True accidental discharge.

[Wombat of Doom]

I had an AD, a few months ago in my closet. Oddly enough, while a round went off, I don't consider it negligent because no firearm was involved. It involved a clumsy person, a 9x18mak round a large heavy box and a screw. Basically, I tripped, fell, and the screw dented the primer when the box fell. I mean, technically having a round fall to the floor might have been somewhat negligent.

This was not a scenario I had really considered. BTW, when you fall and a round goes off near your ears like that, it is freaking loud. I doubt this will happen again in my lifetime, but it scared me into making sure I reconsider gun safety. Heck, even ammunition safety with no gun involved.

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[Mister Bisley]

Pretty scary situation and glad everything ended up peachy. What are the odds? This exact scenario could be replayed 100 times and the round might not go off. Life is a game of millimetersThanks for sharing, as it is a reminder to take precautions at every step.

CYA...Cover your arse

 

[Member 34319]

I wouldn't consider that a ND or AD. Just a random act of the cosmos.

It happens from time to time too. Thankfully there isn't really enough energy in any of it for anything serious to come of it. At most a piece of brass can cut you. The bullet rarely goes anywhere and if it does, it isn't going fast. It may cause the browns to go to the super bowl a bit earlier than desired though.

My favorite was at a gun show, a guy dropped a case of loose 223 on the floor when exiting the show, he had a couple of cases of ammo in his hands. Too much weight I'd guess. A round popped off inside the case. What proceeded next was priceless. About half the crowd ducked and covered, the other half drew their firearms.

 

[tac]

It's like getting hit by a meteorite. As far as is known, only one person in modern recorded history has actually been hit by space debris of any kind.

tac

 

[Sniper03]

Wombat
That is certainly a freak incident! WOW!

03

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I am taking more care to keep my ammo in safer storage, that's for certain. BTW, a piece of brass cut into drywall a little, but that was all, other than not hearing right for a day or two.

 

[titsonritz]

Quick, buy a lottery ticket.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Quick, buy a lottery ticket.

For real.

 

[DB is Here]

If that doesn't give everyone pause to go over safety protocol I don't know what would. Thanks for sharing, that could have led to a sharting incident.

 

[Lefty60]

Stuff happens! Once upon a time, during a training session, a fella dropped a .38spl round while reloading, it hit the asphalt and went off! The only injury was to some instructor and student underwear

 

[NW Backpacker]

I wonder if static electricity has ever set off ammo? What about somehow contacting electrical power - say a damaged extension cord? What would happen if lightning struck near your ammo stash? I mean, other than burning your house down and possibly killing you.

What is the best way to store ammo - probably in metal ammo boxes? Would putting it in a safe be hazardous if it cooked off in a fire?

 

[KKG]

I once dropped a round of .38 Special ammo on the Asphalt at the Range and it went off. The slug went up and hit the metal cover and dropped at my feet. I had some really small holes in my pants legs but nothing else. I was able to pick up the Bullet and kept it on a chain next to my Dog Tags for about a year and a half. It was in a box that never made it back home from Vietnam.

Unless Lefty60 was in Panama at the time we're talking about different happening.

 

[Koda]

Ive often wondered why some left behind rounds dont pop off at outdoor shooting spots when vehicles drive over them, especially all the 22LR... I always seem to find one unfired 22LR.
And last time I went to Wolf Creek I found more than a handful of unfired 556 clean and fresh, I thought that odd they left that many behind.

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

I've also heard of a cartridge going off when falling from a reloading press into a bucket being used to collect the finished cartridges. The primer happened to land on the tip of another bullet with enough force to detonate.

As for cartridges not going off when being driven over, it usually takes a sharp, sudden impact to detonate the primer compound. Crushing can also detonate, but the case heads on those cartridges have some considerable strength. The more likely cause would be if the pressure happened to push a piece of gravel into a primer with enough force. Even then, it's unlikely without a sharp impact.

 

[Kruel J]

Am I the only one that started cracking up when I read the OP?

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

I can't imagine the hesitation in telling the story to anyone...

"Seriously, Doc... It was a one-in-a-million shot!"

 

[CountryGent]

I can't imagine the hesitation in telling the story to anyone...

"Seriously, Doc... It was a one-in-a-million shot!"

LOL.

 

[Mikej]

Am I the only one that started cracking up when I read the OP?

Nope.

And then there's this.....

I had an AD, a few months ago in my closet.

Too each his own. As long as no one is affected negatively I 'spose.

 

[Geardo]

I had an AD, a few months ago in my closet. Oddly enough, while a round went off, I don't consider it negligent because no firearm was involved. It involved a clumsy person, a 9x18mak round a large heavy box and a screw. Basically, I tripped, fell, and the screw dented the primer when the box fell. I mean, technically having a round fall to the floor might have been somewhat negligent.

This was not a scenario I had really considered. BTW, when you fall and a round goes off near your ears like that, it is freaking loud. I doubt this will happen again in my lifetime, but it scared me into making sure I reconsider gun safety. Heck, even ammunition safety with no gun involved.

That is pretty crazy. I remember trying to set off a .22 shell with my friend. Ended up hav8ng to use a sledge hammer. Man that was loud.

 

[Flopsweat]

I'm not sure it counts as a discharge. While per Webster's the general definition includes "to relieve of a charge, load, or burden", in the shooting sports and hunting worlds the term refers to a firearm, explosive or other weapon. The ammunition detonated, but I wouldn't personally consider that a discharge. So by my thinking it couldn't possibly be an ND or even an AD. It was a loud noise.

Never occurred to me to wear ear pro while handling boxed ammunition. I probably still won't...