baron Jacquinot Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 What that guy did wrong? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gBDC9kf33U 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 baron Jacquinot, Offhand, I'd say this may simply be the result of using old, therefore dangerous and unstable, ammunition. My brother George served in the U.S. Army in Iraq and had the chance to fire an ex- Iraqi Army RPG, but given the number of rounds which had blown up in theater when fired, he decided not to. What the video shows would seem to fit that scenario. (Later) I went back and watched it again, carefully checking to make sure none of the bore swabs was left in. Not one was, so the issue can't be barrel blockage. Further research, though, turned up a possible second explanation: the use of volatile solvents for cleaning right before firing. Net effect? Fuel-air explosion inside the barrel upon trigger pull. Judging from the apparent damage to the man's head, I deem this a likely explanation. This conclusion derives from information on a site I won't link to that starts with Best and addresses such "colorful" matters. Since I read neither Arabic nor Russian, I simply repeat what's said and apply first principles in assessing what probably occurred. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Further research, though, turned up a possible second explanation: the use of volatile solvents for cleaning right before firing. I dunno. The rags they were using (old t-shirts?) looked dry to me. Did you see any solvent applied to them? I didn't. The whole operation looked pretty jackleg to me. I'd count this one as uncertain. One thing I was struck by was that they were working from both ends without ever passing their rag-on-a-stick all the way through from end to end. Could the tube have become obstructed in the middle? That would prevent or at least obstruct the free passage of exhaust gasses and cause the massive recoil shown in the clip. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
costard Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 At about 14s in the clip the guy shoving the rag down the tube lets the stick slip past the rag and you hear a definite "scrick" as something gets damaged - his mate looks up, he suspects something is wrong. From a quick look at some schematics, I'd guess that he's damaged the ignition assembly somehow, and this has slowed the launch of the grenade enough to let the rocket motor ignite whilst still in the tube. Plausible? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron Jacquinot Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 At about 14s in the clip the guy shoving the rag down the tube lets the stick slip past the rag and you hear a definite "scrick" as something gets damaged - his mate looks up, he suspects something is wrong. From a quick look at some schematics, I'd guess that he's damaged the ignition assembly somehow, and this has slowed the launch of the grenade enough to let the rocket motor ignite whilst still in the tube. Plausible? Yes I hear that sound, but I think he just transfix the rag, maybe some part of rag stay in tube? That's why when I clean my firearms, I pass rag through all barrel. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saferight Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Probably old not stored proper ammo like JK said. I do know the story came up last year that the Syrian government was spiking "salting" ammunition ending up in the opposition's hands whether that's just bullets I don't know. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Costard, I heard that sound, too, but I wasn't sure what to make of it. Am not sure, though, whether the firing in the tube would be enough to generate the rather dire result. After all, the initial blast is simply the get clear of the muzzle charge, and the real propulsion begins at least several beats later when properly fired, whereas this went: trigger pull, then Boom! "Man down!" Saferight, Rigging ammo-- a time-honored tradition extending at least back to the Germans in WW II, who removed the delay element from stick grenades they left lying about when abandoning a position. Later, the U.S. did something similar to the North Vietnamese ammo in covert hostile camp visits. Having your AK blow up in your face isn't exactly morale building. It therefore wouldn't surprise me if the Syrians are doing something similar. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agusto Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 It therefore wouldn't surprise me if the Syrians are doing something similar. They do - i read a report on this some time ago. I dont have the link anymore, but the report did seem authentic to me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saferight Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 They do - i read a report on this some time ago. I dont have the link anymore, but the report did seem authentic to me. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/20/world/middleeast/syrian-government-booby-traps-rebels-ammunition.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Saferight, A most useful and informative story link. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saferight Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Saferight, A most useful and informative story link. Regards, John Kettler yes it is an while re-reading it this bit of info stood out. "Fighters also said that black markets had been salted with rocket-propelled grenades that were duds, that had the propellant in their booster motors removed and replaced with an inert substance, or that had exploded when launched. " 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Saferight, A rather important bit--that I somehow didn't register properly when I read it. Thanks for highlighting a most pertinent angle relative to the question that underlies this thread! Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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