Bird Banger

From PyroGuide

A bird banger

Bird bangers, or bear bangers, are a type of pyrotechnic ammunition aimed for scaring off birds or other harmful animals. They are intended to be shot with a 6mm flobert blank firing pistol equipped with a 15mm add-on signal muzzle. The blank cartridge muzzle flame ignites the drive/delay charge and the muzzle pressure throws ammunition on it's way. After the delay charge is consumed, the explosive charge ignites with a very, very loud report in the air.

Bird bangers appear as cardboard tubes of 15mm diameter and of 60mm length. The drive/delay charge, which measures about 10mm of the length of the tube, consists of a slow-burning pyrotechnic composition; depending on a type of ammunition the flame may vary from nearly unseen to a bright colored with a glitter trail. The explosive charge, which measures about the rest of the tube, is flash powder; depending on a type of ammunition, the flash may vary from dark flash to colored, bright flash.

Brands include ABA 'Bird Bangers', Moog, Umarex 'Pyro-Knallpatrone', 'Lichtspur-Knall', Weco 'Kometen-Knallpatrone' and Zink 'Pyro-Knallpatrone'.

Colored bangers make a shocking display, when shot out of a battery. Such a battery must be built with a thorough knowledge of pyrotechnics. Blast shield of thick plywood is mandatory, having an open wall facing off the public; possibility of mass-explosion must be considered due to the detonating nature of flash powder. The battery must be well-secured to prevent devastating results. Building such devices is dangerous and may be illegal in your area.

In the past there has been consumer fireworks on the market, which consisted of a banger placed in a mortar with a lifting charge of 10 grains of black powder.

Attempts of dismantling bangers, or igniting them with a lighter, may result in an accidental explosion in hands. An explosion of a banger in a hand will rip most of the fingers off and will probably impair hearing and/or sight as well. In most countries for acquiring them, an ammunition license is required. There are yet some countries, in which they can be bought quite freely.