# Exploding Targets



## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

Sorry if this post is in the wrong area if you are mod and feel that it would be better to post it in another thread please feel free to do so. Anyways about 7 years ago in Iowa I saw a guy shooting at some tannerite. This was the first time I had ever seen anything like it and I was quite impressed. The first thing I asked him was if it was legal or not to shoot them and he reassured me it was. Over the past few years their popularity has increased substantially to the point of other companies making and selling similar targets at the guns shows etc startargets is one example. I would really like to try some but I still can't find a definite answer as to if they are legal or not. About the guy in Iowa he was in fact committing a felony. Before you jump down my throat and tell me how the ATF doesn't care about binary explosives, I know this. It was a county law that he was violating, in that particular county it is a felony to detonate any explosive without a permit from the Sheriff. Unfortunately the Utah codes are not as easy to navigate as the Iowa law codes. So my question is does any body know what the Sate and County laws are regarding exploding targets? Also how does the BLM feel about them? About the only thing that I can find is that they are not allowed on national forest under the same restrictions as fireworks. Perhaps if someone knows a Sheriff or BLM officer they could give a definitive answer to this question. Thanks Greg


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

I came close to buying some once but held back due to not knowing for sure. It would be fun to shoot them. Just have to be careful. :?


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## hyperduc (Sep 18, 2009)

Tannerite is legal to shoot in Utah


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Go get some cheap cans of pop to shoot at... they make good cheap explodables 

Cans of saving cream work pretty good too  

Just make sure you clean up the mess afterwards.


-DallanC


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## apollosmith (Jun 29, 2008)

DallanC said:


> Go get some cheap cans of pop to shoot at... they make good cheap explodables


Yeah, but they're not nearly as fun as Tannerite. Here's a video I put together of us having fun with some this summer.

[youtube:1wl7ii8i]http://www.youtube.com/v/IS9DGyXSGnI&hl=en&fs=1[/youtube:1wl7ii8i]

And yes, it's perfectly legal in Utah.


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## Yonni (Sep 7, 2007)

tannerite is legal when not mixed, once the stuff is mixed you CANNOT transport it, should be obvious why. http://www.tannerite.com/


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Where might one get their hands on this stuff, and how much does it cost??? PM if you feel better about it.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

What is tannerite?

I cant imagine it being legal purely for the fact that you'd be labled a terrorist for posessing explosives


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

Nice video but it really doesn't do the targets justice the way you feel the thump when they go off. As I said earlier I know that binary targets are legal with the Feds and ATf. My question was are there any State or County laws regarding there use, and could someone please direct me to the code that actually clears this up? I really wish a Sheriff, Fire marshal, BLM officer or somebody who has one as a friend could chime in on this. I could always call up the sheriffs office but my concern is if I am asking and they here the word explosive they will either putt me on some sort of list or tell me no. As a side note if I where to use exploding targets I wouldn't buy tannerite or any other targets I have heard that you can make them for around $1.00/LB.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

I've never shot any tannerite. I prefer exploding varmints!

I guess I'd shoot some of that stuff if the opportunity presents itself but I'm pretty sure I wont buy any. I personally would rather buy bullets or a fishing lure or something. :|


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## apollosmith (Jun 29, 2008)

You can order it right online and they ship it to your door in a couple days - http://www.tannerite.com/ Details are on that page about legality issues. $89 gets you 10 pounds worth, in 1/2 pound or 1 pound canisters (10 pounds will level a small house). Check with a local gun shop or FFL, they can usually get it at a good discount.

In short, it's perfectly legal. Don't take it on a plane and don't mix more than 50 pounds (!!!) of it and you're good to go. And don't blow up dump trucks or something else stupid. As near as I can tell, Utah has no other restrictions against it - the law mirrors federal DOT laws (you just can't transport it once mixed and can't have more than 50 pounds).

I've never seen a city (I'd recommend not shooting it in ANY city) or county ordinance that prohibits it. Just check your county code if you're unsure - they are almost all online.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

WOW perty neat, thanks for sharing!


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

I have done some research and found more info. I did a word search in the entire Utah county code for explosives and only found 2 references one to storage requirements and the other to declaring an emergency during a bomb threat. I also did the same thing with the Utah State code and most of it was in accordance to the ATF's rules of not storing and transporting explosives. I did find that it is illegal to use an explosive on division of wildlife resources land, here is the reference look at section N.
http://www.le.utah.gov/UtahCode/getCode ... de=23-21-7
The fine is a misdemeanor. So from what I can tell if you have private land that is not part of an incorporated city you should be all right as long as the neighbors don't complain about the noise. Last if there is any BLM land that is not controlled by the Division of Wildlife resources that should be OK too?


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

It has been a while since I posted on this subject, and I was just wondering if anybody has found some rifle ranges where they can shoot exploding targets. A while back I called up the guy that manages the Provo City rifle range and he said he is fine with them as long as they are legal and that the stores can sell them. Also I was wondering if anybody has had any experience shooting tannerite in the area west of Utah Lake and south of Saratoga Springs? I have heard targets going off in that area, and was wondering if anybody has had any personal experience with cops etc?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Rifle ranges... none that I know of.

But you can now buy the stuff at Cabelas. Just take it out somewhere you feel safe shooting it and have fun!


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Davis County Range also known as Wasatch Shooting Range allows it. On Hwy 89 north of Farmington. Pretty impressive when it goes off. 8)


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up about the Davis County range and yes it is quite impressive when it goes off. What’s even better is that you can make it for just over a $1.00/lb instead of the $7.00 it will cost you at Cabelas for a 1/2 lb target.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

gregkdc said:


> Thanks for the heads up about the Davis County range and yes it is quite impressive when it goes off. What's even better is that you can make it for just over a $1.00/lb instead of the $7.00 it will cost you at Cabelas for a 1/2 lb target.


Do you have a recipe to make it?


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

Yes it is surprisingly simple. I don't know how the forum feels about posting info like this on the internet so I will send you a PM.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

If you dont mind, I would be interested in the recipe as well.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

You can get the recipe off of youtube. They're many videos on how to make it. The problem is the aluminum powder but if you have an old blender then its not a big problem.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

mikevanwilder said:


> You can get the recipe off of youtube. They're many videos on how to make it. The problem is the aluminum powder but if you have an old blender then its not a big problem.


I once heard that Etch-A-Sketch uses aluminum powder. Can anyone validate that? I would also think that you could hit up a chem shop


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

I have heard that about the Etch-A-Sketch as well but don't know if it is true. I wouldn't be surprised if you could use another fuel like sugar, I have heard that charcoal works. You can YouTube videos of a similar compositions, but I don't know if a rifle round will set them off, this would be a good experiment to try. Also you can harvest aluminum powder form paint but it is a pain in the A%#.

http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/igniter.html#Aluminum Harvesting aluminum is at the bottom of the page.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Heres a quick easy way to make Aluminum Powder. Just some foil and a blender. Sorry about the accent the kid has.


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## FishNaked (Apr 15, 2009)

I have a friend that owns a sporting goods store that gave me three of the Star targets for a campout last summer. These are the same ones you can buy at Cabelas.

I didn't know what to expect when I touched the first one off...but wow...what a blast. The kids loved it and they keep talking about shooting them again this summer. I don't remember how big it was sized...about the size of a short fat peanut butter bottle...but they would certainly break apart the old logged tree stumps that we sat them on. 

Follow the directions and be careful...don't mix them up and travel but mix on site where you are going to shoot them. We had dirt and tree parts fly approx. 100 yards so watch how close your are and what shrapnel you will cause. They are fun. So many You Tube videos of guys blowing up stuff...from old cars to propane bottles to Acetylene tanks to a pile of dead coyotes...the things you can only do on the Nevada desert. :O•-:


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