starting fire with your gun?

[bored2bhere]

i have heard of people starting fires with their guns the process varies but generally goes like this, pull the bullet out of the cartridge case sprinkle a little bit of the powder on the sticks and the kindling that will make the fire then shove paper or some other combustable into the cartridge case now load the round into the gun and fire the round , supposedly the paper will be smoldering ,ready to stick into the powder that you put on the kindling supposed starting the flame

has anyone tried this ? can anyone solidly tell anybody that this can or cannot be done please reply

[ArkansasHunter]

I suppose It's possible, but to be honest I would rub 2 sticks together before I attemped this. Because you still might have to much powder in your cartridge and maybe the paper could dislodge and boom you've got a buldged or blown up barrel and the shooter could get seriously hurt or killed.
If you have never tried to remove a bullet from a well seated case, then try it , it's almost impossible to do by hand...A.H

[billy]

ive seen it done with shotshells

[just_a_car]

"Bear" on Man Vs. Wild did this once with a rifle. He went through about three cartridges, as the first two blew the kindling about two feet away without any fire. The third one still blew the kindling, but some of it had caught a bit of smolder.

If I remember correctly, he poured out ALL the powder and fired just the primer with some Cattail fluff in the case to catch fire and that was still a little much.

[Mightybigjosh]

If you've got a Mosin, just get the barrel close to some grass and fire as normal. Did this on accident once... god bless those rifles/flame throwers!!!

[CrazyIvan]

Wouldn't it be easier to empty the powder onto some kindling on top of a stone, then bash the grainuals with a rock on top, make it spark and light the kindling???

[alan c.]

Maybe this is a stupid suggestion but carry a lighter when you are out in the sticks. That boy scout stuff works but make it light on yourself.

[Despoiler]

I guess that it is possible, but I would not want to be in a position that was the only way to make a fire. I carry flint and steel when ever I am in the woods.

Despoiler

[Lokabrenna]

Ehhh... I would much rather save the bullet or shell for when it was needed for its intended purpose. Aside from carrying a lighter and a supply of water/windproof matches on me when I am out, I've had success with a plain-old magnesium firestarter and knife or my new personal favorite, the firestarter developed by the Swedish DoD.

[Coeloptera]

Check Mythbusters. They did this in an episode. They managed it even by actually firing it: Annotated Mythbusters: Episode 45: Shredded Plane, Fire without matches

It's about 2/3 down the page.

Frankly, my wife just bought one of those ferrocerium rods with striker earlier this week. Works like a charm every single time.

Me? I like the jet lighters. But a backup never hurts.

And I really wouldn't want to be reduced to trying to get the bullet off a casing in an emergency.

- Coeloptera

[SwedeSteve]

Pulling the bullet off a 22 couldn't be easier! The rimfire won't blow your kindling away, and is cheap.

Flint and steel? Why? No need 4 matches either. A 4pak of Bics last a REALLY long time. Stick one in a baloon/condom (whichever u use most), tie a knot and tada! Waterproof and kindling that lights even when wet...

[ezearln]

Unless of course your flint in them bics gets wet, I do carry them like that but I also carry a magnesium fire starter block with flint, and matches and a couple snack sized sandwich bags with cut up chunks of fire starter. A night injured or lost in remote country isn't fun and is even less so without a fire.

[ArkansasHunter]

After reading these post and other SHTF threads I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to put one of those magneasim things on your car key chains, ATV key chain.
I just had an idea pass through my mind to invent see yall later...A.H

[Idaho Dave]

I got one of those magnesium fire starters with the flint rod on one side and you shave the magnerium off the other, strike the flint into the pile and whoosh. Never really needed it but still used it all up just screwing around. Guess I'm just a fire bug at heart but they are pretty cool.

[CrazyIvan]

I like the flint sticks, but these are cool too:

Cabela's Alaskan Outfitter™ All-Weather Lighter

Amazon.com: Brunton HELIOS BLK/Silver waterproof Lighter BR12F: Sports & Outdoors

Brunton Firestorm Waterproof & Windproof Lighter | SALE |

[JohnMcD348]

I like to carry a few different items with me when I'm out and about in the wild. I have my Zippo, freshly fueled and ready, a couple of bics in bags in the pack, a Mag block with the inset flint in my pocket along with either my SAK Champ or simple OldTimer 3blade. I also carry in seperate containers a combo of Potassium Permangenate and a small bottle of glycerin. Put those two together and you get a nice pyrotechnic show for a few moments, long enough and hot enough to start wet kindling. Also, they can be used seperately for a variety of purposes, The Kp can be used to help in water purification, and as a topical antiseptic among other things. The Glycerin can be used for dry and chapped skin.

[ArkansasHunter]

I came up with an idea from reading this and I will get around to talking to some people a lot smarter than me to see if my idea will work and be handy.

[bravo30]

survivor man did it on tv a few months back an it worked ...i think he dumped out some of the powder but it still blew away his tinder until he got it right .... who knows seems like a last ditch effort to me

[toolman]

Starting gunpowder from a few sparks with a resulting blast of air seems like the ultimate in futility to me. I don't doubt that it could be accomplished, I just think there are many more and, better, options available. IMO, this was probably a much better idea when black powder was used. I've taken a spoonful of smokeless powder and tried to light it with a match-it will light and burn, but it doesn't happen instantaneously. A few sparks from a magnesium fire starter on a piece of cotton will work much better.

[bravo30]

no he dumped out some powder then crimped the case then fired it (minus the actual bullet lol)....... the sparks from the barell ingnited the tinder ( he had the barell in the tinder ) .. yeah dumb an all but it did work