You are reading a single comment by @The_Seldom_Killer and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@The_Seldom_Killer
Back when I was about 14 a mate of mine who lived on a farm was given the rather ill-conceived responsibility for controlling the local rabbit population. While his weapon of choice was a not entirely legal over-powered air rifle, he did still make use of the family shotgun(s). One day, as a present to his best friends he gave a handful of us a shotgun cartridge each. We were under strict instructions not to leave the cartridge in direct sunlight and if we did try to detonate it, remove all the shot first. Seemed sensible to me. First opportunity I had, I took a penknife to the cartridge and emptied it of shot leaving me with just the explosive and the blasting cap. Figuring I didn't really want to set off an uncontrolled explosion, I tipped the explosive into a broad pile, doused it with meths and tried to set light to it with no success. Not to be deterred, I put the blasting cap on the ground, put the point of the penknife blade on the firing point and hit it with a handy rock from the rockery.
Nothing happened. Whack, whack, whack. Still nothing.
Big fat almighty whack.
BANG.
Ringing ears.
Searing pain in palm of the hand holding the penknife.
Turn hand over, blood, and a piece of shrapnel sat right in the middle. Turns out you get a bit of backblast from the firing cap and unchecked by a firing pin the firing point had shot into my hand, giving me my first and hopefully only firearms related injury. Had a pip size scar for about fifteen years after, can still work out where it used to be.
Stupid twat.