Quoted: Duds are very rare in this instance, but here's a scenario a friend was telling me about:
So you are dealing with an unexploded 2.25lbs PETN hand charge (grenade) or airpressure launched projectile that is unexploded on an unstable slope (these charges are used to set off avalanches on unstable snow slopes above highways and ski areas).
The round *could* go off spontaneously or not. If not the slope will eventually avalanche and the location o the ordinance will be unknown (somewhere in the debris pile).
A hand charge has probably sunk into the snow (you can see the hole) and has a rope tied to it (the thrower has the other end). The projectile may or may not be buried.
Current method: Walk up to the projectile or hole (on the unstable snow) and drop another hand charge down the hole (so they are touching and destruction is assured) and run like hell (hoping the slope doesn't go while you are on it).
Better ideas (pull on rope until round is visible and shoot at it (WHAT ROUND TO USE?))
Any better ideas?
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I would be more worried about avalanches and I wouldn't approach the area after the misfire. Sounds like screwing around in an avalanche prone area would be more likely to kill you than the misfired charge.
IF the charge is still attached to the rope and
IF there is enough rope you might try to pull it to the surface. The trick is to use a pulley system so the rope pulls the charge out, but not toward you in the process. This will require lots of rope to stay a safe distance away from the charge and pull it off of the unstable slope. After you get the charge to an area you can approach, you could handle it the same way you handle any other blasting misfire.
Disruption by gunfire looks good in movies but does not always cause a high order detonation. It might just cause a low order detonation or mechanical breakup. Then you have to worry about what you are going to do to all the chunks of HE you just scattered all over the place and the fact that they may be more sensitive in this condition.
FYI, Avalanche control charges are not always unexploded ordnance in the military sense and it might be hard to get a military EOD unit out to take care of them for a variety of reasons.