Yep, I just read the sad story myself. Now for one thing, I've never really understood how that ancient ordnance worked. So I would be extremely reluctantant to hang around any of that stuff for very long. But this guy was an experienced collector and supposedly knew what he was doing. I suppose it just goes to prove that your next mistake could be your last one.
Just like the soldiers who were manning the coastal guns in a Civil War era fort during the beginning of WWII. They had a very large shell that was supposed to be inert, certiified by the Army Ordnance people. They were using two of these as andirons on either side of a fireplace in winter. BOOM! More casualities for the Civil War! I have handled CW vintage Shells and cannonballs and handled EVERY one VERY carefully. I don't like dealing with them personally.
He wasnt A.O. or E.O.D.. He should have known it could go BOOM. Sorry, not to be a smart A-- but I recently fired some Span-Am. era 30-40 Krag ammo. It was nasty looking and had some rust and mold on it. Every one of the cartridge's went off. None of them was a dud. My point is, old ammo/ordinance, is not inert/safe no matter when it was made. Here is a case in point, a 145 year old cannon ball with black powder, Still live.
Absolutely partner! Funny you were talking about the 30-40 Krag Jorgensen rifle and ammo. The wife and I were watching Roughriders last night and I was explaining the rifle to her. I had a friend in Washington State that several of those in his collection. I thought they were an excellent shooting rifle. Too bad the reloading wasn't up to snuff. Most everybody then who was using bolt action repeaters were using sripper clips, including the Spanish on their Mausers. I had a 95 Chilean in a western stock that was just a fine shooting rifle. Used 7x57mm.
I have around 300 rounds of DENVER ARSENAL 1942 06 ammo that looks bad but it still goes boom. I use it sparingly. Then I clean like H---.Had some old 6.5x55 swede from the 30's works good. My point is No matter how old or bad it looks you have to treat it with caution. You don't use a grinder on ordinance. My older brother was EOD/EM in WWII. He was in a unit that helped clean up Utah beach after the invasion. In just three weeks his unit lost several men, He taught me a few thing's, one of them was to respect ordinance. Just when you think you know it all one will get you.
So I would be extremely reluctantant to hang around any of that stuff for very long. But this guy was an experienced collector and supposedly knew what he was doing. I suppose it just goes to prove that your next mistake could be your last one.
