So we have a recruiting station bombed early this morning. It's only a matter of time before these idiots, whoever they may be, hurt or kill someone. It looks as if it was a small charge of black powder in a GI ammo can, so there would be some big chunks of steel flying around.
Aside from the danger, this really annoys me because I shoot black powder. We already have uncomfortable levels of red tape to go with having black powder, along with considerable expense. Depending on where one lives we are limited on the amount we can have, as far as I know the maximum amount for a private citizen is like 25 pounds. That sounds like a lot, there are only about one hundred 12 gauge loads in a pound, though, so 25 pounds is only about a season's worth of powder for one cowboy action competitor.
Many people who live in cities have much tighter restrictions. You see, unlike smokeless powder, black powder in an actual explosive. Smokeless just burns, real fast but it's still a fire, not an explosion. So most places that sell smokeless powder don't sell black. What with the licencing and insurance rules the cost of a jug of black is almost double the real price. So, I buy my powder by online order either from Graf and Sons in Missouri or Powder, Inc. in Arkansas.
If I buy my powder by the case of 25 pounds then the price is over nine dollars a pound cheaper than buying locally. So, it really bothers me having meatheads blowing stuff up that is not supposed to be blown up. Now I will admit, back in the late 50's and early 60's we blew up a lot of stuff, stumps and gopher holes, etc. Of course no one but us were ever endangered and the laws were a lot laxer back then. And nobody cared about an extra few holes out in the country.
I'd wager that the laws about possessing black powder in New York City are somewhat stronger than in rural Texas so obviously there will be some congresscritter going after my black powder instead of wanting to lock this clown up.
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