Shooting a Thunder Mug

[44caliberkid]

This is a neat noise maker.   Anybody know about that "blasting grade" powder?   Can you buy it?  Is it just large chunks of BP?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4EJLaHDHlc&feature=rec-HM-r2

[Jamie]

Ummmm, not what I've always heard referred to as a "thunder mug."    At our house it was the porcelain pot that resided, until needed, under the bed...
Jamie

[fourfingersofdeath]

Ummmm, not what I've always heard referred to as a "thunder mug."    At our house it was the porcelain pot that resided, until needed, under the bed...
Jamie

My family always referred to that as the Po (pronounced poe, sort for pot I suppose). My late wife's family referred to it as the gazunda.

Latrines with seats (rare) were in the Army were referred to as thunder boxes at times. The Army aren't allowed to dig holes for latrines nowadays and they use commercial portable toilets which stand out like dog's bits. What is the world coming to?

[pony express]

The Army aren't allowed to dig holes for latrines nowadays and they use commercial portable toilets which stand out like dog's bits. What is the world coming to?

When I was stationed in Germany,(1970's) we couldn't dig latrines either. We used a GP small tent with some cut off 55gal drums with seats. Eventually, some poor private got the glorious duty of burning them out, with massive ammounts of diesel fuel.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

When I read Schwarzkopf's book, he remarked that for some time during his Vietnam tour, that he was in charge of burning the latrines ... I remember wondering just who he had p_ss_d off to recieve such an honor .....*S*

[Jamie]

I don't know, as far as burning them out goes, it might be safer than a 5 year old kid carrying a thunder mug (loaded) down the stairs to empty it.  I didn't realize it at the time, but I had a high fever, discovered after a tragic accident, an extended period of paternal consternation and loud recriminations.  Probably one of the lesser moments of my life.  At 52, with an 83 year old mother, the memory is still... uh... fresh for both of us.   
Jamie

[Delmonico]

44Cal Kid, blasting powder is just BP with large grains, I think you can still get it.  The stuff Grandpa used to split large chunks of cottonwood or elm for the heating stove was about the size of split peas.  Always liked to watch im do that as a kid.

[Delmonico]

More info:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/17087933/Black-Powder-Grades

[Fairshake]

I have a friend who is a Goex distributor and he can purchase the different grades of the FA powders. For what was shown on the video a good charge of cannon powder will work fine. Goex does a lot of business with several countries on the sales of these powders. In fact they make much more money with the military and the sales of these powders instead of the sporting powders. Any distributor who sells to Civil War reenactment groups would be able to supply such powder.

[Matthew Duncan]

I figure it would be a good way to get everyones attention to start a match!

Wonder how much powder one would use?           Safely use....

[Steel Horse Bailey]

When I read Schwarzkopf's book, he remarked that for some time during his Vietnam tour, that he was in charge of burning the latrines ... I remember wondering just who he had p_ss_d off to recieve such an honor .....*S*

Date/Place(es):

1992; Saudi/Iraq/Kuwait Desert - Desert Shield/Desert Storm


Those 55 gal. cans in crudely-made latrines are part of everyday duty.  While the "duty" often had the troublemakers (few in my outfit) doing the duty work,  it got passed around so ALL could join in the fun.  As a Platoon Sergeant, I COULD have passed it on to someone else, but I (and many others with enough rank) felt/feel that fair-is-fair;  I used the infernal gadgets, so I wasn't too good to help with the dirty work.

And a half gallon of MoGas (Military gasoline) makes the diesel light easier - - - but is NOT encouraged!

The common term for the job is:

"Burnin' the Sh..ter."






Part of life ... It's not a job; it's an adventure!   

[WaddWatsonEllis]

And people wondered why I joined the Air Force ....

This reminds me of a joke, and like most jokes, it has some truth in it:

Tell the Marines to secure an area, and they will beachhead assault it, kill anything that moves, dig foxholes and set out pickets ...

Tell the Army to secure an area, and they will set out pickets, make up passwords and figure the best place to put the BX ...

Tell the Navy to secure an area and they will paint a red stripe around it, with color coded lines to go to the mess and set out fire guards ....

Tell the Air Force to secure an area, and they will get a 50 year lease with option to buy ...

LOL

[Noz]

The history channels Pawn Stars had a "Thunder Mug" featured last night. Said it was used as a signal device to let harbor authorities know a ship was coming in for pre-docking inspection. Apparently a disease control inspection.

[Three Steps]

The finer grade powders make a lot bigger bang. My mug is turned from solid stainless steel and very thick walls. Be sure to have a couple of layers of tape over the powder or at least a thin layer of sand. If a spark blows into the power as soon as it is lit with you right there it would be very bad. Also a pumpkin on top is a lot of fun, be at least 50 yards away when it goes.

[Three Steps]

Thunder mug, about an 1 1/2" bore and 7" tall.

[44caliberkid]

Three Steps, that is very cool.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

This is Ulrich Bretscher's black powder site from Switzerland.  It was brought to my attention either here or on TOR, but he makes and shoots a replica of the Tannenberg "hand gonne'.  On this page he discusses his "proving mortar", which would be a neat way to use a variation of the thunder mug for a practical purpose, to test the energy in various powders.

http://www.musketeer.ch/blackpowder/proving_mortar.html