Has anyone else tried homemade tannerite?

[1990Turbo]

I took my supplies out this weekend and mixed it up and it didnt go boom. I was following directions and use 1tsp of aluminum powder per ice pack and mixed it what I thought was plenty. I put it in the container that lunch meat comes in from the store taped the lid on good and hit it with a 5.56. And got nothing. I am wondering if the amount of aluminum power is to blame like will too much or not quite enough affect the results? Or does it need to be shaken more maybe? Well any ideas would help since I have 3 cases of ice packs and want them to blow up!! Thanks.

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[IronMonster]

Are you sure your ice packs are ammonium nitrate? A equal part sulfur to your aluminum will also result in a more sensitive mixture

How fine is your aluminum Powder? 400 mesh I if I recall is what you want

 

[1990Turbo]

Are you sure your ice packs are ammonium nitrate? A equal part sulfur to your aluminum will also result in a more sensitive mixture

How fine is your aluminum Powder? 400 mesh I if I recall is what you want

It is 30 micron 500 mesh

 

[jsparks747]

Or you could make some flash powder. Myers the exact mix or ingredients. Pretty easy to make though. Just requires and oxidizer which you need to sign for and you can only get 16 oz a year.

 

[IronMonster]

500 mesh should be good, I think 400 was a minimum

 

[IronMonster]

Flash powder using potassium clorate as the oxidizing agent is fairly dangerous stuff, ammonium nitrate is much more stable and should work fine

Using potassium clorate you can get detonation from static electricity (rare but possible)

 

[jsparks747]

Flash powder using potassium clorate as the oxidizing agent is fairly dangerous stuff, ammonium nitrate is much more stable and should work fine

Using potassium clorate you can get detonation from static electricity (rare but possible)

That is true. I haven't made much that way. I do it the stupid way ease. I take a model rocked engine, gun the paper off, and crush the fuel. Burns pretty quick. Not exactly smart though. I just need to buy the ingredients. Going to get some BP to use to fire off a pop cannon I am going to make for the 4th of July and thought of it as a powder.

 

[jordanka16]

Just order the ammonium nitrate, you can buy it on Amazon pretty cheap. That way you know what you're working with. I've used the same 325 mesh for targets and thermite. The right amount is important too. Pre-weigh out what you need to make it easier to mix in the field.

 

[clearconscience]

Or just buy tannerite or knock off.

 

[Hang-Man]

Better fun shooting through chemistry eh?

 

[Kruel J]

I've shot tannerite once. It went boom. Cool. I prefer steel silhouette's and paper.

 

[clearconscience]

C'mon it's fun! But at that cost for a one time hit, I would agree for steel or something, but it fills void in my super fun demo side.

 

[Kruel J]

I dig the idea and am glad we can shoot it , but it's just not in my wheelhouse. I prefer real life situations and drills. Mag changes, reloads, short and long distance shots. It's all good and I agree with it being legal.

 

[jordanka16]

I dig the idea and am glad we can shoot it , but it's just not in my wheelhouse. I prefer real life situations and drills. Mag changes, reloads, short and long distance shots. It's all good and I agree with it being legal.

Why not do both? A big explosion is a great way to end a day of practical shooting.

 

[ageingstudent]

A couple years ago I set off a 1/2 pound of Tannerite at a little range on my mom's property. I never tried it before and neglected to warn her. It's embarrasing to get chased around the hay field with a willow switch when you're almost 50.

 

[Mark W.]

So we are making explosives now?

 

[Stomper]

So we are making explosives now?

Oh HELL NO! I REALLY like having my fingers and hands, and non flash-fried corneas.

 

[Mistman]

We will sometimes set-up a good 'go boom' at the end of a day of shooting. What's kinda fun is to make it really challenging. Like 300 yds w/open sights or shooting at steel @ 100-200 yds w/a 1" hole in it and a can of T behind it. Our next big one is a 300 yd shot through the window of an old camper into a suspended gallon of T. We've been talking about it for a couple years, I think we'll get it done this year.

There have been people seriously injured by the stuff, not directly from the explosions but from flying debris. We set up some on a cinder block, there were chunks of concrete nearly 50 yds from impact.

 

[Goosebrown]

A couple years ago I set off a 1/2 pound of Tannerite at a little range on my mom's property. I never tried it before and neglected to warn her. It's embarrasing to get chased around the hay field with a willow switch when you're almost 50.

Probably good exercise for all involved.

 

[Stomper]

Probably good exercise for all involved.

Both mentally and physically.