WallyWorld .22 outage, PTR22 video, canning

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Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Went to Wally World the other day and, mostly out of curiousity, I stopped by the gun department for our usual two bricks o’ Federal. No Federal. No Remington. No .22 at all. That, my friends, is some disturbing stuff right there, I tell ya. The natives are restless.

Speaking of .22, I went out to the range today to take part in a little experiment. We all know that if you shot a propane tank with a bullet it will usually not explode. The gas jetting out will send the tank careening around like a spastic pinball, but no boom. So…what if we incorporate the boom into the bullet? To wit – armour-piercing incendiary bullets. Unfortunately, the range was just a little too crowded for engaging in rule-breaking, membership-voidng pyrotechnic experiments so that little frontier of science will have to wait until another day. Heres the background: Full 1# bottle of propane, 100 yards, .30 API, 2700 fps, temps. between 10-30 degrees f.

Im betting nothing fireball-ish happens.

I comforted myself with playing with the PTR and the .22lr conversion kit.

ptr22

(Yes, my finger is in the triggerguard before I was ready to shoot. Those mitts are so thick that I wanted to get my finger in the triggerguard before there was a round in the chamber. I didnt chamber a round until I was at the firing line, though.)

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Stayed up far too late into the wee hours of the morning doing some canning. The missus and I made about 40 pints of various soups we like and when possible I’d rather have them canned then frozen. Its more convenient to not have to thaw something, and if the power goes it I dont have to worry about temperature regulation. I discoverd, while I was at the aforementioned WallyWord, that pint jars we’re up 10% in price although lids dropped about 15%. Go figure. I’m careful to treat the jars carefully, keep bands on them when not in use to protect against chips, and carefully inspect each one before use….so I should be able to get plenty of life out of them. Spending all that time parked in my kitchen keeping an eye on my pressure canner makes me appreciate the quality of the new pressure canner I got. I have to admit, there is a certain warm fuzzy that results from seeing all those little jars lined up on the counter cooling.

15 thoughts on “WallyWorld .22 outage, PTR22 video, canning”

  1. Im betting nothing fireball-ish happens.

    Let us know. Mythbusters used tracer and couldn’t get an explosion, but when they used and M134 and shredded a tank, it blew up real good.

  2. hello

    good to re-use the cardboard storage box the jars till needed again, or wrap in newspaper and place in alternative box or crate. even tiny chips can lead to poor sealing or worse cracking jar apart.

    chipped jars go to the home workshop for home chemistry kit. happy new year, from Wildflower 09

  6. Many years ago one of my readers inquired about what would happen if you shot a propane tank. Another reader then replied with a story of how they shot a 500 gallon propane tank. The ensuing explosion left a car-sized crater and rained shrapnel down on them from several hundred feet.

    The trick is apparently to use a tank that is only half full. This way the gas can be ignited and the small explosion can disperse the liquid propane then allowing for a great big kaboom.

    I don’t know what they were shooting or how they managed to get an explosion. Just make sure you have good overhead cover if you do this.

  8. Re: Canning Jar Cozies

    I have long thought that insulation foam like used on pipes and to make isulated can cozies would be perfect.

    Havent used the Berkeys but have heard good things.

  9. I’ve tried propane tank vs. 308 rifle at 100 yards with various flares placed around it but no ignition. We did get one to blow on one outing to the desert, and even got it on video tape (wish I could still find that footage). The dang thing started spinning and flying back towards us!

  11. In the spirit of detente I usually refrain from posting here, but had to throw inmy experince with propane tanks.

    A fellow had placed a full 20 pound propane tank (barbecue bomb) at 200 yards. The shooters were shoting it with an M82A1 loaded with military API.

    The first shot holed the tank and knocked it on its side. A grey plume of gas went about 6 feet into the air and then settled in a ‘pool’ around the tank. No explosion.

    The second shot, however, resulted in an excellent Nagasaki fireball. There was no fragmentation of the tank. After the fireball a burning lme of propane shot about 6-7 feet in the air. Subsequent shots also produced flame plumes, the height of which decreased as more and more holes were punched in the cyclinder reducing internal pressue.

    The ground immediately around the tank was charred and burned in a circle about 40 feet in diameter.

    I forget what the expnasion ratio of prpane is (I think its 200:1)

  12. went to buy some primers today to help my buddy load some 300 win mag, largest gun store in town was sold out of large rifle primers!? Pawn shop/gun reloading store had some at $35 for 1000 WLR’s. Price tag on some ~5 year old pistol primers $14.95 for 1000.

    Some where some one must know if it is possible adjust the fuel air mixture in a tank of propane to help with the explosion after a shot from a tracer round. I’m thinking four parts welding oxygen to one part propane or acetylene. Don’t know if it’s possible and since I have been on fire before (and went to the burn center) due to stupidity, I’m not going to try it.

  14. Pays for itself real fast…that video was about forty cents worth of ammo…had it been real .308 ammo it would have been about $7-10 worth of ammo.

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