Please tell me this is humor and not truth in of all places Texas

[Artful]

http://gunfreezone.net/index.php/2016/02/28/75-rounds-of-pistol-ammunition-found-underneath-house-nearby-homes-evacuated-no-i-am-not-kidding-you/



SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Police Department’s Bomb Squad was called to a Southwest Side neighborhood Saturday after dozens of rounds of ammunition were found underneath a home.The ammunition was discovered on the 7900 block of Dempsey Drive, near Old Pearsall Road and Southwest Military Drive, around 2:45 p.m. Saturday.
Capt. Troy Balcar of the San Antonio Fire Department said a family member found a sealed box with about 75 rounds of decades-old ammunition underneath the house.

He said the rounds are .40 caliber and about 40 years old, based on a date written on the box.

Half a dozen nearby homes were evacuated for about three hours.
“This is definitely a big danger, because they’ve been under there so long,” Balcar said. “They’ve rusted, they’ve been exposed to the weather, elements outside so we definitely want to get them disposed of as quickly as possible.”
Source: 75 rounds of ammunition found underneath house, nearby homes evacuated | News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | WOAI (http://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/75-rounds-of-ammunition-found-underneath-house-nearby-homes-evacuated)



http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Workers-find-40-year-old-ammunition-stash-under-6858418.php


Bomb squad called out to Southwest Side home, recover 40-year-old live ammunition stashBy Jacob Beltran (http://www.mysanantonio.com/author/jacob-beltran/)
Updated 6:51 pm, Saturday, February 27, 2016

The discovery of a crate under a Southwest Side home that was thought to be a bomb threat turned out to be a stash of live, rusted .40 caliber ammunition, officials said.
San Antonio Fire Department Capt. Troy Balcar (http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=news%2Flocal&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Troy+Balcar%22) said the workers called firefighters when they found the crate and took it out from beneath the home at about 2:42 p.m. in the 7200 block of Dempsey Drive.
The crate was filled with at least 75 live rounds, Balcar said, adding that a bomb squad was called to the home to dispose of the ammunition.

Residents within a radius of 300 feet around the ammunition were evacuated, he said.
Looking at the date on the box, Balcar said it appeared to be 40 years old and belonged to the previous resident, who was a World War II veteran.
A similar incident occurred underneath the home last week, when another crate of ammunition was recovered beneath another part of the home, Balcar said.
He said the bomb squad would be there for about 30 minutes removing the ammo.

[M-Tecs]

Wow!!!!!!!!!!

[ak_milsurp]

Rofl... Big danger? Stupid people, more like!

[tdoyka]

oh no!!!! i've got 30-40 krag ammo at least 50 years old!!! i better hurry up and call the bomb squad. not...

[Col4570]

Why do they make such a big deal out of this.Any Gunshop would advise them.The only way these are dangerous is if someone hits the primers or lights a fire under them.

[rondog]

The pussification of America marches on.....

[Plate plinker]

Meow!

[NavyVet1959]

They *say* ".40 caliber". That would imply probably .40SW, but since the .40SW was developed after (and from) the 10mm and the 10mm was not even around 40 years ago, that makes it questionable.

Maybe it was 40mm instead? If so, I can understand why it was "a crate" and only 75 rounds. If so, considering the cost of those rounds these days, the homeowner was throwing away a bit of money.

[Hickory]

Wussified culture of ignorance.
Get used to it, it will get even worse.

[Electric88]

They *say* ".40 caliber". That would imply probably .40SW, but since the .40SW was developed after (and from) the 10mm and the 10mm was not even around 40 years ago, that makes it questionable.

Maybe it was 40mm instead? If so, I can understand why it was "a crate" and only 75 rounds. If so, considering the cost of those rounds these days, the homeowner was throwing away a bit of money.

Thank you, I was wondering about how long the 40 S&W has been around, and thought it couldn't have been that old yet.

[high standard 40]

40 S&W was developed in early 1990. The 10 MM was developed in 1983.

[aephilli822]

162661162660

M203 stuff?

[MrWolf]

Unbelievable, but then again they would probably empty a school if they found a 22 brass in the woods a mile from it.

[MrWolf]

Ok, that kinda crate makes a little more sense.

[aephilli822]

...
Maybe it was 40mm instead? If so, I can understand why it was "a crate" and only 75 rounds. If so, considering the cost of those rounds these days, the homeowner was throwing away a bit of money.

back in the 70's, the "black helicopters" couldn't see it if it was buried underground.......[smilie=p:

[Hickok]

Maybe some 38/40 ? But nowadays it could be 30/40, 38/40, 44/40 or a case of 44/40 cold blue and no one would have a clue.

[472x1B/A]

The pussification of America marches on.....

^^^ Thank you sir! Well said!

[458mag]

Ignorance is bliss, but stupidity is inexcusable.

[Rick Hodges]

If it was the old 40mm with HE proximity fused naval ammo, I might be concerned. I think I would contact a military ordinance unit and follow their instructions. If they told me to evacuate the area I sure would. Just because the press says 40 cal. doesn't make it so. I mean its not like they have ever misspoke before.

[popper]

Probably ordinance, not ammo. Call the bomb squad and evacuate. 40SW would be just a couple cardboard boxes. Why they didn't look for more with metal detectors is the real question, after the first find. One wonders how the old guy got it and why he buried it?

[runfiverun]

San Antonio has about 5 military bases around it.
the Air Force's Basic training unit is there.
as well as the training areas for their security forces and some Marine units.
the Para-rescue units do some training there as well as a bunch of the K-9 units.

that's where I first fired the M-40 grenade Launcher, a full auto M-16, and the good old M-60

[flyingmonkey35]

40 mm rounds is understandable. Could also be a crate of 45acp rounds and the news has no idea what their talking about.

But I've seen the bomb squad called on a empty abandoned cooler.

So best to be safe. And let them get the practice in.

[Kraschenbirn]

...But I've seen the bomb squad called on a empty abandoned cooler...best to be safe. And let them get the practice in.

Two or three years back, our local ('FBI-Accredited') bomb squad blew up a back-pack found near a college neighborhood bus stop because the on-site x-rays indicated a 'suspicious package' inside...which turned out to be someone's lunch wrapped in aluminum foil.

Bill

[trails4u]

From the actual article (linked in the OP)

"This is the second time old ammunition has been found at the home. Just last week, the bomb squad spent about half an hour disposing of shotgun shells found there".


If they called them for shotgun shells...no reason to think this couldn't have been rifle/pistol ammunition.

[smilie=b:

[Outpost75]

If it was the old 40mm with HE proximity fused naval ammo, I might be concerned. I think I would contact a military ordinance unit and follow their instructions. If they told me to evacuate the area I sure would. Just because the press says 40 cal. doesn't make it so. I mean its not like they have ever misspoke before.

THIS is the correct answer. You would not believe the stuff which people put out for municipal trash collection when they move out. When I was a safety officer in Public Works in northern Virginia working the area near Fort Belvoir, particularly the old WW2 training area now a residential subdivision called Fort Hunt and the area along Telegraph Road near the USCG TISCOM, I usually had to call a fire marshall, police EOD tech or hazmat response unit at least once a week.

Among the stuff set out were LIVE WW2-era grenades, mortar and artillery rounds, detonators, det-cord, commercial blasting dynamite and old pound blocks of Comp-B or guncotton which were sweating NG! You name it...

All of our "Refuse Supervisors" were required to attend "Bang & Burn" school at the fire academy to learn to recognize explosives and bomb precursors, and also to attend hazmat, drug lab and terrorism awareness for first responder classes so they could tell the difference between a bomb factory, a meth lab or improper set out of household chemicals, to protect our workers and summon appropriate assistance. Doing so saved lives.

After 9/11 we also began screening all incoming trash loads coming into our waste to energy facility for nuclear materials.

[aephilli822]

From the actual article (linked in the OP)

"This is the second time old ammunition has been found at the home. Just last week, the bomb squad spent about half an hour disposing of shotgun shells found there".


If they called them for shotgun shells...no reason to think this couldn't have been rifle/pistol ammunition.

[smilie=b:

new owners changing the landscaping??? :shock:
"Honey, what's that in the dirt you're digging up? OH NO, it's BULLETS!!! RUN!!!!"

[robg]

That's what happens over here ,they found some live ammo on a beach scattered around after a storm closed off beach cos of the danger.pathetic you could see on the TV it was .223/5.56 in stripper clips .

[leadman]

I worked in Safety with the City of Phoenix. During the first Household Hazardous Waste event for citizens to turn in items for disposal I had a couple of disturbing events.
First one I the driver opened the trunk of a sedan and when I looked inside there was a 3/4 full 5 gallon bucket of gasoline that had spilled gas, no lid, and a brown 1 gallon bottle of crystallized percolate ??. Been so long can't remember the exact info on the percolate but I hollered for the bomb squad officer that was about 50 yards away. When he saw it he had the area cleared out in a hurry!! The brown bottle he said was an explosive in its condition.
Later a VW bus pulled in and the driver said he has a couple of batteries to drop off. He opened the side door and his kids were sitting on the corroded batteries! They had a long chat with a police officer over this.
We did get ammo but it wasn't a problem. I left with lots of oil, atf, and aerosol products that day.
The COP later specified what could be brought to these events.
It is amazing what some people get away with.

[Geezer in NH]

Apears to be **** reporting by the media again. Happens everywhere.

[Kent Fowler]

The pussification of America marches on.....

Actually, The Chief of the SAPD needed a some kind of diversion as he's trying to escape the heat for throwing one of his officers under the bus. Also, it's not pussification, but a symptom of advanced liberalism and multi-nationalism prevalent in San Antonio and lot of South Texas. A good majority of these people have one foot in America and the other in Mexico and would vote for a dog in a purple duck suit if it was on the Democrat side of the ballot

[MrWolf]

[QUOTE... A good majority of these people have one foot in America and the other in Mexico and would vote for a dog in a purple duck suit if it was on the Democrat side of the ballot[/QUOTE]

I thought they were doing that right now...

[mold maker]

Never saw her described that way, but if the shoe fits-----.

[Mumblypeg]

Hey ! Don't cuss a dog like that !

[TXGunNut]

162661162660

M203 stuff?

That's the only way this story makes sense. The difference between "caliber" and "mm" is negligible for folks in the liberal, gun-fearing press. And it's true that bomb squads will sometimes use inert objects for "practice" because they've invested the manpower and logistics to respond so they might as well treat it like the real thing.

[NavyVet1959]

A good majority of these people have one foot in America and the other in Mexico and would vote for a dog in a purple duck suit if it was on the Democrat side of the ballot

I think you mean the word for "*female* dog"... :)

[jonp]

Dozens? and the surrounding houses were evacuated? They better evac the surrounding counties if something happens to my wife and I.

[bedbugbilly]

I took a long nap the other day and maybe I missed it . . . did Texas get annexed by the Republic of Kalifornia?

[MtGun44]

If this is pistol or rifle ammo, this is beyond stupid.

[rondog]

I remember reading a post on some gun forum from a LEO that responded to a call from a terrified family of tourists that had found "an explosive device" in their rented minivan. They were cowering in terror because there was a shotgun shell rolling around under a seat.

[lightman]

It would be interesting to know the rest of the story. I'm guessing it was 40 mm and not 40 caliber. If so, it was a good call from the safety aspect. If it truely was 40 cal, well thats funny!

[DLCTEX]

More likely the department making a big deal to cause people to think they are really doing a good job. If they just hauled off old ammo no one would ever hear about it.

[TXGunNut]

I was involved in a call where a 105mm (I think) round was found under a former frat house. I later talked to former member of the fraternity and they'd been using it for a door stop (among other things) since the 60's when a member came home from serving in Viet Nam and joined the fraternity. The guys I talked to said they thought it was a dummy practice round and it went through years of rough treatment.
New owners discovered it under the pier & beam house during renovations and dialed 911. Police & fire depts. responded and it appeared to folks familiar with ordinance that it was a live round. My involvement was to warn the neighbors and ask them to leave the area until we could get the proper folks to dispose of it. None did. The army sent a truck from Ft Hood and they agreed it was a live round, never did hear exactly what type, and they hauled it off on a flatbed trailer buried in sandbags. From what I was told it could have leveled that house and severely damaged several others if it somehow fired. I don't know what it would take to make a round like that go off but I'm glad we didn't find out.

[RogerDat]

40mm artillery is a huge difference from 40 cal. and the press not using the correct term is not too surprising from folks that can't get clip or magazine or semi-auto and assault rifle straight.

Case of these would make me move back a good distance. Could have been left over from back when artillery "clubs" that had shooting events in the desert were common out west after WW2 and Korean War.
162861

Same with a case of these hanging around, good time to move further down the street, but I don't think they would be as likely to be 75 years old.
162862

Case of 40 cal. I would get my face shield from the casting bench or grinder and call it good. Because I watched this video SAAMI produced to assist fire fighters in assessing danger from ammo during a fire. First few minutes shows "projectile" can't do squat without a barrel to channel the force. They used a Myth Busters type rig in the first 3 or 4 minutes to show exactly how little power the projectile actually had.

Video worth sharing with others. Or here for general information to those who have not seen it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

[Artful]

http://www.ksat.com/news/75-rounds-of-live-ammunition-found-under-home-on-sw-side

"Inside the box were 75 rounds of practice 40-caliber ammunition. "

And reporter says the USAF was on their way to dispose of them.

[Ural Driver]

The only idiots on that scene work for the media outlets.

[Dpmsman]

Wow it made me sad watching that!!!

[popper]

San Antonio police do not anticipate filing any charges. Uh, the old guy is DEAD! Duh. If I were a contractor who dug up a 40mm ammo case I would call someone, and they would get the area evacuated - don't know what is in the case. It could be some boxes of 40cal ammo, who knows? From the news report, it was handled properly - even if only one 22LR round were found IN the case.
Next door neighbor was having a swimming pool put in, backhoe ended up digging a lot of irrigation pipe out - deep (probably buried by some farmer). You never know what is under us.

[NavyVet1959]

http://www.ksat.com/news/75-rounds-of-live-ammunition-found-under-home-on-sw-side

"Inside the box were 75 rounds of practice 40-caliber ammunition. "

And reporter says the USAF was on their way to dispose of them.

Once you start talking about artillery shells, the nomenclature gets different.

Wiki has this to say,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliber


Caliber as measurement of length[/h] Main article: Caliber (artillery) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliber_%28artillery%29)

The length of artillery barrels has often been described in terms of multiples of the bore diameter e.g. a 4-inch gun of 50 calibers would have a barrel 4 in x 50 = 200 in long. A 50 caliber 16 inch gun (16 inch diameter shell), has a barrel length (muzzle to breech) of 50 x 16 = 800 in (66 ft 8 in). Both 14-in and 16-in navy guns were common in World War II. The British Royal Navy insisted on 50-cal guns on ships as it would allow 1,900 to 2,700 lb (860 to 1,220 kg) shells to travel at 1,800 mph (2,896 km/h) to a distance of 26 mi (42 km).

[Don Purcell]

Reminds of about 1 or 2 years ago in London someone spotted I believe a .38 Special round in the gutter by the sidewalk. Police came and taped off a large area until the "Specialist" came by and uh.. picked it up and took it away. Breathing a great sigh of relief the subjects were then able to go safely about their day. The spirit of Winston Churchill and the Battle of Britain are gone.