This is another thread I'm just going to copy and paste from my own web site... I'm doing so because I feel this single issue is very important and needs to be addressed... so here it is... Booby trapped weapons and Ammo <TABLE class="sites-layout-name-one-column sites-layout-hbox" cellSpacing=0 xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><TBODY><TR><TD class="sites-layout-tile sites-tile-name-content-1">Would it really surprise anyone here to learn a very common practice of all militaries is to booby-trap weapons and ammo for other's to find??? been going on for a good many years, maybe centuries even??? look at these examples from this book (Source: “Malice Aforethought – A History of Bobby Traps from World War One to Vietnam”, Ian Jones, p 225, 226) <CODE>In Malaya there is evidence that this practice was actively pursued. In Operation Purvey, some 10,000 rounds of .303 were doctored with high explosive. On firing, either from a rifle or a Bren light machine-gun, such a cartridge would detonate, burst the barrel, and kill or severely injure the firer. There was some concern about the legality of such actions, but General Templer, the GOC, dismissed these. </CODE> <CODE>A further 50,000 rounds were ordered which were filled with a thermite incendiary composition. These when fired would simply melt and seal the breaches of the enemy weapons. The advantage of these was that if the enemy discovered the doctored rounds and managed to get them back into the British supply system they would not kill the British troops. The SAS also doctored weapons such as the Lee Enfield rifles, which were left for the communist terrorists (CT) to find. </CODE> <CODE>It wasn't only the SAS that were involved in such activities. Roy Follows joined the Malaya Police and spent much time fighting the CT. In one incident he recorded that he was summoned to the Officer Commanding Special Branch and given a bandolier of .303 ammunition. He looked at it and on being asked what it was stated that it was the normal ball ammunition. He was then told that in fact the rounds had been doctored and the propellant, a low explosive, had been replaced with high explosive. Follows was then told to leave this ammunition where it was probable that the CT were likely to find it. He recorded that, several weeks after he had left the ammunition, there was an ambush by the terrorists in which it was reported that, as they opened fire, there were a number of breach explosions, which resulted in the ambush being abandoned… </CODE> In Vietnam under code names like "Italian Red" "Italian Green" "Bolo Beans" and others. started with pulling bullets of ammo and replacing the powder with a full case of Bullseye pistol powder.(Can you say BOOM?) This was successful enough that the military had special ammo filled with high explosives manufactured on Guam and Taiwan. Booby trapped ammo included 7.62x39, mortar shells fused to explode as soon as they were dropped down the tube, and hand grenades fused to explode as soon as the arming lever was released. The practice was for Special Forces, LRRP, SEAL and SOG units to "salt" ammo caches that were found, or to simply leave a few rounds near a trail where they'd be found. The programs were so successful, the military issued special orders to American troops to NOT use any enemy ammo or munitions. In order to allow use of enemy caliber ammo by South Vietnamese troops, the US had special runs of 7.62x39 ammo made in Taiwan. There have been several cases in the US where booby trapped ammunition has been left at shooting ranges. For this reason, NEVER shoot ammunition you find. It may be improperly loaded, or even deliberately booby trapped. the people who do this are so good at it you cannot tell just by looking! this list goes on and on and on and on and on.... so to all those folks over the years who have told me to stick with common current mill spec rounds you might want to rethink any plans you have about scavenging weapons and ammo... I think it's much safer to learn to reload your own </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> well there you have it... and for those who dont know... here's the link to my site https://sites.google.com/site/grandpassurvivalshack/home
Still being done... every few weeks Africa Command (AFRICOM) will post warnings about tainted weapons and munitions how to spot them by markings or lot numbers... Of course if the word got out... the libs would flip the "F" out... Hillary Clinton could be their poster girl...
There's a Youtube video out that shows a tango yelling "Allahu Ackbar!", trips the trigger of his AK47, which promply dismembers itself in his hands - hilarious!!
It was called Project Eldest Son. The trick was to have the same packaging, lot numbers etc as their other ammunition.
In the RVN, I saw some soldiers pick up and re-link .50 cal ammo,.... once. Generally, the results were sufficient enough to convince many others NOT to do this, ever!
