[Delmar]

I mentioned on another forum, that my son shoots strike anywhere matches out of his BB gun and they light on impact. (We are planning to start our 4th of July bonfire with this method, by the way,) So I get I private massage massage asking what the difference is between strike on the box matches and strike anywhere matches. Turns out he tried to shoot strike on the box matches out of his BB gun and they didn't ignite. I told the guy to make a target by glueing the strips from the side of the match box to a piece of plywood. What do you guys think? Will it work?

 

[panoz77]

I doubt it

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

see the mythbusters episode on match head fireball. the matches themselves are just fuel. they need the sulfer in the heads (or on the strike strips) to light.

SW

 

[Delmar]

see the mythbusters episode on match head fireball. the matches themselves are just fuel. they need the sulfer in the heads (or on the strike strips) to light.

SW

That would be phosphorus, and yes there is phosphorus in the strip on the box, so a target made of that stuff with a hard back might work.

 

[PrimalSeal]

I would think a head on impact might not, as there is no friction there to actually ignite the sulfur in the matcheads. If you try shooting them at the target from an angle it just might work, since the match heads would be sliding against the target in such a way that it may cause sufficient friction to ignite them.

 

[panoz77]

They would also have to hit the target at an angle in stabilized forward flight and not be tumbling, out of 100 shots maybe 2 would light IMO and distance to the target would be a huge factor not to mention the 50 or so match books it would take to make a reasonable sized "target" to hit. I even have doubts about strike anywhere matches working, it is possible "if" they even fit in a airgun (which I think they are a good deal larger than .17, and I have my doubts they would even chamber in a standard air gun) but if they did I think the friction of the barrel is more likely to light the match head than it hitting a rough surface and lighting.

 

[Delmar]

They would also have to hit the target at an angle in stabilized forward flight and not be tumbling, out of 100 shots maybe 2 would light IMO and distance to the target would be a huge factor not to mention the 50 or so match books it would take to make a reasonable sized "target" to hit.

No silly, the strip on the side of a box of matches is about 1" x 3". I don't know if you realize who you are talking to but I happen to have several empty match boxes lying around. There are two strips per box. I could make a 6' x6' target with 6 boxes of matches

I even have doubts about strike anywhere matches working, it is possible "if" they even fit in a airgun (which I think they are a good deal larger than .17, and I have my doubts they would even chamber in a standard air gun) but if they did I think the friction of the barrel is more likely to light the match head than it hitting a rough surface and lighting.

It does work with the strike anywhere matches. He just shoves the match in the end of the barrel till the match head meet a little resistance.

 

[Slimshady]

A match has a heavy head and a long stick in the back to stabilize it. Think bottle rocket, it aint gonna fly perfectly straight but it doesn't tumble either.

 

[panoz77]

I'll believe it when I see a video, until then wishful thinking IMO.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

Tannerite.

Shoot the damn box anywhere you like, it'll "light".

 

[roadkill46]

take a tennis ball, drill a hole in it, widen it out with a razor blade, pack that sucker full, gently, with strike anywheres, once full, tape hole, throw at a wall and run backwards! boom!

 

[Delmar]

I'll believe it when I see a video, until then wishful thinking IMO.

Ok
Don't believe me

 

[SamStafford]

I believe you Delmar. I have tried it with my Beeman Rifle. Maybe HE does not have a bb gun like the rest of us do. :yes: :thinking: :tongue2:

 

[godlessdustin]

I believe you Delmar. I have tried it with my Beeman Rifle. Maybe HE does not have a bb gun like the rest of us do. :yes: :thinking: :tongue2:

I had a beeman for about 10 minutes but then I took it back because the barrel was crooked I think. It looked like a rely nice rifle though.

 

[Delmar]

I believe you Delmar. I have tried it with my Beeman Rifle. Maybe HE does not have a bb gun like the rest of us do. :yes: :thinking: :tongue2:

I had a beeman for about 10 minutes but then I took it back because the barrel was crooked I think. It looked like a rely nice rifle though.

don't "really nice rifles" have straight barrels?

 

[SamStafford]

My Beeman came with 2 barrels. One .177cal and one .22cal.

 

[godlessdustin]

I believe you Delmar. I have tried it with my Beeman Rifle. Maybe HE does not have a bb gun like the rest of us do. :yes: :thinking: :tongue2:

I had a beeman for about 10 minutes but then I took it back because the barrel was crooked I think. It looked like a rely nice rifle though.

don't "really nice rifles" have straight barrels?

Yeah they do and it looked like it did til I got it home.

 

[SamStafford]

:brow:

 

[panoz77]

Well, I wanted to check and see if this was possible and yes Sam I own a BB gun. Number 1, Diamond strike anywhere matches fit loosely into a .17 barrel, they have room to spare, shot 10 matches onto the garage concrete floor from a distance of about 3 ft,m 1/2 with 1 pump and 1/2 with 2 pumps, only 2 of the 1 pumps sparked for an instant, they did not "light" and immediately went out after the spark. I shot 10 at an angle and no spark at all from any of them, only 2 of the ones shot at almost straight down angle sparked. In a 1 in a thousand shot this might work IMO at a distance more than 5 feet and only if the area was saturated with gasoline or other volatile vapors and the conditions were perfect for ignition of the vapor.

 

[SamStafford]

Well, .17 may NOT be good. Mine is .177, is better for this test. You may not know that, but I'll help you out on any BB guns. :brow: