BLSTK Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSTK Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 (edited) In the above episode of Combat Cash filmed in 2011, owner Steve Preston acquires old ordnance for his M18 Hellcat tank destroyer. He is also shown test-firing the 76mm shells.@ 08:00 the narrator asks an ordnance expert about reloading old shells:"Is there any margin for error?- Not really.It's life or death.- You only make one mistake.That's called death."Fast forward four years to the following link: http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/central-oregon/2015/10/27/explosion-gun-range-near-bend-sheriffs-office-says/74711904/ Edited October 29, 2015 by BLSTK 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSTK Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 Talk about prophetic. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Bull Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 RIPReally sad to hear. I have a lot of respect for those restorers of WW2 tanks (and planes) who put in so much money, time and effort to bring these beasts back to life.I can only imagine how terrible the guy who repacked the shells for them would probably be feeling. Not sure what margin of error he actually was referring to in the doco.When I heard it was a Hellcat I was kind of surprised that it wasn't the same guys who were on Tank Overhaul who not only restored a Hellcat but also reunited it with and gave it's original commander a ride in who just happened to still be alive and lived not far from where they were. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 What a shame. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtsjc1 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Unfortunately reloading anything has risks. If a case ruptures in a rifle or handgun most times if you're wearing protection the injuries are minimal. In this case the same result is deadly. I don't know exactly what happened but its a shame. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thewood1 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I am surprised they were able to get permitting to restore, load, and fire the cannon. It is tightly restricted for this very reason. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I recall footage back in '89 of the 16 inch gun on the USS Iowa misfiring. Killed 47 people. The culprit may have been propellant stored for extended periods above 100 degrees in the supply ship - if very distant memory serves. That put an end to dream of fielding (then) forty five year old big gun battleships.Whenever you see 'official' test firing of vintage equipment it usually involves a lanyard leading from the vehicle to a trench or enclosure some distance away. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 That put an end to dream of fielding (then) forty five year old big gun battleships.Well, apart from GW1 and the twelve-hundred-odd rounds they fired there 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slysniper Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Makes me glad the tanks I own are only on a computer screen produced by CM. Plus I like the targets we get to shot over what he was doing with the real thing.Sad , that is a sad way to end a life over such a interest.Note: playing war is never safe. reminds me of a time on a live fire maneuver where I started seeing dirt kick up around me and realized that was bullets hitting from guys firing on my flanks. (needless to say, they closed the range down that day because of dangerous situations happening. - I was like really, no sh** 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Jack Ripper Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Whenever you see 'official' test firing of vintage equipment it usually involves a lanyard leading from the vehicle to a trench or enclosure some distance away.That's what I would have expected as well, especially shooting repacked rounds. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootie Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Thanks for sharing.... certainly a shame. Only consolation is he died doing what he loved and lets be honest it would have been over quick. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slysniper Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Thanks for sharing.... certainly a shame. Only consolation is he died doing what he loved and lets be honest it would have been over quick.Yes , for him personally. No he was enjoying what he was doing.But if he had a family he cared about and wanted to be there for. Then was it worth the moment.His wife he named the tank after, I just bet she all content over it. Not unless there marriage sucked and she was wanting a divorce anyway (all to common nowadays) Hey maybe we should check and see if she had anything to do with loading the casing. But really, I doubt the family is taking it well 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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