I can see this as a poster story for a stored ammo ban or a revival of the “arsenal” ban attempts.
Ugh!
Even though no one was injured - do you think we will suddenly have calls for limits on the amount of ammo that can be stored?
It sounds like it was maybe primers that were cooking off; if there were “thousands of rounds” going off, the firefighters would have to have been more than 50 feet away, and there would have been significant damage to the surrounding structures.
It was a test run.
Anyone know what limits there are for primers and powder? I’ve heard different things, like 5000 primers and 8 pounds of powder. I don’t have this many of anything but was hoping to buy some more if demand ever lets up, and would not want to run afoul of federal laws.
Reports I keep hearing on the radio this morning say “he had the proper permits for the ammunition”. What are they talking about? No permits needed for purchase or storage of ammo in Cali that I know of.
Oops
Kinda makes you want to cry. All that ammo, wasted.
I see that the arsonists at BATFE have been busy.
I recently completed a move. I live in a rural area and was burning some trash rather than move it. I remembered after the fire started that I had a few rounds of 8mm Mauser in one box.
Didn’t even bother me. I just got around 20 feet away a listened to it explode. No real danger unless you are very close. I have actually been hit by the casing of a .22 which came from exactly the same thing, accidentally burning. It stung just a bit but did no harm. Probably wouldn’t want to get hit in the eye tho.
There’s a freeway running through the yard.
About 25 years ago, my garage caught fire. I had several hundred rounds of ammo in various calibers. There was a whole lot of popping, but no explosions and no projectiles were launched. I didn’t have any powder or primers. The FD said it was no big deal.
If I may offer a more accurate and appropriate headline and subhead:
Ammo Storage Shed in Reseda Burns
Neighborhood Boys Thrilled by all the Popping Sounds.
Ignorant Government Officials Overreact to Harmless Event.
Note that ammo does not "explode" even in the chamber of a gun. The powder burns in a controlled manner.
Also, when an unchambered round discharges due to fire, the heavy bullet moves slowly away, and the lighter casing move more quickly away, but not at any velocity that could do much harm to anyone. Might put your eye out if you were close by, or even sting a bit. But I'd love to see the scene after, and see how many bullets made it out of the structure (zero) and how many casings made it more than 20 feet (few).
R.I.P. ammo and supplies.