Sensitivity of Black Powder to Static Discharge

[Red River Rick]

Hmm lit cigar, loose powder charge in the barrel of a just fired rifle, and it was static electricity....

That's what I was thinking as well...................static embers from a cigar!

[Don McDowell]

I think you nailed it Rick


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[Thundermaker]

Methinks the gentleman may have been a bit facetious.

[sharps4590]

I see a lot of people don’t believe static electricity can set off a powder charge,,,I am one who has experienced it happen,, I was loading my second shot into my 1841 Mississippi rifle after swabbing the bore from the first shot to make sure there were no hot embers in the barrel ( safety first),,When I dropped the charge of 70 grains down the barrel I just reached for a mini ball and WHOOOOOSH!!! The charge in the barrel went off,,, lucky for me I always practice safety and wasn’t over the barrel when it went off,, the only harm done was burnt eyebrows and it blew the cherry off my cigar..The only thing I can think of is it was static electricity that set the charge off… Remember the most important safety with all firearms isn’t on the gun,,it’s in your head,,stay safe.

Surely this was posted "tongue in cheek" and in jest......surely...

[GregLaROCHE]

There was a video a few years ago where they tried to set off BP with a taser. They couldn’t do it.

[john.k]

medical evidence that 60mA causes cardiac arrest......so its likley tasers are designed to discharge below this level..................and define static discharge.....other day a tree in my field was blown to bits ,and the bits set on fire by a static discharge....so theres static discharges and static discharges.

[FrankJD]

I guess using my old Lyman powder measure loaded with black powder will kill me sooner than later .... been about 20 years later so far.

[bangerjim]

This is sure an OLDY-MOLDY thread from the past!!!!!!!!!

There are videos all over the web about people trying to light BP with static charges. No success I have seen.

Even using a "FORD COIL" (old ignition box) which gives a good continuous spark did not set it off. The tiny static that is generated from clothing and personal items is much less and should definitely not set off gun powders.

Before asking me for proof, please do an in-depth search for yourself on the net!!!!!!!!!!! I do not have the time.

There are certain physical instances where static can trigger explosions in grain silos and powdered material transfer lines. But that has to do with the U/LEL (upper/lower explosive limits) rating of the dusty material, temperature, and humidity. And anytime you suspend tiny dust particles of just about anything (mainly carbon-based) in lots of air, you can create a potentially explosive environment. A pile of gun powder sitting on a bench is NOT such an environment.

And a tree being struck by lightning is a totally different phenomenon.

[indian joe]

This is sure an OLDY-MOLDY thread from the past!!!!!!!!!

There are videos all over the web about people trying to light BP with static charges. No success I have seen.

Even using a "FORD COIL" (old ignition box) which gives a good continuous spark did not set it off. The tiny static that is generated from clothing and personal items is much less and should definitely not set off gun powders.

Before asking me for proof, please do an in-depth search for yourself on the net!!!!!!!!!!! I do not have the time.

There are certain physical instances where static can trigger explosions in grain silos and powdered material transfer lines. But that has to do with the U/LEL (upper/lower explosive limits) rating of the dusty material, temperature, and humidity. And anytime you suspend tiny dust particles of just about anything (mainly carbon-based) in lots of air, you can create a potentially explosive environment. A pile of gun powder sitting on a bench is NOT such an environment.

And a tree being struck by lightning is a totally different phenomenon.

also all of the grain elevators I ever saw had electrical wiring that could easily malfunction. Those kind of sparks have plenty of amperage attached

[sharps4590]

I'm not an EE but I was an electrician for 43 years. To generate heat from a static discharge such as off carpet, car seats, your wife's or your nose or the dog or cat, the time element has to be considered. Static is nearly always high voltage/low amperage. That generated in a home/shop situation is incomparable to a lightning strike. For the static discharges we encounter in home/shop they are not going to generate enough amperage OR be of a long enough duration to ignite anything. That home static can be a nuisance there is no doubt but dangerous? Not hardly. There's enough real things to be worried about as to concern ones self with that.

jim and joe....and others, could not be any more correct.