Artillery shells still alive?

[Kenneth Kepf]

Have a question about CW artillery shells found in the James
River. Seems no one bothered to "decommission" them by drilling a
hole in the shell. Are they still possibly "live" and capable of
exploding? A collector came up with a dandy deal for me to buy a
couple some with a Boreman fuse. The condition of these shells are
very rusty. I could put a clear coat of shellac on them but I guess
they would just be a dark brown color. There's some minor flaking on
the outside of the shells. Condition of the shells aren't bad but
seems all fuses opened. Even the Boreman fuse is cut at 3
seconds. Best way I can describe them.

I'd hate to get them only to have the police panic and take them with
their bomb squad and "explode unexploded ordnance." I could ask the
police but would raise suspicion I have them
already..................maybe if I had a link of .50 cal AP
incendiary bullets.---that would be obviously unacceptable but just
joking about the bullets that is.

Regards,

Ken

[Greg Biggs]

Ken,

If they are indeed shells and not solid shot then they are indeed still
live and indeed very capable of blowing up. There have been several
relic hunters who also blew them up by drilling them so I would not go
that route. You can try the US Army Ordnance people but they might
confiscate them as well.

Greg Biggs

[Kenneth Kepf]

Thanks Greg,
I did some calling around today & a gun shop owner's partner is one of those EOD guys from the Navy and says he can look at the shells before buying and give me a deal for a "decom" job.  Seems he has a special drill press with water that runs slow, very slow.  He says probably not to worry since the fuze was already cut to expose the powder and laying in the water for so long the shells likely rusted or encased with some rust oxide inside the shell whatever he said but caution is good no matter what.  Pays to ask questions.  He also said he would take to the police to show them before I buy for confirmation or some paperwork so no nurses or my care giver don't panic when they see the shells.  He said he could have one of the shells cut in half but would take longer as he would have to send it out since it will require a one inch  water cooled bandsaw and maybe the cost of a blade.  Then he said "can I interest you in an M4?  I said no but an unfired Sig Sauer P228 would perk up my ears.  I told him even if I bought the shells I promised I wouldn't put them on a radiator heater or better yet leave them out in the hot sum on concrete these days.

He says that I'm one of the "smart people."  He says people dug up shells only to really be very live indeed especially case shot and has a hundred horror stories to tell.  Like one collector who had many, many 12LB shells and rifled cannon shells worth about $2,000.00 and his wife was cleaning the garage out and panicked where the bomb squad got them all and blew all them up.  I asked if they were still married.  He said he didn't know but says the wife did the right thing to do.

I don't know many Navy vets around here but this guy seems pretty nice understanding my condition and all.

Just a couple of weeks ago a guy had a .45 cal pistol and his 2 year old managed to get it and killed his 3 year old sister--very tragic.  First why was there a bullet in the chamber. 2nd why wasn't the handgun locked up?  3rd if not locked up why not a trigger lock?  NRA membership would have taught him safety since he lacked common sense.  I was taught never to point a gun at anyone even though my dad's gun was locked up.  My dad never kept the clip loaded either.  Back when I was 3 or 4 dad got me a Davy Crockett toy Ky. Rifle that shot a cork out about 2 feet with a string attached.  Before he let me use it he gave me a long lecture about guns.  Back on the farm when I was about 16 I didn't wear any orange to spook any deer.  Some hunters were hunting 200 yards away in parallel to me and began firing at me so I ducked into a ditch.  I swear those bullets sounded like large bees passing by and it was not fun!  My mom gave them permission to hunt on our farm when I was hunting.  That never happened again. 

The true story of the tragic occurance with the children I'm sure will never heal with either parent.  So there is alot to learn here.
Ken

[Greg Biggs]

Hi Ken,

Hope this works out for you.  Sounds like a nice relic.

Greg Biggs