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Start a fire with a shotgun shell

by Dennis
(Indiana USA)

Spent shotgun shells on a rainy day

Spent shotgun shells on a rainy day

If you are in a hunting area where hunters have left plastic shotgun shells laying around. They work well in a rain storm or wet environment to get a fire started. The shell lights easily and burns very hot and will ignite most damp tinder.

I keep a couple in my fire starting kit. I was out working on my survival skills when a rain storm came through and everything was soaked. I had caught some fish for a meal but had a hard time getting a fire started until I found a couple of shotgun shells. I had a fire in no time and enjoyed a nice meal.

When I was a kid in Scouts we made fire starters using shotgun shells, kitchen matches and melted wax. When you needed a fire you pulled one out of your pocket and struck it on a rock to light it and it was water proof because of the wax over the top of the shell and match heads. This is what gave the idea to get a fire started to cook my fish that rainy day.

Note: Don't breath the fumes from the burning plastic.

Thanks for your time and effort.
Dennis


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Start a fire with a shotgun shell

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Feb 04, 2009
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Shotgun Shells
by: Anonymous

I have heard of starting fires with shotgun shells with the powder in them. But the ones you mentioned, are they empty ones with no powder in them? If they are full then stiking a rock with one will start a fire for sure. Thank you Very Much for your posts. I appreciate it!

Dec 31, 2008
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plastic/rubber fire starters
by: Nomad

A person could also use any type of plastic bottle if there are no shotgun shells available. I had to use a small strip of innertube once, a farmer had split it and covered a car battery with it for his electric fence.( I only used enough to start my fire and left his battery covered ) I had gone canoeing on a 20 degree day and flipped a few times, I was totally soaked. With a fire going I was able to strip down and dry my clothes before finishing my trip.

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