Caches containing Ammo

[+ihorn]

Last night while I was out caching with my Fiancee we were off to find our 2nd cache. The first was a DNF. We get to the coordinates and look in the correct place. Simple little Altoids tin painted in black. We found the usual stuff full log book, condom, frog, and a .22 cal round. I couldnt believe that someone would put an ammo round in a cache. I thought this was supposed to be a family friendly game. I disposed of the round properly to keep innocent people from being harmed by it. I dont believe that this round constitutes family friendly. What does everyone else think of this? Has anyone else ran into this in a cache in an urban environment?

[+DragonsWest]

Never seen a live round in a cache. Saw a bottle of wine, once.

 

Behind where I work is the Ford Ord lands, now administered by the BLM. On any given trail you can find brass shell casings. No metal detector necessary. I've found a few of these in caches where people have dropped them off. When I was a kid we found they made great whistles.

 

NRA seems to be having their big annual party, maybe an NRA member dropped it off, mixing hobbies. Dunno.

[+BlueDeuce]

They left a frog!? That doesn't seem very nice. Trade out the live round. If they continue to leave such a thing in a cache make friends with them and explain proper swag.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Certainly not the sort of thing you would expect to find in a cache. (Did you say condom???) And discouraged by the guidelines. But I am curious as to how an innocent person/geocacher is going to be harmed by a live round in a cache? Chew on it? Toss it in a fire? Put it in his gun, and shoot the next cacher? I seem to be misunderstanding how someone is going to be hurt by it?

[+BlueDeuce]

...But I am curious as to how an innocent person/geocacher is going to be harmed by a live round in a cache? Chew on it? Toss it in a fire? Put it in his gun, and shoot the next cacher?...

 

Yes.

[+ihorn]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

[GOF and Bacall]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

The condom would have melted long before the round went off.

[+ihorn]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

The condom would have melted long before the round went off.

 

lol, sadly I wasnt worried about the condom.

[+atmospherium]

We found the usual stuff full log book, condom, frog, and a .22 cal round.

 

What, no hamster? Hardly the usual stuff, then.

[GOF and Bacall]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

The condom would have melted long before the round went off.

 

lol, sadly I wasnt worried about the condom.

 

The condom is way less"family friendly". Think about it.

[+BlueDeuce]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

The condom would have melted long before the round went off.

 

lol, sadly I wasnt worried about the condom.

 

The condom is way less"family friendly". Think about it.

 

[+3doxies]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

Unless that particular area of LA catches fire, I don't believe that round, or any other made in the last 40 years or so, would "cook off". At the temps necessary to detonate it, the other cache contents are already toast. IIRC, takes upwards of 300 degrees to detonate a .22 LR...

[GOF and Bacall]

No BD. I won't explain it to you.

[+Highland Horde]

if the 22 round was a rim fire all it "could" take is a kid throwing it against a rock and "bang". Center fire rounds are much safer. Still it shouldn't be in the cache in my opinion.

[GOF and Bacall]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

Unless that particular area of LA catches fire, I don't believe that round, or any other made in the last 40 years or so, would "cook off". At the temps necessary to detonate it, the other cache contents are already toast. IIRC, takes upwards of 300 degrees to detonate a .22 LR...

 

I don't know what the ignition temps would be but I have never heard of any LA cops having their shotguns go off in their cars. I'm not saying I condone ammo in a cache, but it isn't as dangerous as many think.

[GOF and Bacall]

if the 22 round was a rim fire all it "could" take is a kid throwing it against a rock and "bang". Center fire rounds are much safer. Still it shouldn't be in the cache in my opinion.

 

Never gonna happen. You'd be hard pressed to get it to go off with a hammer.

[BCProspectors]

Last night while I was out caching with my Fiancee we were off to find our 2nd cache. The first was a DNF. We get to the coordinates and look in the correct place. Simple little Altoids tin painted in black. We found the usual stuff full log book, condom, frog, and a .22 cal round. I couldnt believe that someone would put an ammo round in a cache. I thought this was supposed to be a family friendly game.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up a little. You found a frog in a cache? A real one?

 

Yes, this is a family friendly game. But that doesn't mean the occasional idiot doesn't come along.

[+ADTCacheur]

Have you reported this person to Groundspeak yet to make them aware for if (s)he tries again?

 

I found it kind of interesting that you were so afraid of the ammo because it's a family friendly game, but only cared about the condom enough to mention it

[Andronicus]

I personaly think your priorities are a little funny. The .22 shell (if live) is unsafe to leave around, but "not family friendly"? Shooting can be a great family activity.

 

As for the condome that you seem to have no problem with, that is definatly family unfriendly. (How are you supposed to make a family if you use those things?) Seriously though, condomes are something that parents should discuss with their kids when they think it is time, not when they find one in a cache.

[BCProspectors]

Just to clarify my previous post, I'm not implying that the cacher who left the round did something that wasn't family friendly in this individual case, I'm saying that sometimes there are players who do things that aren't fully in compliance with the Guidelines.

 

EDIT: And I'm still waiting for details on this frog.

Edited May 15, 2010 by BCProspectors

[Andronicus]

Certainly not the sort of thing you would expect to find in a cache. (Did you say condom???) And discouraged by the guidelines. But I am curious as to how an innocent person/geocacher is going to be harmed by a live round in a cache? Chew on it? Toss it in a fire? Put it in his gun, and shoot the next cacher? I seem to be misunderstanding how someone is going to be hurt by it?

 

I agree with you on this. It is extremely difficult to detonate a modern bullet. Tossing it in a fire would do it, but who on earth would do that? Chewing on it? Well only if you ingested the lead (if it was a lead bullet).

 

When I was young, a friend (probably 4 at the time) managed to get a .22 shell, and tried to set it off by hitting it with a hammer. He didn't manage to get it to go off. Of course after this incident, his dad started being more careful where he stored his ammo.

 

Another friend (he was probably 15) had forget a .22 shell in his pocket, and was later flying remote controlled airplane. He put the glow plug battery in his pocket, and that set of the shell. So, don't short a battery across a bullet.

[GOF and Bacall]

Certainly not the sort of thing you would expect to find in a cache. (Did you say condom???) And discouraged by the guidelines. But I am curious as to how an innocent person/geocacher is going to be harmed by a live round in a cache? Chew on it? Toss it in a fire? Put it in his gun, and shoot the next cacher? I seem to be misunderstanding how someone is going to be hurt by it?

 

I agree with you on this. It is extremely difficult to detonate a modern bullet. Tossing it in a fire would do it, but who on earth would do that? Chewing on it? Well only if you ingested the lead (if it was a lead bullet).

 

When I was young, a friend (probably 4 at the time) managed to get a .22 shell, and tried to set it off by hitting it with a hammer. He didn't manage to get it to go off. Of course after this incident, his dad started being more careful where he stored his ammo.

 

Another friend (he was probably 15) had forget a .22 shell in his pocket, and was later flying remote controlled airplane. He put the glow plug battery in his pocket, and that set of the shell. So, don't short a battery across a bullet.

 

So what we should do is ban batteries from caches because they could set off the ammunition. Right?

[Andronicus]

 

So what we should do is ban batteries from caches because they could set off the ammunition. Right?

Batteries (if not in some sort of container) could easily start a fire in the cache (think water in the bottom, or the wall of an ammo can shorting out a 9V or a glow plug battery).

Edited May 15, 2010 by Andronicus

[+ihorn]

The Frog was a little rubber one you can buy from any toy store.

 

Yes the condom was wrong to have in there, I will agree with that. And yes parents should talk to their children about certain things when they feel its time.

 

Having worked around many different types of weapons you learn to always be cautious of an open round. You learn to always assume its live unless you have any evidence to show it is not. Now I will say that I believe that everyone who is responsible should be able to own a gun. I support our right to own a weapon. So please dont take this as a liberal agenda kind of thing.

 

Also I dont know who did it. The log from what I could see didnt talk about leaving any round in it.

Edited May 15, 2010 by ihorn

[+Chokecherry]

I'm almost more curious about who would use a condom after it has been sitting in a cache. If that's not an invitation for an unplanned pregnancy I don't know what is.

[+t4e]

Actually given enough heat a round has a cook off time. I am unsure of how long it is for a .22 cal round, but with the heat in Los Angeles, and where it was located it has a possibility to reach that temp.

 

The condom would have melted long before the round went off.

 

lol, sadly I wasnt worried about the condom.

 

The condom is way less"family friendly". Think about it.

 

 

maybe was a used one?

[+ihorn]

I'm almost more curious about who would use a condom after it has been sitting in a cache. If that's not an invitation for an unplanned pregnancy I don't know what is.

 

Funny thing is right before we grabbed this cache we were in the car listening to LoveLine, and this guy got 3 different girls pregnant in like 3 or 4 weeks from start to finish.

[+FiveDollarGuitar]

I am a little confused as to whether this post is supposed to be funny or not.

I mean the original post was a little disheartening, yes, I would think bullets are not good swag.....

BUT

everything that came after that post is freakin' hysterical!!

[+Chrysalides]

everything that came after that post is freakin' hysterical!!

And no one complained about the full log book yet! I don't know how this abomination of the geocaching spirit is overlooked. Priorities, people!

 

[+ihorn]

The design of the thread was to call attention to this having been done, and to see if anyone else has encountered this.

 

Humor will come when it comes.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

if the 22 round was a rim fire all it "could" take is a kid throwing it against a rock and "bang". Center fire rounds are much safer. Still it shouldn't be in the cache in my opinion.

 

Never gonna happen. You'd be hard pressed to get it to go off with a hammer.

One day in ~1985 my office secretary gets a call and rushes off to the hospital. Her 9 year old son found a .22 round, hit it with a brick and shot himself in the leg. It happens.

 

Firearms, and that would include ammo, have been prohibited items in geocaches since the start of the game, so discussion of their safety is really not relevant to the game.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Yes the condom was wrong to have in there, I will agree with that. And yes parents should talk to their children about certain things when they feel its time.

Indeed!

 

Get them to imagine a balance beam.

 

Put a condom on one side and an unwanted pregnancy on the other.

 

Ask which side will sink their life fastest.

 

And if your message to your kids is "Just don't have sex" then your new title is likely to be 'grand-parent'.

Edited May 15, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+gatoller]

This forum has the best trolls.

[Andronicus]

I am a little confused as to whether this post is supposed to be funny or not.

I mean the original post was a little disheartening, yes, I would think bullets are not good swag.....

BUT

everything that came after that post is freakin' hysterical!!

Personally, my comments were not intended to suggest that a .22 shell is good swag. Clearly it goes against the guidelines, and (like I said earlier) is not a safe item to leave around.

 

My comments were intended to suggest that, although not good swag, they are not "not family friendly", but that the condom that was mentioned, but not addressed not family friendly was the item of the two that was actually family unfriendly. (did that make any sense?)

[AZcachemeister]

I have quietly traded out dozens of live bullets from caches.

They may be relatively safe compared to blasting caps, but they are indeed still explosive devices.

[+FiveDollarGuitar]

I am a little confused as to whether this post is supposed to be funny or not.

I mean the original post was a little disheartening, yes, I would think bullets are not good swag.....

BUT

everything that came after that post is freakin' hysterical!!

Personally, my comments were not intended to suggest that a .22 shell is good swag. Clearly it goes against the guidelines, and (like I said earlier) is not a safe item to leave around.

 

My comments were intended to suggest that, although not good swag, they are not "not family friendly", but that the condom that was mentioned, but not addressed not family friendly was the item of the two that was actually family unfriendly. (did that make any sense?)

 

yes indeed it does, but somehow my mind read it to imply that you were saying "condoms are not family friendly" because condoms prevent families.

procreation.

 

anyhow, I am starting to think now it is maybe more my brain and the way I look at things that had me laughing earlier. though, there still are some awfully funny replies on this post.

 

That is not, however to take away from the fact that neither condoms nor bullets are responsible swag.

well, the condom might be responsible I guess, depending on how you look at it...... but maybe not appropriate.

 

Someone else mentioned the crazy thought of someone actually using said condom, seriously, too funny.

maybe the bullet was just in case you used the condom to find it had been tampered with and now you might wanna shoot yourself in the foot for being such a moron.

 

anyhow, I digress. Bullets and condoms do not make good swag. (period)

[+ohmerfam]

Perhaps the condom was intended to prevent the bullet from "going off"

[+FiveDollarGuitar]

Perhaps the condom was intended to prevent the bullet from "going off"

 

[+Endorfun]

Ammo in the cache? I believe that for many reasons that is wrong to place in a cache, in fact I can only think Of one good reason for such a placement. That one reason would be to load an included zip gun with the express task of orientating the weapon at a vector that would place the round within range and destination of the previous owner of the round, and releasing the hammer slug when the correct vector is made.

On another note:

I was opening a cache that was located near the center of Brisbane and of the dozen or so items in the cache for trade there was an expertly rolled joint, and a small amount of mushrooms in a heat sealed plastic bag with a brand label as if it came from an organized rave or something. I think that as bad as a live round can be, I think that a bag of drugs is maybe a bit worse, then again maybe they are both just as bad.

[+BlueDeuce]

No BD. I won't explain it to you.

 

Rats, there goes story hour.

[+Gamaliel]

There's enough trouble with people getting the wrong idea about geocaching as it is. Leaving actual ammo in the ammo can is asking for even more police and media hysteria.

[+BlueDeuce]

There's enough trouble with people getting the wrong idea about geocaching as it is. Leaving actual ammo in the ammo can is asking for even more police and media hysteria.

 

Well yeah, it could become a bigger issue than it needs to be. I would think fireworks or alcohol or even a knife would be more of a danger to the younger set of cacher. You take out the stuff that shouldn't be in a cache - including food, you take out the stuff that you don't think should be in a cache, and you take out the stuff you want to keep - and you trade even or up.

 

As I said, if there's a continuing problem you communicate with your fellow cacher and address it.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

You'll find no end to the debate on what is or isn't "Family Friendly". To me though I might guess that those items were left by muggles who found the Cache.

[+BlueDeuce]

You'll find no end to the debate on what is or isn't "Family Friendly". To me though I might guess that those items were left by muggles who found the Cache.

 

Live ammo is not an issue of family friendly.

[+ihorn]

There's enough trouble with people getting the wrong idea about geocaching as it is. Leaving actual ammo in the ammo can is asking for even more police and media hysteria.

 

It wasnt in an ammo can. It was in an altoids tin that was painted black.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

...I was opening a cache that was located near the center of Brisbane and of the dozen or so items in the cache for trade there was an expertly rolled joint, and a small amount of mushrooms in a heat sealed plastic bag with a brand label as if it came from an organized rave or something. I think that as bad as a live round can be, I think that a bag of drugs is maybe a bit worse, then again maybe they are both just as bad.

'shrooms and a joint are as bad as, "maybe a bit worse" than a bullet?

[+ihorn]

...I was opening a cache that was located near the center of Brisbane and of the dozen or so items in the cache for trade there was an expertly rolled joint, and a small amount of mushrooms in a heat sealed plastic bag with a brand label as if it came from an organized rave or something. I think that as bad as a live round can be, I think that a bag of drugs is maybe a bit worse, then again maybe they are both just as bad.

'shrooms and a joint are as bad as, "maybe a bit worse" than a bullet?

 

I would say a bit worse. A .22 cal bullet can kill 1 person, those drugs could kill multiple people if they caused someone to have an accident.

[+SSO JOAT]

Ammo isn't dangerous. Those who get all freaked out by seeing a bullet need to go take a basic firearm safety and instruction course. A bullet is no more harmful than a rock... unless it is actually in a gun.

[+USMCGecko]

The bullet is only dangerous if this is part of a multi and the final cache has the gun.

[DannyCaffeine]

Ammo isn't dangerous. Those who get all freaked out by seeing a bullet need to go take a basic firearm safety and instruction course. A bullet is no more harmful than a rock... unless it is actually in a gun.

Bullets can explode if tossed in fire. For the most part they are harmless without a gun.