Salute the New Year!

[Norskie]

My buddy back in Wisconsin, Old Hickory, got me started doing this at midnight of the new year.
We'd load our guns with a half charge and ram a bore sized patched ball of 0000 steel wool down on top. Then we'd all line up, muzzles at 45 degrees over a snow field and salute the new year.
Steel wool burns with a fine red glare against the midnight sky! I don't recall any off our fireballs returning to the ground, I think they all burned out in mid-air.

Do not try this at home, or in fire prone areas.
These are trained professionals on a closed course.
No animals or firearms were injured in the production of this post.
Your results may vary.

Happy New Year, Folks!
Moose :grin:

 

[George Holton]

to use my 3in cannon once! then hide it again before my brother cops find me. :blah:

 

[Halftail]

Sometimes at the stroke of midnight I let wallop with this little puppy....

120 Grains of 3f and a 3/4 inch ball makes a nice way to ring in the new year. :v

 

I shoot blank charges up into the air with a big hoorah. My daughters like to see the fire lick out there about 4 feet. It's a lot a fun. I do the same thing at July 4th night after all the fireworks are done. Kind of a finale.

 

[wszumera]

So how long is the fire streak using steel wool?

Clutch

 

[Zonie]

I used to shoot something at midnight but a few years ago a girl was struck in the head by a descending ,30 caliber rifle bullet and killed.
That caused the Phoenix Government to raise this kind of shooting to a felony if your caught.

They also have installed microphones all over the city and can triangulate your position if you shoot a gun here.

I have too many valuable firearms to risk getting charged with a felony so I'll just have to say
"HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU !" :thumbsup: :hatsoff: :thumbsup:

zonie

 

[wire]

Two 1860 cap and ball colts 12 shots at midnight into the ground of course for safety reasons and then some left over morters from the 4th of July it always gets the neighbors attention.Rockets red glare and all you know.Phantom fireworks rules not a promotion or anything just a personal statement. :grin:

 

[kjmillig]

So what are the actual laws concerning firing blanks. There's no way I'd fire a ball into the air, but paper or steel wool aren't going to kill someone a mile away. If anyone can quote the actual law where they live, it'd be interesting to see :hmm: .

 

[Maynerd62411]

Check local laws, but around here, most towns have ordinances that make it illegal to discharge a firearm inside the city limits.

 

[Norskie]

Range of the steel wool balls depends on caliber and how tightly you mash them, but my .50 sends them about 70 yards before they burn out. I usually fire 5 degrees off straight up and they generally burn out before they come down.