Live Round in the Park

[miffdan]

A nice morning for a walk with my AT Pro. I went to a park that used to be the farm of a once prominent citizen in that area. I had hoped it's proximity to where the house once stood might yield an interesting find. I was finding the usual clad. I got a typical signal for a pre-Zincoln penny (80-81) so I dug hoping for at least a wheatie. Instead I pull up a live handgun round. Based on the end stamp on the base I'm thinking a 40-calibre but what do I know. I've only messed with hunting rifles. Definitely the most interesting find of the day. Alas, nothing old on the coin front.

 

[Texas Ed]

40 cal. & looks old - thanks for letting us know the VDI numbers and posting it. Careful with live rounds, I also found a 40 cal at an old golf course once & I can rember what machine I was using.

Texas ED
S/E Texas Gulf Coast

 

[azdigger]

I have found live rounds at a couple of parks in my area...a .22 and 9mm plus a .45.

 

[sandbandit]

Being retired military, I do some metal detecting on base. I have found live 50 caliber rounds in kids playgrounds buried in the sand - not even 6 inches down! Was hunting Eglin AFB at the time - unearthed about half a dozen rounds; some were crushed and leaking green and yellow goo out of the casings. I contacted Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) about the find - they came out and cordoned off the playground and recovered at least 10 more rounds out of the sand. The area used to be a live-fire range back in the 1940's through the 1960's - then the base built military housing on that land, which included several playgrounds. Extremely dangerous - the leaking goo has actually nitroglycerine that had converted from the aging gunpowder inside the shells - EOD told me any sharp blow could have detonated those old rounds! I never went back to that area - a digging tool could have exploded them.

 

[miffdan]

Hmm, I have it sitting on a shelf in a room off limits to the kids. At least it's facing up toward the ceiling should it go off. I think I better find a way to get rid of the thing. I was wondering how sensitive it could be.

 

[kschae4]

Nice find, at a county park I've been hunting, I'm turning my unfired rounds into the park rangers for proper disposal

 

[Dighistory]

I've been amazed at the number of live rounds I've found in public parks. Good save Miffdan, no telling what you might have prevented by removing it from the area. An overlooked service of your local metal detecting enthusiast.