From: glhurst@onr.com (Gerald L. Hurst)
Newsgroups: alt.engr.explosives
Subject: Re: C-4
Date: 19 Mar 1997 20:30:31 GMT

In article <01bc3404$e1352000$6b1946cf@cmtn031p04.mtn.micron.net>,
"RegradE" <regrade@micron.net> says:

>Cameron, nope.
>
>A block of M112 C4 placed 9" to ~2m away from a M112 C4 block detonated
>will deflagrate ALL OVER THE DARN PLACE. We call it snotting. Anything
>further away will just sit there, maybe to top of the block will be burnt
>though from the detonated blocks fire ball.

Have you seen this?  Fireballs from non-metallized explosives are 
darned poor fire starters.  The flash is too short even for the ignition
of thin materials such as paper.  C-4 is not particularly flammable,
so I would be surprised see it burst into flame from a small charge
6 feet away.  No, I would be astounded.  Assuming C-4 is as flammable
as you suggest, how would it be possible to burn just the "top" at
distances of over 6 feet??  I've seen numerous C-4 charges blown into
pieces by careless cap placement or the use of a not-too-well seated
#6 cap (you don't see them anymore), but I never saw any C-4 catch
fire.

If anybody else has seen this phenomenon, please let me know so I can
rethink the matter.  Until then I guess I'll remain sceptical.

Jerry (Ico)