Thread: 22LR bullet put a hole in my pocket - literally!!

Just wanted to put this online so that others can avoid a potentially lethal situation.

Over the weekend me and some mates decided to go spotlighting for possums. I put 30 or so loose rounds into my chest pocket, along with a spare battery (18650) for the scope-mounted torch. Bad move.

About a half hour into it, my pocket went "pop" - and so did my arse hole.

Turns out a small part of the plastic battery wrap had worn off with use, meaning both the positive and negative polarities were just sitting there waiting for something to short them out.

Luckily just 1 bullet went off, and as it wasn't chambered it didn't have much push behind it, the shell burst open like a tin can getting hit with a magnum of some sort. Projectile nowhere to be found. I threw the shell away during my panic other wise i'd post a pic..

Never had an experience like that, I'm just happy the other rounds didn't follow suit!

shit sticks, hope ya life insurance is up to date lol, glad your all gd

Jeezus I keep loose rounds in my belt bag along with spare batteries for my camera. Since its been wet the last couple of days I have the rounds in a small plastic bag.

Here's a pic of my favourite jackets' pocket - Good excuse to go and see Nana

Send ya yarn and pic too Davey Hughes ya might score a new one.

I have heard of .22lr going off if dropped on gravel, I dont carry them loose personally, you dont think perhaps you took a knock or somehow squeezed them into yourself? Mind you if the negative end was worn away at the corners that will in most cases be the positive giving the small gap needed to set off a .22lr. Weird the bullet went, most times the case goes flying.

Sweet baby Jesus........

Best place to store ammo is in the pest you just shot.

If you still got them in your pocket Damz, your not shooting fast enough !!

Thanks for sharing... not saying I do this but its always good to know what not to do!

Thanks for sharing.
A good reminder for all to be careful with ammunition.

While unchambered ammo is very weak it would still put the shits up ya in your front shirt pocket!

Originally Posted by JRW87

you dont think perhaps you took a knock or somehow squeezed them into yourself?

Fair question, but definitely not. We were in the middle of the field, I had arms at my side, just using headlamp to scan trees etc.

Certainly gave me a fright! The guys I was with were shocked too...

Originally Posted by Damz

Fair question, but definitely not. We were in the middle of the field, I had arms at my side, just using headlamp to scan trees etc.

Certainly gave me a fright! The guys I was with were shocked too...

I only ask because its most likely literally one in a million, its taking alot of self control as a firearms enthusiast and electrician not to experimant with this, haha.

Those 18650's provide a ton of current for their size - glad to hear you're OK.
Could have been worse, it could have been in your pants pocket near the jewels.

I watched a video that the American fire fighters produced about ammunition going if in a fire. You have little to be worried about from what I watched.
These guys filled a forty foot shipping container almost full of ammo, various calibers and types. They set it up like a tightly packed gun store and put combustable materials to mimic a shop building structure and set fire to it.
They studied it for a while then got brave and stood at the door. They were getting hit by projectiles but nothing was moving fast enough to do any damage at all.
They also did a range of tests on packaged ammo, dropping it, shooting it etc and the results were surprising in the fact that ammo is really quite safe until is loaded into a barrel

Sent from my workbench

Have heard of this happening before, not nice, message here is it's probably best to keep bullets and batteries separate.

Ouchies!

I carry spares in a ziplock bag, folded up tight to stop any noise etc.
fill mags before leaving, the more mags, the merry.