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Metal Detecting Discussions => Metal Detector Finds => Topic started by: Old Pete on December 03, 2016, 01:00:55 AM



Title: Is this safe?
Post by: Old Pete on December 03, 2016, 01:00:55 AM
First time out for a long while, had about 3 hours on Berrow beach this afternoon with my Sovereign XS and my newly acquired Detech 4.5 x 7" coil.  It's a lot smaller than the Ultimate I normally use but I was able to use it on the highest sensitivity without falsing unlike the Ultimate.  As well as some scrap alloy, a couple of lead weights, just over £4 in decimal coins and lots of the obligatory .303 bullets I also found a .50 Calibre bullet.  Searching on another website, I've read that the .50 with 2 grooves is an incendiary bullet and illegal to possess, not only that , I don't fancy having it around the house if true. So please does anyone know about the .50 bullets.


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: scara on December 03, 2016, 09:08:34 AM
  I do not profess to be an expert but in my opinion It is indeed a 50 call incendiary round shown by the double canallure normally would have a blue tip. It would fall under section 5 (1a) (g) of the firearms act.
It would be filled with a 50% barium nitrate and 50% powdered aluminum/magnesium alloy which can when ignited burn through steel.
You will need to hand this in but to be honest they might look at you daft at the local police station when you do


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: Old Pete on December 03, 2016, 09:26:53 AM
Thanks for your info scara, that agrees with what I had found on another website so a trip to the local police station it will be.  I didn't know it could burn through steel so definitely don't want it around the house.  :o


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: congerman on December 03, 2016, 02:08:10 PM
any live ammo I find I just hand it in at police station you just give your name and were it was found takes x10 mins job well done 


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: dingdong on December 03, 2016, 06:14:10 PM
Hi old Pete,perhaps I'm wrongfully informed in recent years,including a good few years in the forces(army) and I was always of the opinion that the bullet you show is purely the projectile,and the part that sits behind the projectile is the casing,only when these two pieces are  coupled together with the casing containing he explosives mixture,then then therojectile becomes a LIVE round of ammunition,once it has been detonated,usually shown  by a small indentation on the back of the cartridge case.
I actually have several similar cases adorning my lounge mantle piece,and every now and again I get the brasso out and give them a good old polish.
Hope this explains ......good hunting..👍


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: scara on December 03, 2016, 06:30:28 PM
dingdong

You are right the part old pete has is the projectile part of the round, although in this case it is a 50 cal incendiary tip, which itself alone falls under the firearms act, the same with any Armour piercing type round ( some of the earlier ones had the double canallure as well) these too fall under the firearms act, it is all to do with the fact that they could possibly be re used.


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: Old Pete on December 03, 2016, 09:51:37 PM
Thanks congerman, I handed the bullet into the police this afternoon and it was easy and straightforward like you say, just give your name and address and where it was found.


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: Old Pete on December 03, 2016, 11:16:25 PM
Hi dingdong, yes the part I found was just the projectile but as it was an incendiary round it still comes under the firearms act. Thanks to scara's info I looked up the firearms act and as scara rightly says, if the projectile is designed to explode, ignite or pierce through armour then it still comes under the act even if it has been fired.


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: Old Pete on December 03, 2016, 11:58:59 PM
Thanks scara for all of your info, I have learnt a lot today and hopefully will be more prepared for any future similar finds.  As you said, the police didn't know why I was handing it in at first as they thought it was just a solid bullet, but when I explained what you had said about what was inside of it then they accepted it ok, although I'm not too sure they were convinced even then. In their defence I guess the main use of the firearms act down here in sleepy old Somerset is for shotgun permits. :)


Title: Re: Is this safe?
Post by: Resurgam on December 17, 2016, 11:06:19 AM
                            Not just shotguns Pete; some air-rifles also come under the fire arms legislation and a guy recently got himself a room at one of HM Prisons for eight months and also had his air-rifle confiscated. It's a minefield out there. Well hopefully not! :)


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