Turkish Shell fuse?

[Tibby6345]

G’day!
What is ffe’d?
How would I know if that has already been done? Could I find someone in my part of the UK, Somerset, who could check it out? It will they not thank me for bringing a potentially live fuze to their house?
When my brother-in-law called the police about a small shell that he found in his old house the bomb squad just took it into the field next door and blew it up!
I’d rather it sat on my window sill, but if you think that is foolish, and I certainly don’t want anyone losing a hand, then I’ll call the authorities.

- - ------- - -

Sorry, just spotted the Kiwi.

[Tibby6345]

Sorry, wrong country, just spotted the Kiwi!

[Teck 147]

Free From Explosives. Generally speaking if it's neither certified or permanently marked on an outside surface one has to assume it may still contain explosive substances.
EOD units are not responsible for and mostly not qualified for certifying as ffe. Unfortunately for collectors and historians the operator/technician in charge of the job decides the course of action most don't want to lose fingers finding out others are to lazy to and some others fit into another special category.
As far as I'm aware there is no civilian organisation in the uk qualified to render ammunition items ffe for private usage. Testing for substances could be possible for a price and under a lot of conditions but you'd still have to declare it to the police because getting it tested suggests at least a suspicion and because the police are generally at best uninformed then we land with EOD again.

I'd say it's a personal risk analysis decision. Do what is right for you and your family

[Teck 147]

Sorry, wrong country, just spotted the Kiwi!

No need to apologize that could have meant anything, the kiwi is wearing a pickelhaube and I am by Stuttgart.

[vegetius]

Tibby6345,

It being live cannot be changed. The intentional modification, altering or 'inerting' is classed as the illegal modification of ammunition. This in it's self is a crime, to keep it is Illegal possession of explosives, another crime. Nor is there any way that it can be FFE'd, legally! Believe it or not, (and most here will not know), even 'Inerting' Small Arms Ammunition is illegal as that is classed as illegal modification. As with all explosive offences the penalties are strict, often imprisonment for even a first offence.

That is why we do not encourage collecting and doing so is the individuals responsibility to ensure that they follow the law. If however you surrender it to the police then they will get it disposed of by the experts in an approved manner. Fuzes are the worst thing to mess around with. Teck and I are well versed in them and even we would not do so. It is very easy with them to get it wrong at which point you lose your deposit in the local juggling contest!

My advice is contact your local police and explain you have a handed down relic and believe it is live then ask their advice. If you follow that you are not breaking the law.

If you desperately want to collect this sort of thing then seek out a reliable dealer and buy from them.

[Tibby6345]

Thank you both. Very good advice. Exactly what I was after.

[Watchdog]

Tibby6345,

It being live cannot be changed. The intentional modification, altering or 'inerting' is classed as the illegal modification of ammunition. This in it's self is a crime, to keep it is Illegal possession of explosives, another crime. Nor is there any way that it can be FFE'd, legally! Believe it or not, (and most here will not know), even 'Inerting' Small Arms Ammunition is illegal as that is classed as illegal modification. As with all explosive offences the penalties are strict, often imprisonment for even a first offence.

That is why we do not encourage collecting and doing so is the individuals responsibility to ensure that they follow the law. If however you surrender it to the police then they will get it disposed of by the experts in an approved manner. Fuzes are the worst thing to mess around with. Teck and I are well versed in them and even we would not do so. It is very easy with them to get it wrong at which point you lose your deposit in the local juggling contest!

My advice is contact your local police and explain you have a handed down relic and believe it is live then ask their advice. If you follow that you are not breaking the law.

If you desperately want to collect this sort of thing then seek out a reliable dealer and buy from them.

Rod and Teck are absolutely correct.

On the one hand there is at least the potential for something unpleasant and rather uncomfortable to happen. Remember your childhood friend/acquaintance/kid you heard about who, on Bonfire Night held on to that banger (firecracker) just a moment too long? As suggested this item is unlikely to knock the house down but could easily send you to A&E!

On the other hand even just keeping this item without declaring it to the authorities may create an offence under The Explosive Substances Act 1875 or The Firearms Act 1968 and subsequent legislation.

I realise the family significance of this item but do you really want to risk it? Take some good photographs and declare it. If, as is most likely it is taken away for destruction you will still have eyes to view the photos and hands to hold them with. Plus you won't have a one way conversation with a man in a wig at the top of the steps!

Regards

Mark
PS At the risk of being accused of "swinging the lantern"; whilst serving in Cyprus in the early '80s I recall a local scrap collector who ventured onto the British mortar range in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. He found an unexploded 81mm mortar round and thinking this was a nice chunk of metal tossed it into the bed of his pickup truck. Without too much elaboration the body of the truck saved his life and he didn't lose too much blood, just a couple of pints! The moral of the story being "if you don't know what it is don't mess with it"

[Teck 147]

PS At the risk of being accused of "swinging the lantern"; whilst serving in Cyprus in the early '80s I recall a local scrap collector who ventured onto the British mortar range in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. He found an unexploded 81mm mortar round and thinking this was a nice chunk of metal tossed it into the bed of his pickup truck. Without too much elaboration the body of the truck saved his life and he didn't lose too much blood, just a couple of pints! The moral of the story being "if you don't know what it is don't mess with it"

Thanks Mark,
You just reminded me about the guy with a PTAB 2.5 on New Years (who brought it from a local scrap merchant) it didn't end well