Posted: 3/20/2004 7:23:06 PM EDT
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I finally got a copy of this book through interlibrary loan. It's written by the late Julian s. Hatcher, Major General, U.S. Army, Retired. I obtained it originally to read the chapter on what happens to bullets when fired straight up. Some of the stories in it are really cool. A short one: Like dynamite caps, small arms primers are quite brisant, that is, they go off suddenly. Any one primer has too little mixture in it to make it very dangerous by itself, though it could be dangerous to eyesight if handled carelessly. However, a large quantity of primers in bulk can be deadly. Some years ago I was told about an accident that happened at one of the cartridge factories, where a laboratory technician was carrying a large quantity, perhaps a quart or more, of loose primers in a metal bucket. As he walked along, he bounced the bucket up and down, to hear the primers shake. But suddenly the entire quantity detonated, and he was killed instantly. Fortunately, primers as they are now furnished to handloaders are immune to shock, as they are packed in grooves in small wooden blocks, and hence never get together in bulk. Moreover, this method of packing removes the risk of having them cause damage in case of fire. I saw a gunsmith's shop which had burned, and while there was a big pile of charred boxes of primers found in the ruins, none of them had gone off. I'll post more quotes when I get a chance. Anyone else read this book? Anyone know more about the author's background/reputation? |
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Hatchers NoteBook should be considered required reading for any truely serious firearms enthusiast. There are several editions, the later ones he revisited certain topics and brought information up to date. For those of the M1 / M14 / M1A persuasion, Hatcher's book of the Garand is also a priceless insight into how these weapons were developed. Another Goldmine that can keep you busy would be "The Machinegun" by Chin. |
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As previously noted, it's a must-read if you're a serious student of firearms. I also have the 1966 edition. Another book I recommend is [i]Understanding Firearm Ballistics[/i] by Robert A. Rinker (Mulberry House Publishing, Apache Junction, AZ) although it is full of misspelled words, grammatical mistakes and the like, which make it somewhat irritating to read. Just exactly how expensive are proofreaders anyway? |
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Quoted: Wait!!!!! Now tell us the story about shooting straight up!!!!! Such the tease! I started a thread in Ammo you can find here: [url]www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=181968&page=2#1407804[/url] Basically, a falling bullet does not achieve a terminal velocity greater than about 300 fps. While this can potentially break bare skin, it will not crack/penetrate the skull. A bullet [b]falling[/b] back down after being shot straight up is not responsible for causing all the deaths you read about in the news when people shoot in the air. These deaths are caused either by bullets fired at an angle and striking someone at the end of their trajectory, or by bullets that ricochet from a hard object. |