Tell me you've never wanted to do this

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JimD said:
We are getting cooler temperatures for the first time in months but I'm not sure it was that because it happened later this morning. But the smoke alarm that always seems to need something started chirping. I tried a new battery but that did not fix it. It was not old, not sure what the issue is. But I just ordered a new one from Amazon (different brand) and decided to have a little fun with the useless one. I shot it 8 or 9 times with my P35-177 spitting out H&N Baracuda FTs at about 880 fps. The smoke detector was 35 yards from my gun. The first shot knocked the detector over but did not go through. By after 8 I had holes in the back too. Next I pulled out my Caiman X in 22 which is shooting H&N Baracuda 18s at a little over 900 fps. That put some bigger holes through it and busted off some parts. My P35-25 has a slow leak (takes days to show up on the gauge and weeks to drain the air) so it was going to get a couple new O-rings and needed to be drained. I only shot the dectector 3 times with the 25, it was shooting JSB Heavies at about 770 fps (down from 800 due to the cool weather). The first two shots just clipped the edge of the detector. I was aiming at that corner because I could see the speaker in there but either the scope is off a bit or there was wind drift (it's windy today). But I got a good smack on it with the third shot. I did not destroy the speaker but I put a pretty good hurt on it. Satisfying. The last two pictures were at the end. The second one is after the 22 caliber hits and the first is what I started with.

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was it squealing when you shot it
 
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No, it was not making noise. I removed the battery and the capacator had lost what it was storing. It would have been more fun if it was still chirping but I didn't waste a battery and deal with that waste.

I have working smoke alarms in my house but it was built originally in 1965 so the codes have changed a lot with respect to smoke detectors. My bedroom is on the first floor and had none when I bought it. I put in a combined smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector with a 10 year battery. The one that was messing up is at the top of the stairs to an addition I had done in 2013. The contractor put in all the smoke detectors required by current codes but I did the finals (electrical, plumbing, painting and flooring). I hate the battery failure thing so all the detectors I put in were 120V only except for this one. This is the second time it's failed. So time for a new manufacturer. The replacement will also have a 10 year battery. I think the odds of having a fire during a power failure are pretty remote but I decided I need at least some detectors that have battery backup. Current codes are a little ridiculous in my opinion about smoke detectors. None is bad but dozens of them are not really necessary IMHO. All wired together so they all chirp when it gets cold and a battery isn't completely capable.

It's been windy this week so paper targets are not much fun but blasting a nasty smoke detector was fun.
 
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I have the same fire alarm. Things that can bring on the persistent chirping:

1) Battery dead
2) Power cable dead
3) Low levels of dust in the house
4) High levels of humidity
5) Low levels of smoke

I don't know if yours is defective but I've found there's a lot that can get ours "worked up".

If I leave the garage door open when I use my table saw, the wood dust from the saw will set off our alarm.
 
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Vana2 said:
Hear you about cleaning up the mess!

When I get the urge to smash some reactive targets I use Honeycomb cereal (or Cherrios, Froot Loops, crackers) hung on a string to blow around in the breeze.

These organic targets explode nicely when hit and what doesn't get eaten by the critters compostes quickly.

Cheers!
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Try "Neco wafers" (candy). They're inedible, but they are great reactive targets and you get quite a few of them in a roll.

GsT
 
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Vana2 said:
Hear you about cleaning up the mess!

When I get the urge to smash some reactive targets I use Honeycomb cereal (or Cherrios, Froot Loops, crackers) hung on a string to blow around in the breeze.

These organic targets explode nicely when hit and what doesn't get eaten by the critters compostes quickly.

Cheers!
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Lots of gold in scrap electronics
 
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Please do NOT do this. Not smoke detectors. Releasing radiation In to the environment is very unwise. Cancer is a real possibility, cleanin up the broken pieces and have a hot dog or a cig W/O washing. Congrats you just ingested radioactive material, the amount is very small, releasing it with the possibility of ingesting it is among the more stupid things we can do.
Love shooting up old electronics, DO NOT SHOOT UP SMOKE DETECTORS!!!!
 
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