me that cannon balls exploded.

How was the explosion triggered?

The story claims it was an explosive filled shot that discharged while he was working on "resotring". I suppose he was grinding and chipping away.

A 1/4 mile away someone got a hunk of shrapnel in their front door !

History began July 4th, 1776. Anything before that was a mistake.

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Capt. Harlock
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by Capt. Harlock »

ORIGINAL: Sarge

ORIGINAL: Krasny
How was the explosion triggered?

Stupidly [;)]

Not entirely fair. From what I've heard, he had done it numerous times before, and even provided some of the neutralized shells to museums. This particular one had a "manufacturing defect", possibly powder in an area it wasn't supposed to be. And the fact that the shell existed at all means it would sooner or later have been a danger to someone. (They're still finding UXB's from WWII in Europe.)
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

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andym
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RE: Relic Hunter Killed by 140-year-old Live Ordnance

Post by andym »

Indeed we are,just a week ago we found one off the Suffolk Coast,then the Disposal Team promptly "lost " it for the next 5 days!!!!!On the norfolk coast there is usually at least one bit of ordanace washed up a month.
Press to Test...............Release to Detonate!
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