| I was given a "disarmed" 40mm Bofor projectile some years ago by a widow clearing up a deceased estate. I was told that it was harmless and empty, in fact she then proceeded to unscrew the nose fuse and show me,... indeed the projectile was empty, but I had a nagging doubt about the fuse (time) itself and promptly took it to a collector acquaintance of mine who was also a Major at the nearby Army storage depot. He was not willing to fiddle with it and instead, after a month or so found me a replacement fuse assembly with no detonator and an empty gaine.
Several weeks later he told me that the original fuse was live and had been destroyed. The gaine had contained several grams of PETN mix which alone would have ruptured the case and could have killed anyone within about 5 yards.
This decoration had been sitting in the owners lounge room for 40 years and had been often played with, and examined by their children and visitors.
20 or more years ago a live hand grenade was found sitting on a rail in a local outbuilding after the house had been vacated by tenants. I remember the event but not the outcome, no doubt it was destroyed.
After all of the warnings and occasional maimings and deaths, these items still turn up from time to time.
Last edited by senojekips : May 3rd, 2008 at 22:02.
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