Defensive Weaponry

Things that go "bang" and leave a hole have always caused great excitement within me. This fascination used to frustrate the heck out of my mother who was always convinced that I'd wind up missing a digit or two as I continued to fool around with explosives.

There's something out in the world that goes bang one time but leaves 701 holes. Can you guess what it is?

That's right! It's the venerable Claymore Mine!




This amazing device has been compared to a sawed off shotgun. Look at what happens to the dummy in the below video.



This device is rather inexpensive to construct, and even improvise, once one knows the concept and theory behind it. If you want to get inside the mind of its inventor, Norman MacLeod, one can view the patent online complete with drawings and theory.

The below series of photos are courtesy of a user known as "DiGilio" over at the US Militaria Forum who managed to acquire a DEMILED M18A1 Antipersonel Mine. These images show how the device is constructed and how the 700 soft steel ball bearings are embedded in the epoxy resin. The only thing missing is the C4 explosive and active blasting caps or detonators.



The silver tubes viewed at the top are the detonators.





The mine can be detonated by an operator electrically or manually and also by using a tripwire designed to ensnare unsuspecting enemies.

Yes, the mine contains 700 soft steel projectiles but you notice I said it leaves 701 holes. The extra hole is from the mine itself. Check out this video and you'll see why. Make sure you pay attention to the upper right section of the playback. You will see the impact of the projectiles on the hillside in the background.



The camera operators duck at the end of the video because of the debris, empty ammo cans and rocks, that came flying back towards them. The blast backwards can be extremely dangerous. Operators are warned to stay back at least fifty feet, in a foxhole, for this reason. Most of what I have read from people who have operated these devices complain that the 100 feet of cable included with the mine is not enough!



Another video where a washing machine takes on a Claymore.

Want to build one?

Maybe you'll want to to buy a few of these first.

Claymore Mine Hitch Cover

Be aware that simply having an empty shell of a mine in your possession is illegal in some areas, and can carry a stiff penalty. These are apparently still legal, for now, in California.

Afterwards, you'll need to have some training:

M18A1 Study Guide

What? No C4?

Tannerite.Com

Too expensive? Try this instead, PDF download.

Homemade Tannerite

Read more than just the recipe. Read all of it. If you're in a hurry and have some chemistry experience, I've included the alleged full recipe below the next video.

Here's a video of one half of a pound of Tannerite being detonated. The M18A1 contains 1.5 pounds of C4.



Not convinced? Read about this: Man Triggers High Security Alert At Prairie Island Nuclear Plant.

Apparently, a grade 3 blasting cap is capable of detonating Tannerite as well as a high power rifle round. Just in case you were wondering.

Tannerite is a binary explosive comprised of a sensitizer and a bulk material. The sensitizer is a mixture of 90% dark flake aluminum powder, 5% titanium sponge and 5% zirconium hydroxide. The bulk material is a mixture of 85% ammonium nitrate and 15% ammonium perchlorate. To generate a less sensitive and less powerful version of Tannerite, a mixture of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder are used without the bulk of the other materials being present.

Places and prices:

Dark Flake Aluminum Powder

Titanium Sponge

Zirconium Hydroxide

Amonium Nitrate

Ammonium Perchlorate