2007-02-19 06:53:07 · 6 answers · asked by Tyrone 2 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
Yes. But not normally. Its like cell phones or static electricity setting a gasoline pump on fire. In theory it can and does happen. Its been proven. But its a 1 in 10 billion type deal.
Miketyson26
2007-02-19 06:57:54 · answer #1 · answered by miketyson26 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Probably not by the sort of static discharge you're likely to get by walking across a deep-shag carpet on a dry winter's day. For one thing, the electricity would have to go through the explosive material of either the primer or the smokeless powder charge, and heat it enough to detonate it.
Only it won't, not for the sort of charge we're talking about, because the brass shell acts as a Faraday Cage, (i.e., it's a highly conductive shell which diverts electrical charge around whatever's inside the shell.) Smokeless powder generally isn't as good a conductor as the metal making up the case, so no electrical current will flow through the powder charge.
Now, with that being said, if you could generate a powerful enough charge that it will heat the brass case enough (since while the brass is metal, it will have some resistance to electrical flow to it . . . roughly 0.2 or 0.3 Ohms according to my multimeter) to ignite the powder, then you will set off the round. However, to do that requires a very powerful current, or current applied for a long enough period of time. Way more than you could generate by accident.
2007-02-19 10:01:04 · answer #2 · answered by Sam D 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Do you mean the projectile the primer or the powder inside the case, no the projectile is inert & static will do nothing to it.
I doubt the primer and the powder could be detonated via static if the round was assembled, or else I'd have rounds going off in my jacket I wear when I shoot.
Applying electricty directly to the round would set it off as the round would provide a short for current and would heat up the entire round.
However there are larger rounds that are detonated via electricty.
A common round that is detonated via electricity is the 20mm round of the M50 family.
2007-02-19 07:03:26 · answer #3 · answered by MD 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is possible that an electric charge could detonate the primer of a live round, but I do not think that common everyday static buildup could do it.
2007-02-19 09:22:06 · answer #4 · answered by DJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, their casings are made of brass. Brass is a poor conductor of electricity.
2007-02-19 06:58:33 · answer #5 · answered by lsuballs 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋
yes, but its not gonna happen to you
2007-02-19 07:23:45 · answer #6 · answered by Jonathan$$$ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋