I have always been interested in homemade mortars, cannons, explosive ammunition, ect. My main question is how can a detonator be fired from a cannon or simular and not detonate? I searched and found <a href="http://www.roguesci.org/cgi-bin/ewforum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000031#000004" target="_blank">this</a>, which is mainly what I am asking this. So, can an ordinary detonator be fired in this way or are there special precautions I should know about or some of the less sensitive primaries I should make or how exactly does this all work? Not just specifically about the CO2 containers, but mortars, 37/40mm rounds, ect. I posted this under the D&D section because I am asking specifically about the detonators of the ammunition of an improvised weapon, but if this goes more to the IW section, then someone please move it for me. Thanks everyone.

<small>[ March 26, 2003, 11:29 AM: Message edited by: Cricket ]</small>

I'd say that this was the right section.
You shouldn't have a problem if you press the base and primary charges well. This means they can't get bumped around inside the casing, and you haven't got room for crystlas to move around and grind against each other.
If you wanted to get a bit more high-tech you could use an EBW, and the nose of the round could contain a switch ("activated" by removing a pin from the switch that then allowed it to be pressed) to dump the capacitor's charge through the bridgewire. But this would be expensive and hard to incorporate into a small round.

I have also been thinking about this. Would a simple electrical push-to-make type switch work after it impacts something with the amount of force a shell or RPG would have? I know all it has to do is make a contact, the impact concerned me though. How about having two semi-hemispheres of metal (say aluminium) with an insulator that you can pour in and will set in between?. With a wire connected to each sheet the impact will drive the first piece of metal towards the second, shattering the material in between. When the two pieces of metal contact, the circuit will be completed.

However, there may be a problem of getting a bad contact. But, it would be relatively insensitive to handling.

I posted this in the APAN topic in the high explosives section a couple days ago but i guess ya didnt see it.

coppied from <a href="http://www.roguesci.org/cgi-bin/ewforum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000549;p=7" target="_blank">here</a>. Down towards the bottom of the page

With the talk of ANAP and co2 cartridges I remembered an impact mortar that I dreampt of when this thread first popped up a few months ago. First off I took a co2 that had been used in my air rifle and I drilled a hole in the top. Second I drove a crappy dart thrue the back of the cartridge and taped it on with masking tape. Third I pulled the primer out of a 12 guage shotty shell and then put a piece of plastic drinking straw on it to use as a detonator. I've only made AP 4 times in my life but since HMTDAN would likely react with the metal I decided to go with APAN. I pressed 1g of AP into the straw and then filled the co2 with ANAP. If memory serves, I think I got about 25g of ANAP in the co2 with a good bit of pressing. After the co2 was filled I poked a space into the APAN with a glass stirring rod and then placed the detonator in. I then took the cardboard wadding from the shotty shell and put a wide head nail thrue it. the wadding was placed backwards into the plastic shell and then the shell was slipped onto the front of the primed co2 mortar. I stood behind a large dirt hill and shot at a piece of inch thick particle board that was about 20 meters away with a pneumatic cannon that has a 3/4 inch barrel. I dont have pics of the wood since the only digital cam I have is a web cam but it blew a hole slightly larger than a softball in the wood, and broke the wood into 3 big pieces. I admit this was a pretty k3wlish idea and it probably should have went into the improvised weapons section, but I think it's alright to put it here since were already kinda on the topic?

webcam pics of the mortar can be found <a href="http://i-was-bored.8m.com/CO2impactmortar" target="_blank"> Here </a>

<small>[ March 26, 2003, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: THErAPIST ]</small>

So it's ok if it's all packed good enough. Ok, good. Makes stuff a lot simpler. I was thinking of somehow putting the primer in the back of the CO2 bottle and have a nail stick out the neck of it and the other end on the primer. Then filling it with APAN or maybe PETN (with a det of course) if I can get some det cord. That would be very badass though, if it is sensitive enough to explode on softer stuff (I want to go deer hunting and get rid of those damn possum's too). Also, if you can coat the inside of a with some glue and put it in a drill, maybe you could fill it with bb's or if they're to big maybe some shot from some shotgun shells. Then roll it around and shake it some and put it back in a drill. Anyway, if that would work out then it would make life a lot funner. If you get too much fancier (like with electronics or complex mechanism's) then it is too much work for just one shot. I can't wait to get a 37mm to make some kickass 'signal flares'. I want to put some thermite pellets with something sticky on them to help them stick to vehicles. Well this is pretty off topic. Just a thought though. And thanks everyone, saved me a zip gun prolly.