Foreign Accessories

a. Primers. Many foreign explosives are as insensitive to shock as TNT. Since some foreign blasting caps are only equivalent to the standard, commercial, American, numbers 6 and 8 caps, the Insensitive foreign explosives cannot be detonated consistently by using the American caps. A small amount of a more sensitive explosive must be used as the link between the charge and the cap; this is called a booster or primer. Foreign demolition charges of the cast kind require the use of a booster and are manufactured with a booster recess.

b. Blasting Caps. Foreign blasting caps are often identical to the American number 6 and 8 caps. They may be of dry guncotton or some other compound pressed into a cardboard, metal or paper shell. Some of the Russian caps are made of cardboard and paper and may be of slightly different lengths and diameter.

c. Burning Fuse. It is important to recognise instantaneous fuse manufactured by some countries for booby trapping and incendiary purposes. They burn at fast speeds; some burn as fast as 61 meters per second. When ignited it may appear to explode. To minimize accidents, all fuse should be tested before being used with explosives. Activate unidentified fuse with a firing device from a safe distance or with a known time fuse with a 45 degree splice.

Handling Foreign Explosives

a. General. The characteristics of an unknown explosive must never be taken for granted, and should be subjected to the expedient lest methods outlined below.

b. Procedure for Handling Unknown Explosives. Unknown explosives should be tested as follows:

(1) Examine the packaged unit (case, block, cartridge) for exuded liquids. If there is reason to believe that an oozing explosive is dynamite (i.e. contains considerable nitroglycerin) it should be destroyed.

(2) Subject 0.5 kilograms of the explosive to rifle fire. If it fails to detonate after five or more hits, it may be considered insensitive to shock and friction. Dynamite containing nitroglycerin should detonate on the strike of a bullet.

(3) Place approximately 28 grams of the explosive on paper or some other combustible material and ignite it. This permits the tester to withdraw to a safe distance before the flame reaches the explosive. Take note of the following burning characteristics: color of flame, rate of burning, whether or not the explosive melts, amount and color of smoke etc. These may be similar to the burning qualities of known explosives and an indication of the content of the unknown explosive compound.

(4) Attempt to detonate a unit of the unknown explosive with a blasting cap. If this fails increase the number of blasting caps by one for each successive attempt until detonation occurs.