C4 Sensitivity

Hi guys, just a quick question: does anyone know if a 40mm rifle-grenade will generate the neccessary heat/shock needed to set off a C4 demolition charge?

Well, according to Wikipedia, it can only be set off by something already producing extreme heat and shock, like a detonator. However, I think if the 40mm is allowed to arm itself and explode, that might do the trick.

MP5 wrote: However, I think if the 40mm is allowed to arm itself and explode, that might do the trick.

Yeah, that's definately the situation I'm looking at. In my story, Jacob has a bunch of demo charges set up in a warehouse, and is then overwhelmed by padania gunmen. He eventually ends up launching a grenade to give him and Sophia a distraction, but it kind of makes a big difference in writing out the scenario to know whether or not the explosion will set off any nearby charges.

IMO - "The needs of the plot outweigh the needs of reality."

I imagine that an external detonation by a 40mm grenade would be insufficient to set it off, but I'm not going to call you out for having such a scenario happen in a story.

Kiskaloo wrote:IMO - "The needs of the plot outweigh the needs of reality."

Sometimes a little creative license is allowable

On a side note though, C4 by my understanding is pretty damn stable. To the point that apparently, if you hit it with a lighter, it makes a pretty good substitute for compressed hexamine.

Said grenade has to be in contact with said C4. If said grenade has any space or distance between it and said C4, nothing is going to happen. There must be contact for it to work.

The problems here is the Grenade; its not a high heat weapon, but a concussive force one, and the grenade frags will interfere with the heat and blast of the grenade itself for it to start a chain reaction.

But its your story, and I would say the first line posted here for a bit realism.

Make it a thermite or WP grenade. Problem solved.

Fair enough, thanks guys. It wasn't so much my wanting the grenade to set off the C4, more just wondering if it would. Seeing as how setting off a chain reaction between about a dozen demolition charges inside an enclosed warehous space would be rather counter-productive to their own survival.

You see... this is why the plain crates marked "!!!Explosives!!!" are a fundamental. It's enough to just know that it's filled with explosives rather than what type.

Kiskaloo wrote:"The needs of the plot outweigh the needs of reality."

Yup, as long as it's plausible and most people don't know it's bullplop.

paint it red and store it in a barrel,guarenteed to explode under gunfire that way !

Also something can be said on the compound itself. Although there is a general consensus on how it is made and the formulas used therein; the use of 'markers' by different companies and countries has unfortunately led to the basic formula becoming an open source product in the real world.

For example, there are a few established OC's that have already revealed their knowledge in creating their own C4 or "UPE(Unregistered/Unmarked Plastic Explosive)".

For example, my OC, Alpha, in an upcoming fic reveals that he formulated a plastic explosive compound not unlike C4; that is fairly heat resistant, but extremely shock sensitive. This formula will later be used against the SWA by Alpha's former colleagues.

C4 need bothextreme heat and a shock wave to set it off.
C4 is used most of the time due in part to how stable it is that and you can shape it.
C4 can be brunt, shot, droped or put in a microwave and still not go bang.

in the Vietnam War soldiers would sometimes use small amounts of C4 as fuel for heating rations while on long patrols,as the heating packs smelled it works fine till some trys to stamps the fire out.

and some times soldier eats some to be sent on sick leave.

wow the tings a person can learn lol

If you are referring to something like an M433 HEDP round, than it will definitly set off an M112 charge.