Artillery Shell Disarming Help

[CONFEDR8]

Hey guys and gals,
This coming weekend, I will be going down to a Civil War battlefield (rather not say which one). But when I get there, I am going to dive in a creek near by and there is a good possibility that there are unexploded artillery shells. Before I decide to try and find one, is there anyway to field disarm an artillery shell, like removing the detonator and submerging the shell in water? And if I can't do that, does anyone know of a guys around the RTP area in NC that does that kind of work? And at what cost?

Thanks for you help, I just want to live another day,
Zack

 

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[fever87]

No way to disarm or otherwise render a shell inert in the field. After 150 years in the water it is highly doubtful that the fuse will be removable by any simple means. You are going to have to lug that iron out of there and by no means should you contact the local police EOD unit as they will only blow it up (it's their job and it's what they like to do).

Good luck!

 

[parsonwalker]

Never, EVER . . . not once . . . has a relic hunter been hurt by a live (dug) CW shell by carrying it, dropping it (Unless on his foot) or handling it. Only when trying to disarm it do injuries and death occur. Cannonball guy will back me up on this. Oh yeah - don't store it in an oven. So bring your shell home without worry, keep it in a 5 gallon bucket of water until you can find a pro to disarm it.

 

[rovnrbl53]

Disarming an artillery shell

For disarming a shell you can try Harry Ridgeway through www.relicman.com, Dean Arbogast through the TreasureSpot - Diggin in VA or Peter George - you might be able to locate him through TreasureSpot. I thought he had his own website but I can't locate it. Good luck.


Never, EVER . . . not once . . . has a relic hunter been hurt by a live (dug) CW shell by carrying it, dropping it (Unless on his foot) or handling it. Only when trying to disarm it do injuries and death occur. Cannonball guy will back me up on this. Oh yeah - don't store it in an oven. So bring your shell home without worry, keep it in a 5 gallon bucket of water until you can find a pro to disarm it.[/QUOTE]

 

[tennessee]

Check with Howard Alligood, ARSENAL ARTIFACTS, Sylva, Ga.